Skip to content
Military Experience & the Arts
Menu
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Staff
    • Friends
    • Contact Us
  • Publications
    • As You Were
      • Volume 23
      • Volume 22
      • Volume 21
      • Volume 20
      • Volume 19
      • Volume 18
      • Volume 17
      • Volume 16
      • Volume 15
      • Volume 14
      • Volume 13
      • Volume 12
      • Volume 11
      • Volume 10
      • Volume 9
      • Volume 8
      • Volume 7
      • Volume 6
      • Volume 5
      • Volume 4
      • Volume 3
      • Volume 2
      • Volume 1
    • Blue Nostalgia
      • Volume 4
      • Volume 3
      • Volume 2
      • Volume 1
    • Blue Falcon Review
      • Volume 2
      • Volume 1
    • Blue Streak
      • Volume 2
      • Volume 1
    • The Journal of Military Experience
      • Volume 3
      • Volume 2
      • Volume 1
    • Virtual Art Gallery
    • Copyright and Privacy
  • Submissions
  • Ways to Help
    • Writing and Art Resources
    • MEA’s Guide to Short Fiction and Nonfiction
Menu

“Funeral Flag”

–

by Susan Cenci

–

Finally chosen after waiting patiently on the shelf
I am lovingly wrapped around a casket
And quietly respect the grief displayed

After a beautiful church service
Travel to the cemetery, 3-volley salute, and Taps,
The Honor Guard reverently folds me

I want to hold the widow in my folds
Can she feel my love as her
Husband is laid to eternal rest?

She puts me in a beautiful wood box
With a glass window and a memorial plaque
Engraved with her husband’s name and rank

I am honored and I am “HOME”

–

–

–

–


SMSgt Susan Cenci is proud to have served honorably with the 174th Fighter Wing in Syracuse, New York.  She began her career as a Data Processor in 1981 when computers filled a room (personal computers did not exist on the base yet) and printing was done with punch cards processed by Data Processing.  In 1983 she became the Base Commander’s Secretary and was integral in the development of the Family Support office for the unit’s deployment to Desert Storm.  Transferring into the Services Squadron SMSgt position in 1993, she helped set up the Honor Guard for the base.  SMSgt Cenci was very moved to be a member of the Honor Guard and one of her greatest honors was presenting the funeral flag to the family as the senior ranking member of the Honor Guard.  

–

–

–

–

Who We Are

Military Experience and the Arts, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose primary mission is to work with veterans and their families to publish short stories, essays, poems, and artwork in our biannual publication, As You Were: The Military Review, periodic editions of Blue Nostalgia: The Journal of Post-Traumatic Growth and others. To the best of our ability, we pair each author or poet that submits work to us with a mentor to work one-on-one to polish their work or learn new skills and techniques.

Our staff is based all over the country and includes college professors, professional authors, veterans’ advocates, and clinicians. As such, most of our services are provided through email and online writing workshops.

All editing, consultations, and workshops are free of charge. Veterans and their families pay nothing for our services, and they never will.

Under our Publications tab, there are more than two dozen volumes of creative work crafted by veterans and their family members as well as a virtual art gallery. Our blog posts feature short pieces that cover a wide range of opinion editorials, literary reviews, and profiles on veteran artists and writers.

Please consider spending some time navigating our site and reading and seeing the fine work of veterans and their families from around the globe.

Subscribe to Announcements via Email

Enter your email to receive notifications of any announcements

Subscribe to announcements via Email

Enter your email to receive notifications of any announcements

© 2026 Military Experience & the Arts | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme