The Vital Role That The "Arlington Ladies" Play

On this Memorial Day, Jeff Glor reports on a quiet group of volunteers, the Arlington Ladies, who honor fallen heroes by ensuring that no one is buried at Arlington Cemetery without someone there to remember them.

"Arlington Ladies" Pay Tribute To Dead Veterans -- CBS News

Volunteers go to every funeral at Arlington Nat'l Cemetery to ensure no service member's burial is unattended.

Every current or former U.S. service member laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery gets a special honor from a member of a special group of women, known as "The Arlington Ladies."

As co-anchor Jeff Glor reported on "The Early Show" on Memorial Day, they attend every single burial at the cemetery - around 30 a day on average - to make sure no veteran is laid to rest without a civilian witness - to say, as Glor put it, "to say, on behalf of the military and their country, 'You are not forgotten."'

"The significance of Arlington national cemetery is almost overwhelming," Joayn Bahr, one of the roughly 65 Arlington Ladies, told CBS News. She is an Army representative from the Arlington Ladies.

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My Comment: No one is never alone .... even at the end. These volunteers get a big thumbs up from me.

Problems At Arlinton Cemetery Draws Congressional Scrutiny And Scorn

Arlington Cemetery Acknowledges More Burial Errors -- Washington Post

Arlington National Cemetery officials recently discovered eight instances in which family members were buried at the same grave site but all the names were not added to the headstones marking the graves.

The cemetery’s management also estimated the cost of accounting for every one of the cemetery’s 330,000 graves — a task that they acknowledge may never be completed — to be $4.3 million.

The disclosure of the problems with the headstones came in an update Wednesday from Army Secretary John McHugh to Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who demanded a status report on the cemetery two weeks ago. It comes of the eve of a hearing by a House subcommittee that is expected to grill Army leaders about accountability at the cemetery.

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More News On Arlington Cemetery

As more problems appear at Arlington, Congress asks for accountability -- Washington Post
Hearing examines accountability in Arlington Cemetery mix-up -- USA Today
Latest Arlington Mix-Ups Face Congressional Scrutiny -- Time Magazine
Arlington National Cemetery: Grave Mix-ups Draw Ire of Congress -- ABC News
Arlington adds staff, new rules after grave mix-up -- AP
Arlington Cemetery management ripped -- UPI

More Questions Of Mismanagement At Arlington Cemetery

Two nine-foot-tall, decorative marble urns from Arlington National Cemetery will go up for sale at an auction house. Preservationists want to know how urns landed in private hands.

Arlington Cemetery Urns Turn Up On Auction Block, But How'd They Get There? -- Washington Post

Grand and ornate, the 9-foot-tall, decorative marble urns for decades flanked the stage of Arlington National Cemetery's Memorial Amphitheater, adjacent to the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Next weekend, however, the urns, designed by the same firm that built the New York Public Library and the Russell Senate and Cannon House office buildings, will stand not at the forefront of one of the nation's most venerated shrines but rather are set to be up for sale at the Potomack Company, an Alexandria auction house.

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My Comment: Add another example on how lousy the administrators have been at Arlington Cemetery.

Pics From Arlington Cemetery On Veterans Day

WREATH-LAYING - Vice President Joe Biden lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns during a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Nov. 11, 2010. DoD photo by Karen Parrish

OFFICIAL HONORS - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, right, Representative John A. Boehner, R-Ohio, second from right, and other defense offiicals render honors during a Veterans Day ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Nov. 11, 2010. U.S. Army photo by D. Myles Cullen

VETERAN SUPPORTERS - Veterans attend a Veterans Day ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Nov. 11, 2010. DOD photo by Cherie Cullen

MILITARY VETERANS - Veterans from the Marines, Air Force, Army and Navy attend a Veteran's Day ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Nov. 11, 2010. DOD photo by Cherie Cullen

FLAG GIRL - A girl celebrates by waving a flag during a Veterans Day ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Nov. 11, 2010. DOD photo by Cherie Cullen

AMERICA'S BEST - A World War II veteran attends a Veterans Day ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Nov. 11, 2010. U.S. Army photo by D. Myles Cullen

SOLEMN REFECTION - A woman sits quietly at a loved one's gravesite on Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Nov. 11, 2010. DOD photo by Cherie Cullen

The Scandal At Arlington National Cemetery Is Now A Criminal Investigation

New Criminal Probe Launched At Arlington -- Army Times

The Army has launched a new criminal investigation into problems at Arlington National Cemetery, where previous inquiries found hundreds of troops were buried improperly and millions in taxpayers’ dollars were wasted.

