Robins to hold Dignified Transfer for Specialist Mark Downer Published Aug. 12, 2011 By 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- A Dignified Transfer will be conducted here today for Spc. Mark J. Downer, 23, of Warner Robins, Ga., who was killed Aug. 5, in Afghanistan. Downer was a combat medic stationed at Ft. Drum, N.Y. He was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team. His unit deployed to Afghanistan in March. Prior to joining the U.S. Army in 2009, Downer served in the GA Air National Guard as a weather apprentice. He was assigned to the 116th Air Control Wing here. The Robins Honor Guard will meet the arriving aircraft and transfer Downer to a waiting hearse. The hearse will be escorted off base by members of local law enforcement and The Patriot Guard motorcycle organization. The hearse will travel off-base around 9:45 a.m., down highway 247 to Watson Blvd., to North Davis Dr., to Green St., to North Houston Rd., to Watson Blvd., to Houston Lake Rd to McCullough Funeral Home in Warner Robins. Downer will be laid to rest Saturday. Members of Team Robins wishing to pay their respects to Specialist Downer are asked to line Robins Parkway at 9:15 a.m. Employees are allowed one hour to include travel time to and from work areas to participate in the transfer. Proper protocol for personnel paying respects is as follows: - Civilians should stand, respectfully; remove any head cover; and refrain from speaking, smoking or other chewing motion. It is appropriate for civilians to place one's right hand over the heart, as if rendering respect during the "Star Spangled Banner," as the procession is passing. - Military members should stand at attention and salute as the procession is passing. This should be observed/carried out until the procession is out of view. - Everyone is asked to refrain from cell phone use or use of other portable devices. Taking photographs on the flight line is prohibited. Taking photographs elsewhere on the route is discouraged. The procession will include a lead patrol car, the Patriot Guard, the hearse, the family's cars, and a follow-up patrol car. - Patrol cars will have their emergency flashing lights on. - By regulation, all vehicle traffic must stop and pull to the side of the road for emergency vehicles with emergency lights activated. When a funeral procession is passing, it is traditional for the driver of the vehicle to step out of the vehicle and salute/place his/her right hand over the heart until the procession passes. Drivers may then re-enter traffic after the procession has passed, and when it is safe to do so.