MILITARY SALUTE PROJECT

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Fort Snelling National Cemetery Platoon

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MILITARY SALUTE PROJECT :: Fort Snelling National Cemetery Platoon :: Fort Snelling National Cemetery Platoon :: FSNC Platoon Questions and Answers Author Topic: FSNC Platoon Questions and Answers (Read 267 times) Moderator Administrator member is offline Joined: Mar 2005 Gender: Male Posts: 239 Location: Woodbury, MN FSNC Platoon Questions and Answers « Thread Started on Oct 5, 2009, 11:06pm » What is the Fort Snelling National Cemetery Platoon? We are volunteers who stand in honor of those being laid to rest at FSNC. We position ourselves at the gate where funeral processions enter the cemetery and come to attention as the vehicles pass by. We hope that by honoring the deceased we will be able to offer some comfort to family and friends who are saying their final goodbye. Information about the leadership of the FSNC Platoon is available here ... http://militarysalute.proboards.com/inde....play&thread=899 Where is Fort Snelling National Cemetery? FSNC is located in the southeast corner of Minneapolis. The property is bordered by Post Road to the north, Interstate 494 to the south, 34th Avenue S to the west, and Minnesota Highway 5 to the east. MapQuest directions and information about the cemetery are available here ... http://militarysalute.proboards.com/inde....play&thread=896 Who can join the FSNC Platoon? Anyone who would like to spend some of their time demonstrating Honor, Dignity and Respect for those who have earned the right to be laid to rest in a National Cemetery. You do not have to be a Veteran or a member of any other group. Patriotism and an appreciation for those who served our Nation in America's Armed Forces are our only requirements. How do I join the FSNC Platoon? Read these Questions and Answers carefully. If you decide that you would like to participate, all you have to do is show up at Gate 2 at your convenience. There might be other volunteers at the gate when you arrive or you might be there by yourself. We do not need your name. There are no dues or fees of any kind. Are there specific times when burials are scheduled at the cemetery? Fort Snelling National Cemetery schedules interments from 9:30 am through 2:30 pm, Monday through Friday (except for Federal holidays). Funeral processions begin arriving shortly after 9:00 am. Funeral processions scheduled for interment ceremonies at 2:30 pm sometimes arrive late. We would like to have volunteers at Gate 2 from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. What should I wear? There is no required uniform. Wear casual, comfortable clothing. Funerals at FSNC are conducted regardless of the weather, so please dress according to the conditions. Because of the location of the cemetery, there is almost always a significant breeze blowing and sometimes "gale force" winds. Wear layers of clothing during the winter months. Do not wear shorts during summer months unless you are a member of a group that approves the wearing of shorts, such as the Boy Scouts of America. If you are Military or a Veteran, please wear an appropriate cover if you intend to render a hand salute when a flag-draped casket passes through the gate. Members of groups who wear uniforms are welcome to do so, including the Military, National Guard, Civil Air Patrol, First Responders, Veterans Service Organizations, Boy/Girl Scouts of America, etc. Members of groups such as the Patriot Guard Riders, Tribute To The Troops, Minnesota Memorial Riders, etc. are encouraged to wear the attire you would wear for an Honor Mission, Memorial Ride, etc. Where do I park at the cemetery? Enter the cemetery through Gate 2 (for Funeral Processions and the Assembly Areas) and take the first left onto Colvill Drive ... Park on the right (east) side of Colvill Drive, as close to the curb as possible ... Where do I stand? If you are the only person present, stand in the position shown here, facing 34th Avenue South ... If there are additional volunteers present, fill the positions in the order of the numbers shown here ... The second person should take Position #2, the third person should take Position #3, and so on. Positions 1, 2, 6 and 7 should face 34th Avenue South. Positions 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 and 10 should face Peck Avenue. Stand on the sidewalk as far from the street as possible, without standing in the grass. There is ample room on the sidewalk for volunteers who use wheelchairs, transfer chairs or mobility scooters. If all 10 positions are filled when you arrive, please remain with your vehicle in the parking area on Colvill Drive until someone leaves. There should not be more than 10 volunteers on the sidewalks near Gate #2 at any time. What should I bring with me? We encourage all volunteers to print this information and have a copy of it with you. You should bring water to keep hydrated when the weather is hot or humid. Unless you have a medical condition that requires having snacks on your person, please do not eat food while standing the line. Please use the restroom before your shift begins. If you are a Patriot Guard Rider or would like to hold a U.S. Flag, please feel free to bring your flag with you. Please use U.S. flags only. Your flag should be in very good condition. If you must carry a cell phone, set it to "Vibrate". If you must make or accept a call while you are standing the line, please leave the immediate area. What should I do when a funeral procession approaches the Gate? Come to Attention before the procession reaches your position. Remain at Attention until the entire procession has passed by your