Honor comes to those who serve

  • Published
  • By Capt. Kevin Tuttle
  • 45th Space Wing Public Affairs
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFPN) --  Many of you have probably heard of the death of Airman 1st Class Elizabeth Jacobson. She was the first female Airman to die in the line of fire duty supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the first Air Force security forces member to perish. She was only 21 years old.

Airman Jacobson died while providing convoy security near Camp Bucca, Iraq. An improvised explosive hit the vehicle in which she was riding Sept. 28. She was assigned to the 17th Security Forces Squadron at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas

I had the honor of being her family’s liaison to the news media Oct. 9 at her funeral, since her hometown was in nearby in Riviera Beach. In addition to phone calls before the funeral, I got to spend about 45 minutes with Airman Jacobson’s father, mother and stepmother.

This was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life. What do you say to someone who has just lost a child? How does one sympathize without being able to empathize? I had never been to a funeral because I had never had anyone close to me pass away.

So I knew working with the family that it would be emotionally very difficult for me. I cannot imagine the sorrow parents must feel after losing their child.

Arriving at the funeral home near Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., the magnitude of the situation hit hard. I didn’t feel worthy to console the family because finding words was so difficult.

However, something happened when I walked in to meet the parents. They were so thankful to have Air Force members at the funeral, including Col. Scott Bethel, commander of the 17th Training Wing at Goodfellow; Maj. Kenneth O’Neil, 17th SFS commander; and Chaplain (Maj.) Peggy Wilkins and the honor guard from Patrick.

David Jacobson, Airman Jacobson’s father, told us stories about Elizabeth. He spoke of her love of the Air Force and her security forces duties; her desire to be a chief master sergeant someday; and the way she always volunteered to do the jobs no one else wanted. The fateful convoy mission was one such duty she had tried to get for a long time, rather than be in the guard tower where it was relatively safe.

The part that was so surprising to me was the outpouring of support her family bestowed on the military members, for the jobs we all have to do to protect this nation. There were no sentiments of bitterness or anger toward the military.

“People don’t understand that if we don’t win the war in Iraq, the United States will not exist,” Mr. Jacobson said. “Elizabeth liked being a troop and was so proud. She made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation and the cause of freedom.”

I felt rushes of humility and pride as they laid her to rest with all her mourners around her -- seeing our honor guard perform the ceremony, hearing “Taps” and hearing and feeling the flyover of two T-38s Talon aircraft.

I have never been as proud to be a member of the Air Force as I was that Sunday.

It made me realize that even though some of us haven’t deployed, haven’t directly supported Operation Iraqi Freedom or the global war on terrorism, we all play a vital role to protect the citizens of the United States.

We just have to do our jobs with honor and with the love that Airman Jacobson showed for her job -- and that her family showed for her and all of us who wear the uniform.