Repatriation ceremony a first for American unit

By Jennifer Bowman

(CFB TRENTON, Trenton, May 31, 2011) Soldiers carry the body of Bombardier Karl Manning at the repatriation ceremony at CFB Trenton on Tuesday. Manning was found dead at a forward military outpost in southern Afghanistan on Friday. Photo by Jennifer Bowman

CFB Trenton repatriated the 156^th Canadian soldier who died in Afghanistan but it was a new and sobering experience for an American unit.

Sgt. Cindy Curtis and her unit are from the 8 61^st Quartermaster 8 Company, in Nashville, Tennesee. They are training in Canada for two weeks.  As part of their training, they were invited to watch the repatriation ceremony.

“I am a soldier,” said Curtis, “I have never been deployed, but that wouldn’t deter me from deploying. It gives you more reason to want to go over there and see what the whole situation is all about, and why people come back and some people don’t.”

The ceremony was for 31-year-old Bombardier Karl Manning who was found dead at a forward military outpost in southern Afghanistan on Friday. The military continues to investigate the cause of his death, but they have ruled out foul play, enemy action, and accidental causes.

Manning was flown into CFB Trenton on Tuesday afternoon at 2:00. The American troops waited for his return on the tarmac with his family and friends.

Sgt. Cindy Curtis

Curtis is just starting her job as the public affairs representative for the regiment. She plans to use the photos she shot at the ceremony in slide shows and videos to let her community know what they do.

“I just felt as though if it was my family I would want the same respect,” said Curtis, “so I chose to only take pictures of it unloading and leaving.”

It was the first repatriation ceremony Curtis has ever attended. She said it has given her more insight.

“Now I have a little bit more expansion, I can compare United States and Canada. So far it’s not that different. We all fall under the same army as a whole.”