A SACRED HONOR
The local civilian and military communities came together Wednesday, May 12th to welcome home Waynedale resident Senior Master Sergeant Linda Becker. American Legion Post #241 hosted the ceremony, and the Posts’ Legion Riders escorted Becker and her husband Tom on their motorcycles to the Post. She just returned from a six-month deployment to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. While deployed there Becker was a member of the Mortuary team.
The Dover Port Mortuary, falls under the 436th Services Squadron. The mortuary is the sole casualty collection point for all U.S. military deaths. It has been used in 1986 for identifying the remains of the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger, 2003 for the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia, and also used for identifying the remains of military personnel killed in the September 11th attacks. Soon after Becker’s arrival there, she was involved in the preparation of the remains of those killed in the Fort Hood tragedy.
The Dover Mortuary’s website includes the following statement: “It is the center’s mission and privilege to fulfill the nation’s sacred commitment of ensuring dignity, honor and respect to the fallen and care, service and support to their families. A dignified transfer is the process by which, upon the return from the theater of operations to the United States, the remains of fallen military members are transferred from the aircraft to a waiting vehicle and then to the Port Mortuary.”
Once at the mortuary, remains are prepared for transportation to the service members’ home. Senior Master Sgt. Becker told me that what takes place there is very similar to the scenes from the recent HBO movie, “Taking Chance.”
Becker joined the United States Air Force in October of 1973, and enlisted in the Indiana Air National Guard in March of 1977. She has deployed to Kuwait twice, Oman and Afghanistan and she also deployed to Mississippi in support of the humanitarian effort after Hurricane Katrina. She married Thomas Becker in September of 1981, they have 5 children; Tom, Jim, David, Rachel and Sarah. Mr. Becker and his son Jim are both veterans as well. They have 13 grandchildren, with the 14th on the way in June.
As I spoke with Linda about the “other” parts of her life outside of the military, she mentioned her love of music which she shares through her business playing karaoke and being a DJ. Linda and Tom are Harley riders and enjoy the freedom of the road. She also enjoys fishing and is the 3rd Vice Commander of American Legion Post #241.
When I asked her how she’s managed to keep her focus through such tragedy on this most recent and most difficult tour, she was quick to tell me about the support of her family and friends, as well as the members of the “Services Group” (the unit Becker is assigned to at the 122nd Fighter Wing) and her American Legion Post. A lot of the things she’s witnessed at the Mortuary will most likely remain unspoken, but when I asked for her overall assessment of this deployment she simply said, “It’s been a sacred honor.”
If you’ve seen the movie mentioned earlier, you can guess at a glimpse of what Becker’s experience has been like – as well as her desire to not speak much about it – and if you haven’t seen “Taking Chance” I would highly recommend it.
Becker has made a name for herself while deployed as well; she was awarded the United States Air Force Commendation Medal that is one of the very highest “non-combat” medals given. The narrative of the award lists her numerous accomplishments, many of which are examples of Becker’s desire to go “above and beyond the call of duty.” She was honored for her efforts to streamline and simplify the entire process which minimizes the difficulties for the fallen heroes’ families.
As Wednesday’s ceremony began, retired Chief Master Sergeant Charlie Manor, former member of the 122nd Fighter Wing, and former Commander of Post #241 took the microphone. Manor gave an emotional welcome talking about Becker’s dedication, saying, “Linda Becker has ‘lived’ every job she’s ever had in the Guard. She is a strong and proud American, and I am proud to know her, she is a hero.”
When Linda had her chance to speak she thanked everyone for coming and said, “I am not a hero, I took care of the heroes.” She went on to add, “This is the toughest thing I’ve ever done in my life.” She then spoke briefly about the tasks she performed there, and reiterated her earlier point that, “It was a sacred honor.”
Becker’s family and friends were full of admiration for her as well, son David – who was recently married, a wedding Becker had to miss because of the deployment – proudly stated, “Mom is the strongest woman I’ve ever known.”
Becker’s husband Tom told me that the thing that really struck him as they packed up her gear and headed home, was her hesitance to leave Dover when the time finally came. “She was feeling a little sad, because as much as she wanted to be home, she wasn’t going to be there to ensure the troops would continue to receive the love, respect and dignity they deserved.” Tom assured her that the person that took over would honor that wish.
Daughter Rachel talked about the missed holidays, birthdays, and all the other things military families take in stride and reaffirmed David’s comments about her mother’s strength. It was clear that in the family there is plenty of mutual respect and love which has helped Linda through such trying times.
So at the end of the day it’s another successful mission for Senior Master Sergeant Linda Becker, but one that has changed her in ways the rest of us may never know. Being witness to such tragedy can damage your soul, and Becker has repeatedly mentioned her thankfulness for family and friends. So if you see her around town as she takes some time off to recuperate, talk to her, give her a hug, let her know that she still has the community support that she richly deserves, and remind her, “Welcome Home.”
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