Traverse City Record-Eagle

Opinion

THE ISSUE

-- Paul Miller's funeral

Our view
-- The sacrifice goes on

More on Cpl. Miller

July 30, 2010

Hundreds offer respects for Cpl. Paul James Miller

Afghanistan is nearly 7,000 miles away from Lake Ann, but the war there hit home for the family and friends of Marine Cpl. Paul James Miller on July 19, when the 22-year-old was killed when a roadside bomb exploded nearby while he was on patrol.

On Thursday, hundreds of people from around the region paid their respects to Miller and his family for his sacrifice during funeral services at the Lake Ann United Methodist Church and Grand Traverse Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

On Tuesday, several veterans, including a number of former Marines, and local authorities escorted Miller's remains from Cherry Capital Airport to the funeral home.

His death and funeral services were stark reminders that the war is not a made-for-TV event. Young men and women are putting their lives on the line there every minute of every day; some die, many more are wounded. To date, 1,209 American soldiers have been killed in fighting there since an invasion in 2001 aimed at rooting out al-Qaeda training camps after the 9/11 attacks. As of July 4, the number of wounded had risen to 6,622.

Thankfully, the notorious Fred Phelps and members of his Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church, who have picketed at dozens of military funerals in recent years, did not show up, despite claiming they would. More than 100 motorcyclists attended to, as they put it, provide security for the service.

"We're all brothers and we all stand side-by-side," Paul Smith, a former Marine and president of the Forgotten Eagles of Michigan Chapter 6, said earlier in the week. "It's an honor to pay homage to someone who gave their life for freedom and democracy."

Miller was a 2006 graduate of Benzie Central High School and enlisted in the Marines shortly after graduation. He is survived by his wife, Sarah, sister Ashley and parents Jim and Teresa Miller.

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