Arlington National Cemetery

More of the incompetent cheney/bush debacle and their political hacks!!

Former President George W. Bush and John C. Metzler, Jr.

Arlington officials can't get their stories straight

The superintendent says he may have been absent when remains were moved, but an employee's log says otherwise

The top official at Arlington National Cemetery claims he was unaware of the most recently reported burial error at the cemetery, possibly, he says, because he was away at the time it occurred. Cemetery employee records, however, show Superintendent John Metzler present and working at Arlington when the cemetery discovered this most recently disclosed burial foul-up, which resulted in digging up and moving the remains of one service member the cemetery had accidentally buried on top of another...>>>

More misplaced remains at Arlington National Cemetery

What happened to Master Sgt. Marion Grabe, says a source, is a clue "that there may be thousands of these problems"

Air Force Master Sgt. Marion Grabe passed away on Christmas day in 2007. She had served 26 years as an operating room nurse in the Air Force she loved, including 17 months in a Manila hospital treating wounded soldiers during the Vietnam War.

In death, Grabe wanted to mark her service to her country with a suitably honorable burial at Arlington National Cemetery. "She wanted to be buried there so bad," recalled Grabe's sister, Dorothy Nolte. Thinking of the fiasco that ensued with Grabe's burial at Arlington, Nolte added sadly, "She deserved better."

On Jan. 28, 2008, the cemetery interred Grabe's cremated remains in the wrong plot, on top of the casket of another deceased service member...>>>

Rest In Peace {UpDate}

Marine killed in Afghanistan served country in many ways

Marine Sgt. Bill Cahir was a public servant his whole life.

He served as a congressional staffer, as a journalist, as a political candidate and, finally, as a Marine reservist in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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"There it was," Cahir wrote. "My last, best chance to serve."

Marine Sgt. Bill Cahir's Arlington funeral

Cahir served two tours of duty in Iraq, blending his military work with his journalism.

A year ago, Cahir bought a home in Pennsylvania and settled down to run for Congress, filing for the 5th Congressional District seat left open by the retirement of Rep. John Peterson.

Cahir was one of three Democrats in the race, and he faced criticism for living away from State College for so long. However, Cahir was quick to emphasize his roots, talking about the hospital where he was born, recalling his youth and greeting a former English teacher from the dais at a political forum.

On the stump, Cahir advocated a responsible exit from the war in Iraq and pushed for universal health coverage............Rest Here

Marine Sgt. Bill Cahir's first-person account of his training as a Marine

They spoke of his thoughtfulness and humor, of his integrity and sense of fairness.

But when Capt. Jason C. Brezler recalled his friend and colleague Bill Cahir, he honed in on Cahir's dedication to his comrades and country.

"On paper I was his commanding officer and team leader," Brezler said. "But his opinion mattered to me as much as any senior officer." ...........Read Rest Here

The Question 'Why?'

A Hero's Death in Afghanistan, and the Question 'Why?'

Bill Cahir joined the Marines after 9/11 to fight in Afghanistan, and he finally got there after two tours in Iraq. He was buried Monday at Arlington.

On Saturday, millions watched as Ted Kennedy made his final trip to Arlington National Cemetery. With rather less attention, Arlington's soil opened again Monday to accept the remains of one of Kennedy's former aides, 40-year-old Bill Cahir.

The deceased, an Alexandria resident, was unknown to most Americans, but he did no less for his country than his old boss -- and, gauged by the last full measure of devotion, he did even more. He went from his job working for Kennedy in the Senate to become, at various points, a Washington journalist and a failed congressional candidate. But it was the Sept. 11 attacks that inspired Cahir, at age 34, to get an age waiver from military recruiters in 2003 and enlist in the Marines...............

Rest In Peace with the rest of your, and those of us who preceded in our service to, brothers and sisters, the best of the best, who have fallen while in service to your country, right or wrong it's policies may be, the Noble Cause becomes the protection of those serving with you and they to you!

Maybe some day we will find this countries promised direction once more, that which we had pride once of what we said we were and in many ways showed that, maybe!

The above could be about any of the 5,149 who have fallen, and that continues, in these occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, and while the Country was burying Sgt. Cahir at Arlington two more U.S. and two British troops were killed in Afghanistan, from the many cities and small towns around this country, but it's just one of the recent Honors given to those who serve with pride and honor, their country and constitution.