The latest investigation began after the executive director of the Army Cemeteries Program, Kathryn Condon, “became aware of some questionable practices that took place” at the cemetery,” said Chris Grey, a spokesman for the Army Criminal Investigation Command.

“We took a look and we found credible information so we opened an investigation and that is now ongoing,” Grey said Friday.

He declined to say when the investigation began or provide any other details.

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My Comment: It is bad enough that sloppiness, incompetence, and stupidity ruled in Arlington National Cemetery. But with a criminal investigation now underway, this implies that something far worse has happened in a place that Americans regard as hallowed ground.

What Should Be Put On The Tombstone Of A Fallen Hero

Paula Davis, with the marker for her son Justin, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2006. It lists Operation Enduring Freedom instead. (Marvin Joseph)

At Arlington Graves, A Pain Beyond Words -- Washington Post

Along the meticulously spaced rows of graves at Arlington National Cemetery, the names of the nation's wars are clearly etched into the headstones: World War I, World War II, Vietnam, Korea, the Persian Gulf.

Soon, a new inscription for troops killed in Iraq could appear: "Operation New Dawn."

Unlike in past conflicts, the overwhelming majority of headstones for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan at the nation's most hallowed military burial ground use the military's official names for those conflicts: Operation Enduring Freedom for Afghanistan, Operation Iraqi Freedom for Iraq. As of Sept. 1, Operation Iraqi Freedom has been rebranded Operation New Dawn.

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Update #1: What War Do You Want Listed On Your Soldier's Grave? -- Time Magazine
Update #2: Headstone content an issue at Arlington -- UPI

My Comment: When my father passed away, there was a mistake on his tombstone. A misspelled letter (in Russian) that I noticed right away. Since he is buried in Quebec (Canada), I was told that no one would know the difference since Russian is not exactly a well known language in Quebec.

I disagreed .... I would know, and that was good enough for me to insist that his tombstone be corrected .... which they did.

Reading about this story at Arlington .... I feel for the family of Justin Davis and all those other families who are troubled by what is written on the tombstones of their loved ones. It is a big thing to them, and the Pentagon should recognize that and accommodate their wishes.

On a side issue, this story should have been put on the front page of every newspaper in the U.S. .... and it was not. This is unfortunate .... but it is now obvious (to me) that the wars in Afghanistan and elsewhere are no longer a priority for much of the main stream media .... and there is definitely little if any interest in following up on any of our fallen heroes.

More News Emerges About Bodies Buried In Wrong Plots At Arlington Cemetery

An American Flag, flowers, cross and Happy Birthday balloon is seen in front of Army Captain Shane Timothy Adcock's grave during "Flags In" in honor of Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on May 27, 2010. Adcock died October 11, 2006 in Iraq. UPI/Roger L. Wollenberg

More Details Emerge About Bodies Buried In Wrong Arlington Plots -- Washington Post

The mystery of missing bodies at the nation's most hallowed military burial ground keeps getting more troubling.

An Army spokesman confirmed last week that two bodies had been buried in the wrong places at Arlington National Cemetery after exhuming their remains last month, but he declined to provide additional details.

On Monday, Gary Tallman, the spokesman, painted a more detailed picture of the situation affecting three grave sites at the cemetery, where two presidents and 11 Supreme Court justices are buried:

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Updates

Mystery involving Arlington grave sites grows -- Washington Post
US Army Continues to Probe Burial Mix-Ups at Arlington National Cemetery -- Voice of America
More burial problems at Arlington -- UPI

My Comment: I suspect that this is just the tip of the iceberg .... and more will news will be released in the future as the investigation deepens.

More Bodies Placed In Wrong Graves At Arlington Cemetery

Examination Of Remains At Arlington Cemetery Finds 3 People In Wrong Plots -- USA Today

The examination of some remains at Arlington National Cemetery has found that at least three people were buried in the wrong plots but confirms to an Ohio family that their Marine son was buried properly.

Scott and Melissa Warner, of Canton, Ohio, were on hand this morning when the casket of their 19-year-old son, Marine Pvt. Heath Warner, was partially opened and the I.D. tags checked, WKYC-TV reports.

The examination found that Warner, who was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2006, had been buried in the correct plot.

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More News On Mismanagement At Arlington Cemetery

More bodies placed in wrong graves at Arlington -- USA Today
Arlington opens graves, finds 2 misplaced bodies -- AP
Three Grave Mix-Ups Discovered After Caskets Opened at Arlington Cemetery -- Politics Daily
More Questions Raised Over Burials at Arlington National Cemetery -- FOX News

My Comment: What an experience that the families of these fallen soldiers must go through .... and I am sure there are now scores of families who are wondering if their loved ones are buried where they are suppose to be.

