A moving memorial was held for US Army Major Ronald “Wayne” Culver, killed by an IED in Iraq on May 24th.  The Chaplain, a friend of the Major, spoke of his faith and his salvation:

The service continued with the chaplain speaking of the major’s faith and how he knew he would see his friend in heaven. He choked up at the podium and the squadron command sergeant major walked across the stage to support him. The room was deathly silent, save for the sound of more than 500 battle-tested Soldiers sniffling.

Prayer and the playing of Amazing Grace on bagpipes, another military memorial tradition with spiritual undertones, was included:

The chaplain concluded his remarks with a prayer. Immediately, the wail of a bagpipe began at the rear of the hall as a single Soldier played ‘Amazing Grace’ while marching down the center aisle to stop at the memorial at the front.

Most interesting was an unusual conclusion to the Army ceremony:

The first sergeant on stage called for roll call for Headquarters and Headquarters Troop.

He yelled, “Captain Lloyd!”
A booming voice yelled back, “Here, First Sergeant!”
He yelled, “Major Robinson!”
“Here First Sergeant.”
He yelled, “Major Culver!”
There was silence.
He yelled, “Major Ronald Culver!”
Silence.
He yelled again, “Major Ronald W. Culver, Jr.!”
And a voice said, “He’s not here first sergeant, for he’s gone to Fiddler’s Green.”

Fiddler’s Green is the mythical afterlife of Cavalry Soldiers.  Various sites describe the tradition:

The origin and author of Fiddlers’ Green is unknown. Its first known appearance in published form was in a 1923 Cavalry Journal. Its concept seems to have been popular among 17th and 18th century sailors and soldiers in Europe, who knew that they would not qualify for Heaven, but trusted that a merciful God would agree with their motto that, “To live hard, to die hard, and to go to Hell afterwards would be hard indeed.”

According to the Cavalry Journal, “Fiddler’s Green” was inspired by a story told by Captain “Sammy” Pearson at a campfire in the Medicine Bow Mountains of Wyoming. Having mentioned Fiddler’s Green and found that no one appeared to have heard of it, Pearson indignantly asserted that every good cavalryman ought to know of Fiddler’s Green. Another legend has it originating in the 1800’s and was composed as a song sung by the soldiers of the 6th and 7th Cavalry.

Spirituality, in many applications, is an integral part of many traditions in the military, as it has been for decades (or even centuries).