The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Staff Reports
Posted: Monday, January 01, 2018 12:25 PM
Photo Of TN Solidier Saluting Funeral Possession Goes Viral
The Soldier has been identified as Colonel Jack L. Usrey. He's the Senior Army Advisor to the Adjutant General at the Tennessee National Guard Headquarters in Nashville.
While driving from Ft. Knox last week, Col. Usrey got out of his vehicle to pay his respects when he saw a funeral procession.
“I didn’t really think,” said Usrey. “I just did what my parents taught me to do growing up.”
“I stopped, got out, saluted the police escort and held my salute as the hearse and family passed by, then went on my way and didn’t give it a second thought.”
The photo was taken and shared on social media by Erin Hester of Vine Grove, KY. It has garnered more than 187,000 likes and has been shared nearly 130,000 times.
In her Facebook post, Hester said, "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.”