The pride and honor from many, in this country, seems more towards tearing it and the constitution apart, especially that coming from the extreme groups, and present and previous public servants, given the microphones and press to loudly condemn anything and everything and not backtracking and apologizing when caught in their many lies, just bringing on more!

UpDate: Statement From Rene

Cahir's widow: "Bill was a hero to me"

The following statement was issued Monday by Bill Cahir's widow, Rene Browne:

"While this is a time of incredible loss and sadness for our family, we are deeply grateful for the tremendous outpouring of care and support we've received since the news of Bill's death.

"He was a loved and cherished husband, son, brother and excited father-to-be, as well as a friend and colleague who touched the lives of so many. From across the globe, the shared prayers, tributes and stories have meant so much and will keep Bill's memory alive for all of us.

"Bill was a hero to me, and to his family and friends, long before he gave his life for his country. He acted with the courage of his convictions in every facet of his life. Although I will forever miss him, I am blessed for the years that we spent together and for the stories that I will be able to share with our children of Bill's ideals, bravery, love and compassion.

"Bill would also be grateful to see that his story helped to raise awareness of the untold sacrifices of the men and women serving their country around the world today. It is their sense of duty and patriotism that inspired Bill to serve and will be the legacy of honor and commitment that he leaves to our children, and to the rest of us."

An Arlington Afterlife

Ted Kennedy's wish was to eventually join his brothers John and Bobby at Arlington cemetery. Wyatt Andrews has the story of how the Kennedy's came to rest in a military cemetery.

Brothers' final resting place

CNN's Barbara Starr looks at the Arlington National Cemetery site where Edward Kennedy will be buried.



Laid To Rest Beside His Brothers

THE GARDEN

They call it the Garden, our national shrine, Arlington National Cemetery—and even now, on the sixth anniversary of the war in Iraq, the bodies keep coming in, thirty a day. For the men who do the burying, who actually touch the grief, grave digging is more than a job. It’s a way of reckoning with who we are now as a country
By Michael Paterniti; Photograph by James Nachtwey

We dug a hole in the Garden and laid the first body in. The sun rose, and we dug another in the clay. Put the second body in. Leaves bloomed and we dug a third, buried the body. The sun burnt everything brown in the Garden, and there were more bodies that went into the ground—on the hill, by the river, beneath the trees. We buried them through the swelter of summer and kept on when the leaves expired in the clutch of the first fall chill, through winter snow when our shovels sparked on the hard ground, until the spring rains, when the earth gave like pudding again.>>>>>Rest Here

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Ceremony to Recognize Vets

Not Eligible for Vietnam Wall Inclusion

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2009 One-hundred twenty-three American heroes from the Vietnam War era will be honored posthumously this month during the annual In Memory Day ceremony, according to Jan C. Scruggs, founder and president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.>>>>>>

A list of the honorees and their hometowns is available here

Laying the Wreaths........

Event honors vets with wreaths

Javonte Green carefully placed a wreath on the headstone of a World War II soldier in Arlington Cemetery, nodded politely to the white headstone and gave the thumbs up sign.

"It’s about remembering some soldiers who you’ve never seen before, but you think they’ve done a good job," said the 14-year-old from Woodbridge, Va.

Javonte was one of about 60,000 volunteers who placed wreaths in veterans cemeteries across the country as part of Wreaths Across America.

The project has grown exponentially since its inception back in 1992, when Morrill Worcester first donated the leftover greens from his wreath company to Arlington. Last year, volunteers placed 32,000 wreaths at state and national cemeteries across the country. This year, the number jumped to 105,000. The U.S. Senate formally recognized the event last week, declaring Dec. 13, 2008, "Wreaths Across America Day."

Read Rest Here




And Walking For Pat........

Former Ranger on cross-country trek for Tillman

The story of Pat Tillman is well known. He’s the former professional football player who walked away from a multi-million dollar contract and career to join the Army and become a Ranger before being killed in Afghanistan.

A 31-year-old former Ranger is now walking across the country to raise money for Tillman’s foundation and to share his own personal story about Tillman.

Walk For Pat