59. It's NOT about the TECH - Dr. Patrick Scannon , Project Recover

Enjoy this highlight from my interview with Dr. Pat Scannon of Project Recover following the release of the documentary, To What Remains.

Enjoy the full episode, number 56.

thanks!
Joe

Transcript

People who look at it from the outside when they check out the documentary, they'll see all this technology and all this amazing gear and equipment and these mines involved. And, and you might think that it's all about that, but it, it really isn't. It's about that, that closure piece. It's that people side of things, isn't it? That really drives you.

It really is. In some instances, we've been given the privilege of notifying the family. Other times the Department of Defense notifies the family. In either case, the family goes through stages. First is disbelief. What are you trying to sell something. And eventually you just have to allow the family to work through it. And then all of a sudden the impact comes really,

literally emotionally crushing down on them when they realize that this individual who has been talked about, who has been remembered in many different ways by the families, is a real person. And particularly for the follow on generations that never knew this individual. It becomes so very real. And the picture on the mantle is no longer just that. It is, it is the,

it is the image of a real person coming home finally, after all these years. And the family starts thinking about things like, how has this impacted my life? And then they realize, and it's inevitable that there are consequential sacrifices that every one of these families has made as a result of this loss. And they, it's grown into their family unit.

But this gives them number one time to think about the return home. But at the same time, it brings the families together and it's really, truly been amazing. Some of these ceremonies people have come from all over the United States and many of the family extended families have never met each other. I started meeting some of the families and I started flag ceremonies.

Every crash site that we found, I would bring an American flag and we would hold a little ceremony, then hold the flag and reserve it for the family. So it's my honor to be able to transfer the flag to you and your family. And here's the flag that was flown over, uncles resting spot. This is a flag that we flew for Walter Minas and I want to present it to you and thank you very much for the follow.

They went with songs to the battle. They were young, straight up limb, true of eye steady and a glow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted. They fell with their faces to the foe. They shall not grow as we that are left. Grow old age shall not worry them nor years condemn at the going down of the sun.

And in the morning we will remember them. You know, you don't really think about these men and women that are serving our country, that don't come home and they're just kids. Kind of takes your breath away for a minute when you realize that this person was a real person with a family, loved him, and, and he didn't come home. And an MIA family never, ever puts away the loss of somebody who hasn't been able to return home. I have never been in a home where there isn't a very special place for that family member.