Let’s Pay Him Tribute
When I was younger, my parents instilled in me the importance of respecting others. They knew how crucial it was to show respect in certain situations, and I grew up carrying those same values.
So, when I stumbled upon the picture of a U.S. soldier standing to attention in the pouring rain, I was deeply moved. The person who took the photo knew they had to share it with the world, and I’m grateful they did.
It’s no surprise the picture went viral, with people all over eager to pay tribute to this soldier.
However, it was his words after being identified that truly showcased his character…
On July 6, 2017, Erin Hester was sitting at an intersection on a highway in Vine Grove, Kentucky.
She saw a soldier standing to attention outside in the driving rain. At first, she was confused, but soon realized he was saluting a passing funeral procession. The key thing is, he wasn’t part of the procession and didn’t know the deceased.
Hester felt compelled to take a photo of the scene. She uploaded her picture to social media, where it drew a lot of positive attention.
On her Facebook, Hester wrote: “I was so completely touched by this today. A funeral procession was passing by and this soldier got out of his jeep to stand at attention in the pouring rain. I always get frustrated when I see cars that don’t pull to the side and stop for a procession, but this gentleman went above and beyond.
“I feel pretty confident that there isn’t a military rule that soldiers have to do this. This made my heart happy to see the amount of respect that this gentleman showed a family that he doesn’t even know. #values #respect.”
Soldier Identified
After her post went viral, WHAS11 managed to find the soldier behind this heartwarming act. He was identified as Col. Jack L. Usrey, the Senior Army Advisor of the Tennessee Army National Guard.
However, Col. Usrey did not want to accept all the praise. He said: “I owe it to my parents, Jim and Judy Usrey, from Martin, TN. They taught me to do this from when I have memory.
“I’m humbled and surprised at the reaction to such a simple gesture. My first thoughts were about how the bad weather can’t be helping how the family feels and I was hoping my small action would let them know we care.”
You can see more on the story in the video below:
While Col. Usrey might downplay his gesture, many of us find it both impressive and a beautiful way to show respect.
Let’s pay tribute to him by sharing this story on Facebook.
