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Dec. 7th

I thought this day would be the best one to show these photos from the past year that show the best in our military and remembrance.

Every one of these assignments was humbling to say the least.

Jason Palmer/Times Record News
Membesr of the Sheppard Air Force Base Honor Guard lift the flag off a casket during a mock military retiree funeral service inside a gym on base. Members from the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard based at Bolling AFB in Washington, D.C., were at Sheppard to train honor guard teams from several bases in Texas.

This was one of those assignments that gave me chills the entire time I was there. Often, the media is not invited to a full military funeral during a news situation. Those are private times that are reserved for the family and friends only. And I have no problem with that.

This was a special training session that the media was invited to. And trust me... that gym was so quiet you could have heard a mouse squeak. I barely spoke a word while I was in there shooting this full military funeral practice.

I was fairly uncomfortable being that close as they folded the flag over the empty casket... but often, this job isn't for those who get uncomfortable easily. In the end, it was a very rewarding assignment and one that I won't soon forget.

Jason Palmer/Times Record News
Former Navy Second Gunner's Mate Frank Whall, from Norfolk, Mass., walks under a canopy of flags raised by students at Sheppard AFB Elementary as they welcome survivors of the WWII Battle of Iwo Jima Friday afternoon. The 62nd annual reunion of veterans continues Saturday.

This photo I could see happening from a mile away. As soon as I heard that the school children were going to have flags to make a walkway, I scrambled around to find a chair to stand on.

I kinda felt bad for about one second... moving a planter and hovering over the kids, who wouldn't stop paying attention to me. But I held my ground just in case the television crews or other photographers got in my way.

As soon as the bus full of Iwo Jima survivors pulled up, the kids completely forgot I was even there, which was fine with me. I'm not even sure the WWII veterans noticed me up there, but they had plenty to say when I went to shake their hands later.

Jason Palmer/Times Record News
Rows of US flags wave lazily in the breeze near the intersection of Hwy. 25 and Hwy. 281 in Windthorst, home of Marine Sgt. Gary Johnston who died on January 23 in Iraq.

This shot was from the toughest assignment I think I've ever had.

Lara Richards and I were invited to the home of Nubbins and Angela Johnston in Windthorst where a bunch of their son's Marine buddies were gathering just before Memorial Day. Their son Gary, whom I had photographed before playing football in Windthorst, was killed while serving our country.

Windthorst has always been one of those magical little towns that I love being around and talking with the people and just feeling a part of the community. I photographed the towns last football state title, and their softball state title in 2004. Most of the high school kids there know me and their parents always wave when I'm at the games.

So to say that I felt like part of the community would be fairly accurate.

Lara and I sat in their living room surrounded by a bunch of Marines and family members and listened as they all told stories, both happy and sad, about their son and friend. I still get a bit misty-eyed thinking about it. I can't even begin to imagine the feelings going through them.

There were a lot of photos I took for this assignment, it was the big feature on the Sunday before Memorial Day.... but this one was my fave. It is simple, elegant and above all, thought provoking.

This was one of those shots that I wanted to mean something..... and I took about 45 minutes trying to get this one shot right because of how much it meant.

Some things are just too important to not take the time to do it right.

Posted by Jason Palmer at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)