The Mess At Arlington Cemetery Continues

Grave Errors At Arlington 'Not A Concern' At Other Cemeteries, VA Says -- FOX News

The shocking problem of unmarked or mislabeled graves at Arlington National Cemetery is "not a concern" at the 131 national cemeteries that are not controlled by the U.S. Army, the Department of Veterans Affairs says.

An investigation by Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., chairwoman of an oversight panel on the Senate Homeland Security
and Government Reform Committee, has revealed that between 4,900 and 6,600 graves may be unmarked or mislabeled on Arlington National Cemetery maps -- up to 31 times the 211 graves previously identified by Army investigators.

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More News on Arlington Cemetery

Arlington Cemetery Probe: Where Did $5 Million for Records System Go? -- Politics Daily
Thousands of Arlington graves may have been mishandled -- L.A. Times
Thousands of Arlington graves 'unmarked': US Senate -- AFP
Arlington National Cemetery mix-ups could affect as many as 6,600 graves, Senate panel finds -- New York Daily News
US outrage as scandal grows over Arlington military grave mix-up -- The Guardian
Dishonor at Arlington -- Chicago Tribune opinion

6,600 Mislabeled Graves At Arlington Cemetery

Some 300,000 Americans are buried at Arlington National Cemetery, among them war veterans, former presidents and U.S. Supreme Court justices. Oli Scarff / Getty Images

6,600 Arlington Graves Might Be Mixed Up -- MSNBC

No audit at national cemetery in last decade, senator says at hearing.

WASHINGTON — The number of mislabeled graves at Arlington National Cemetery could be 6,600, the senator whose subcommittee is investigating potential contracting fraud there said Thursday.

"We now know that the problems with graves at Arlington may be far more extensive than previously acknowledged," Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., said in her opening testimony at a hearing where the cemetery's former superintendent and deputy superintendent were subpoenaed to testify.

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More News On Arlington Cemetery

Ex-Arlington Cemetery deputy takes the 5th -- Washington Post
Ex-Official Takes Blame For Arlington Graves Mix-Up -- NPR
'Up to 6,600 graves mislabelled' at Arlington Cemetery -- BBC
Arlington Cemetery problems were documented in 2005 but never fixed -- Washington Post
McCaskill panel finds more problems, millions wasted at Arlington National Cemetery -- Kansas City
Mistakes, infighting unearthed at America's national cemetery -- National Post

U.S. Senate To Investigate Mismanagement At Arlington Cemetery

Senate Panel Takes Up Arlington Woes -- The Hill

Senators will hear testimony from Army officials next week in the ongoing controversy over the troubling mismanagement allegations at Arlington National Cemetery.

The Senate Homeland Security subcommittee on Contract Oversight will address the findings of a months-long Army investigation, which revealed a “dysfunctional” management system, flawed record keeping and more than 200 mismarked graves at the military burial site.

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My Comment: A full and complete investigation must be applied to this outrageous scandal .... and all findings made public.

The Best Plots At Arlington Cemetery Are Reserved For VIPs

Salon Exclusive: Choice Plots At Arlington Reserved For VIPs -- Salon

How top officials at Arlington National Cemetery violated Army guidelines -- and may have broken the law.

Officials at Arlington National Cemetery have been quietly reserving particularly desirable parts of the burial grounds for VIPs. This violates Army regulations and federal law, which bar special burial arrangements for the powerful and well-connected and require that service members be buried in the next available plot at Arlington, regardless of rank or other factors.

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My Comment: Salon's investigative work (for the past year) on the mismanagement of Arlington Cemetery is deserving of a Pulitzer Prize .... with the above article a continuation of this solid reporting.

More Scandal At Arlington Cemetery?

One of the headstones is worn and faded but offers some clues, including that its owner might have been a Navy captain. (Gerald Martineau/the Washington Post)

Arlington National Cemetery Headstones Found Lining Stream Bed -- Washington Post

Several mud-caked headstones line the banks of a small stream at Arlington National Cemetery, the country's most venerated burial ground. Farther upstream in a wooded area, a few others lie submerged with the rocks that line the stream bed.

On Wednesday, after The Washington Post alerted the cemetery to their presence, officials there said they were shocked to find the gravestones lying in the muck near a maintenance yard. Already under fire in recent days for more than 200 unmarked or misidentified graves and a chaotic and dysfunctional management system, cemetery officials vowed to investigate the headstones along the stream and take "immediate corrective action," said Kaitlin Horst, a cemetery spokeswoman.

