I get frustrated, sometimes, with my company’s procedures and policies and endless bureaucracy. I get even more frustrated when I see it making things worse, not better—making our systems less reliable, not more. It feels like tilting at windmills to try to improve that process.

These pictures documenting the return of remains of soldiers from Iraq are a reminder of why it’s so important that the process works—that it ensures that what we make works right, every time—and when the process doesn’t work, why you need to speak up and make the tools work anyway. If we can catch the IEDs or suicide vehicles or missiles and stop them, we can save some of these brave young men (and sometimes women—111 of the 4591 reported). As a Christian, I look forward to the day where we can all live in peace. As a pragmatist, I know that day is not today, but I hope that the work of my hands brings it closer.

Documenting the return of U.S. war dead - The Big Picture - Boston.com.