KILTS AND BAGPIPES

 11/14/12

I'm sure after two articles you all know where my heart lies...... volunteering with a local chapter of Marine Corps League/Marines Helping Marines, which gives me the opportunity to visit our wounded Marines on a weekly basis.  The Marine veterans with whom I  make those visits fought in WWII, Korea and Vietnam.    We meet at the hospital on Wednesday mornings wearing our official MCL attire. For me that is a red polo shirt with the MCL/MHM logo and for the gentlemen their red blazers and caps.

These are visits I truly look forward to although the last few weeks there have been far fewer patients on the floor to visit, which is a good thing!!    Not that long ago we would meet and chat with ten or more during our visit but now only one or two, maybe three. Meeting these combat injured Marines is an honor that is hard to put into words.  They share their stories of combat and of how they were injured, their love of the Corps and we are so touched to witness the devotion of their families at their bedsides .  One thing I hear from nearly every one of them is that they wish they were back with their buddies in combat and would go back in a heartbeat if they were able and some will remain active duty, perhaps deploying again.

I want to tell you about one Marine in particular.... Major Richard Burkett, "Trainwreck" to his close friends and brothers in the Corps.
The first time we met he was surrounded by his wife and family but this is not about the details of his injuries, but something altogether different.   We visited Major Burkett every week, and the second or third visit he was finally out of bed, in a wheelchair, and wearing his kilt (displaying his Scottish heritage).     You can imagine the reason for the kilt..... being wheelchair bound it  made certain functions much easier!!    I had to ask if he played bagpipes, since anyone I have ever seen in a kilt did play them.  He told me he was planning to teach himself, which is no easy feat!

  Let me backtrack for a minute.   Our MCL/MHM holds monthly cookouts at Walter Reed for our wounded warriors , their families and their staff from spring to fall.  We have a popular barbecue with a large attendance, an event that everyone  looks forward to each month, rain or shine.   The previous year someone had invited a few members of our local Fire Department Pipe and Drum to play  and that  gave me an idea!   Perhaps this season I could find them and ask them to return for our Major Burkett, as I had a feeling he would absolutely love to have a show just for us!

When I contacted our Fire Department I was overwhelmed  when fourteen members of the Pipe and Drum wanted to perform for our wounded warriors....and they did.  In full dress regalia, kilts and all the the accessories, they gave an hour of their precious time. They wheeled out Major Burkett, formed a circle around him, and played to him while all of us surrounded that circle.  They played many tunes including the Marine Corps Hymn and closed with Amazing Grace.   You can imagine...... there was not a dry eye to be found including our Marine in his kilt.      What an honor to have these dedicated firefighters take an afternoon to be there for us!   Of course we offered them lunch and they were kind enough to show those who were interested how the pipes work, and Major Burkett got a 'hands-on' lesson for which I know he was  grateful.

 It was a very special cookout for all of those who attended.   I find myself with 'sweaty eyeballs' whenever I hear bagpipes.   But this was so much more....it was so personal.........and so generous of them to perform.   I am blessed to say that Major Burkett and his wife Melissa and I have become friends and I hope and pray that friendship will be for all time.   They are a very special family with beautiful children and beautiful Christian beliefs.   They are a Godly family and I am a better person for their being in my life.