Rachel Maddow

We're doing this for the other parts of the world.

We're doing this for the other parts of the world.

I'm sure they're delighted with that.

watching right now the dignified transfer of the remains of of sergeant benjamin pennington um 26 year old sergeant from the first space battalion first space brigade based at force cars fort carson colorado he's from glendale kentucky you see the transfer case was moved into that transfer vehicle

as they now close it.

After the arrival there at Dover Air Base, you also saw civilian officials, the Vice President and the Defense Secretary there as well as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

Joining us now is retired U.S.

Army Colonel Jack Jacobs.

He is a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his service during the Vietnam War.

Colonel Jacobs, can you just talk to us a little bit about what we're seeing and why this happens the way it does at Dover?

I also remember in the post 9-11 wars, significant controversy and political debate over the then George W. Bush administration wanting to make sure that there was no media coverage, that there were no cameras.

at events like this, at these solemn events at Dover, even as the family may have been there, even as some public officials may have been there.

They did not want the public to see these things.

That is a debate that I think was soundly settled in favor of people believing there ought to be

public access, such as it is, to these events, but it is limited.

As you can tell here from this footage that we have got, this is not live.

This happened just moments ago.

We don't take this footage live.

We only take it on a slight delay.

Also, we don't air any audio from these ceremonies.