position. It is highly likely that people in the vehicles will wave to you, tap their horn or give you a "thumbs up". You should maintain your position and not respond. If you are holding a U.S. Flag, the flag should always be held upright and absolutely vertical. The U.S. Flag is never "dipped" for anyone or anything. Holding a flag vertical while standing at Attention is, by definition, an appropriate Military salute. If you are not holding a flag, and you are entitled to salute, render a salute when the lead vehicle is about 10 feet away from you. Please hold your salute until the entire procession has passed by your position. If you are not holding a flag, and you are not entitled to salute, hold your right hand over your heart until the entire procession has passed by your position. Keep in mind that not all funeral processions include a hearse. If the deceased has been cremated, the funeral urn could be in any of the vehicles in the procession. Therefore, we want to be sure that our volunteers remain at Attention until the entire procession has passed. Many families invite the Patriot Guard Riders to stand at interment ceremonies. Sometimes the funeral procession is escorted by PGR motorcycles. In addition, PGR motorcycles and passenger vehicles might arrive at the cemetery in advance of the arrival of the procession. Whenever a PGR column approaches Gate 2, even if the Riders are arriving separately from the funeral procession, please come to Attention and treat the column as if it was a funeral procession. Many of the motorcycles and passenger vehicles will be flying the U.S. Flag, therefore it is entirely appropriate to salute them as they enter the cemetery. What does "come to Attention" mean? For our purposes, it means "stand up straight". Look straight ahead and do not "lock" your knees. What is prohibited while I'm standing the line? Please be mindful that National Cemeteries are hallowed ground ... Do not smoke. Do not take photographs of funeral processions or of other FSNC Platoon members. Leave your camera in your vehicle. Do not play music, even with an ear-piece. You must be concentrating on our purpose for being at the cemetery at all times so that you can come to Attention as each funeral procession approaches Gate #2. Do not display cards or signs of any kind. There should be no laughing, joking or loud conversations while you are standing the line. Please keep in mind that the people passing by you are experiencing one of the most difficult days of their lives. Can I bring others with me? We encourage you to bring anyone you know who may be interested in participating. Children must be under the direct supervision of a parent or guardian at all times. Please be mindful that the Gate 2 entrance is very busy and therefore can be dangerous unless everyone is paying attention at all times. How often can I participate? You can arrive and leave at your convenience whenever you have time available. You can participate one day a month, one day a week, more than one day each week or every day if you wish. You can stand for 30 minutes or 3 hours ... it's entirely up to you. When are the Federal Holidays when no interment services are conducted? New Year's Day, January 1 Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., the third Monday in January Washington's Birthday, the third Monday in February Inauguration Day, January 20 of each fourth year after 1965 Memorial Day, the last Monday in May Independence Day, July 4 Labor Day, the first Monday in September Columbus Day, the second Monday in October Veterans Day, November 11 Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday in November Christmas Day, December 25 When a federal holiday falls on a Saturday, the holiday is observed on Friday, the day before. When a federal holiday falls on a Sunday, the holiday is observed on Monday, the day after. When January 20 of any fourth year after 1965 falls on Sunday, the next succeeding day selected for the inauguration of the President is a federal holiday. I live in another state. Will you help me start a similar group at the National Cemetery and/or State Veterans Cemetery near me? We would be happy to assist you as long as your group is open to everyone, there are no dues or fees of any kind to join your group, and your plan does not include fundraising of any kind. What if I have a question that is not answered here? Send an e-mail with "FSNC Platoon" in the Subject line to Jeff Seeber ... militarysalute@gmail.com CLICK HERE to print this page. « Last Edit: Oct 23, 2009, 8:02pm by Moderator » Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged Forum Jump--------------------» Home--------------------» Reference Desk--------------------- The Flag of the United States of America- American Civics Information- On This Date In American History- Military and Veterans Protocol- Military and Veterans Tributes- The Library- Military Salute and Welcome Home Videos--------------------» Roll Call of Minnesota's Fallen--------------------- Roll Call of Minnesota's Fallen- Websites Dedicated to Minnesota's Fallen--------------------» Fort Snelling National Cemetery Platoon--------------------- Fort Snelling National Cemetery Platoon--------------------» 2009 Remember The Fallen Tribute--------------------- Project Information- Visitation Photographs - Album 1- Visitation Photographs - Album 2- Visitation Photographs - Album 3--------------------» 2008 Honor & Remember Ride To Washington--------------------- Trip Information- Ride Report--------------------» EchoTaps 2007 at Fort Snelling National Cemetery--------------------- Event Information- Event Photographs--------------------» About Us--------------------- History of the Military Salute Project