Easley native Kenny Monroe, who served as part of the military escort for Senator Lindsey Graham’s American flag-draped casket as it was carried from the South Carolina State House to First Baptist Church of Columbia, shared with The Pickens County Chronicle about the experience, as a way, he felt, to honor Senator Graham. “It was a proud moment but also a very humbling moment,” he said. “I felt a sense of pride of being selected but also being able to honor Senator Graham that way.”

After two public services were held in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, July 28 (a morning service in the Rotunda of the United States Capitol and an afternoon service in the Washington National Cathedral), a public service was held on Wednesday, July 29 inside First Baptist Church of Columbia in Senator Graham’s home state. Wednesday morning, prior to the service, Senator Graham’s body arrived at the South Carolina State House, where an F-16 flyover was held by the 169^th Fighter Wing from McEntire Joint National Guard Base, as four fighter jets performed the ‘missing man formation.’  The horse-drawn caisson procession then left the State House for First Baptist Church, escorted by Monroe and other military members, who also carried Graham’s casket into the church.

“Lindsey Graham was a member of the Air National Guard here for six years whenever he first started off with his military career,” said Monroe. “So, he was a Swamp Fox, originally, and then he transferred over to the Air Force Reserves, and that’s where he finished out his career.

“The Washington, D.C. burial team, funeral detail, handled everything up in D.C., and, then, they came down here and handled the actual burial, but, as far as state recognition goes, all of that was done by the South Carolina National Guard. Our commanders got together and put together our team, and we combined both Army National Guard and Air National Guard.

“I’ve been on the Honor Guard here at McEntire for 24 years. This is not the first detail that we’ve done like this. We did it for Senator Strom Thurmond. It’s a pretty big honor to be able to be a part of it.  You don’t plan for things like that, but, at least, we were able to provide a final farewell.”

Monroe said that he had met Senator Graham in 2014. “He came to a National Guard conference at Hilton Head, and I had the opportunity to meet him there. I got a photo with him there. Super nice guy. It was an honor and privilege to meet him. He was a former member of the Air National Guard, so that’s kind of special.”

Monroe served on active duty from 1987 to 1990. “Then, I had a 12-year break,” he said, “and I just missed the camaraderie. I didn’t know about the Air National Guard, and I did a little research on it and found out that there was a unit here in South Carolina, and so I started the process of coming back in. I missed the patriotism. I missed the family atmosphere and the camaraderie in the military. It’s kind of one of those things that gets in your blood and stays there. And it’s just a way of life. I can’t really imagine doing anything else.”