Imagine that you are sitting in class or at work and you get a phone call saying you have to visit the home of a stranger and tell them that their loved one has died. For Major Steve Beck, this scenario is all too common. While serving as an officer in the Marines, he has served many death notifications over the years. "Final Salute" shares the stories of six men who died while serving the nation overseas and the families that Major Beck had to relay the distressing news to. But it goes beyond that. It shares the history of the Marines, the reason for the in-person death notifications, the why. It shares the after effects on the family, the emotions, the questions, the reactions " not just of the families, but of the few strangers that catch a glimpse of the tradition in place to bring these brave men home. You even gain insight from the men responsible for placing the marble markers on the graves. Whether you agree about the war in the Middle East or not, this heart wrenching account will make you laugh, it will definitely make you cry and it will you will gain an emotional perspective on the military and what is sacrificed by the families involved. "Final Salute" started as an article for a newspaper and finished as a masterpiece.