Military funerals in the Operations Zone

Abstract

Reflection on death inevitably questions us about the meaning of life and has led all societies to explain themselves. The Armed Forces, as a social group, is no stranger to this reflection and has its own ceremonial for paying military funeral honors as a sign of respect and homage to the mortal remains of those people with special links to Defence and the Armed Forces or who have fallen in the line of duty.

There is an abundant bibliography on how the honors are organized and the ceremonial to be followed in military funeral ceremonies when they take place in Spain. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that a Spanish soldier has died outside the borders of his country, but the organization and ceremonial of military funerals has not been systematically addressed when the event occurs in an area of operations, under the umbrella of an international organization such as the United Nations.

In this article, after a brief historical review of military funerals, a study is made of the regulations applicable in Spain. The empirical part compares two types of ceremonies: those commemorating the anniversary of a death, of a periodic nature, and those acts of funeral honors that are organized when, unexpectedly, a member of the military dies during the period of his or her deployment. Specifically, it describes in detail the organization and ceremonial of military funeral ceremonies: guards of honour, escort forces, rendering of honours, symbols of mourning, music, parades and the transfer of personnel and the coffin, etc.

Finally, a series of conclusions are drawn comparing these events with each other, in which, considering the logistical difficulties, the important matter is the profound symbol of the event to honor those fallen in the act of service, because death is not the end.