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My Comment: Our fallen soldiers deserve better than this. The thing that comes to my mind is that if this can happen at Arlington .... what is happening at the other military cemeteries across the U.S.? My gut tells me that what has happened at Arlington is not an aberration.

Arlington National Cemetery Investigation Continues

Photo: In a picture taken by Arlington National Cemetery superintendent John Metzler in 2006, deputy superintendent Thurman Higginbotham is dressed in a Pittsburgh Steelers No. 78 jersey in support of his nephew, Steelers offensive lineman Max Starks, who was playing in the Super Bowl that week. Arlingtoncemetery.org

The Man At The Center Of The Arlington Scandal -- Salon

Higginbotham could face criminal charges after funneling millions to contractors who failed to computerize records.

NBC News reported Friday that the Army's ongoing investigation into massive problems at Arlington National Cemetery, first revealed by Salon almost a year ago, is focusing on the de facto boss of the cemetery, Deputy Superintendent Thurman Higginbotham. A senior defense department official told Jim Miklaszewski that Higginbotham could face possible criminal charges.

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My Comment: Words completely escape me.

Mismanagement And Misidentifying Graves Disclosed At Arlington Cemetery

A band performs during the funeral of Army Lt. Col. Thomas Belkofer of the 10th Mountain Division at Ft. Drum, New York, at Arlington National Cemetery. (Alex Wong / Getty Images / May 18, 2010)

Defense Officials Disclose Mismanagement At Arlington National Cemetery -- L.A. Times

A Pentagon report details misidentified graves, poor record keeping and a case of one service member being buried on top of another. The cemetery's superintendent and deputy have been ousted.

The Army has misidentified the graves of some of the war dead buried in Arlington National Cemetery, and in least one case buried the body of one service member on top of another, Defense officials disclosed Thursday.

Army Secretary John McHugh has ousted the cemetery's superintendent and his deputy in the wake of a Pentagon inspector general's report highlighting the mismanagement, poor record keeping and other problems at the cemetery, one of the government's most venerated memorials.

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My Comment: Unbelievable. I will not be surprised if more "irregularities" and mismanagement will now come to light in the near future.

More News On Mismanagement At Arlington Cemetery

Army: Bodies misidentified at Arlington Cemetery -- AP
Army Punishes Top Two Administrators Over Mismanagement of Arlington Cemetery -- FOX News
Probe finds bad management, mix-up of some graves at Arlington Cemetery -- USA Today
Army probe finds 211 graves at Arlington Cemetery mishandled -- CNN
At Arlington National Cemetery, Improperly Marked Graves, Mismanagement -- NPR
Update: Arlington graves may be misidentified -- Washington Examiner
Missing Bodies Plague Arlington National Cemetery, Probe Finds -- CBS

How Arlington National Cemetery Came To Be

From The Smithsonian:

The fight over Robert E. Lee's beloved home—seized by the U.S. government during the Civil War—went on for decades

One afternoon in May 1861, a young Union Army officer went rushing into the mansion that commanded the hills across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. "You must pack up all you value immediately and send it off in the morning," Lt. Orton Williams told Mary Custis Lee, wife of Robert E. Lee, who was away mobilizing Virginia's military forces as the country hurtled toward the bloodiest war in its history.

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My Comment: A fascinating and detailed account of one of America's hallowed grounds.

Two Month Backlog To Be Buried At Arlington Cemetery With Full Honors

Arlington Has Grave Situation: Heroes Long Wait For Honor Burials -- New York Post

The families of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan are being told to wait -- sometimes two months -- until their loved ones can be buried with full honors in Arlington National Cemetery.

The hallowed memorial site, which handles up to 27 burials a day, is so overwhelmed with the bodies of elderly veterans and young soldiers that families are told they'll have to go without full-honors ceremonies if they want a timely burial, according to a spokesman.

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My Comment: 27 heroes buried on average everyday .... that is the figure that sticks in my mind.

GI Gets Final Wish of Arlington Honors

Image: Folding the flag by Air Force color guard, Arlington National Cemetery.
Photo from Bugle Call

From Military.com:

Four days before his death, Spc. Joseph M. Hernandez sent his wife a prophetic text message.

If he were to die in Afghanistan, he wanted her to make sure he would be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. And the former Old Guard soldier wanted his comrades in 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company to conduct the ceremony.

"Things were pretty rough over there and he told me to that it was very important to him that it be done in a certain way," his wife, Alison, said in a Jan. 26 interview with Military.com.

The Indiana native was granted his wish and then some when he became the first junior enlisted soldier to receive full military honors Jan. 23 under a new Defense Department policy.

Hernandez, 24, of Hammond, Ind., died Jan. 9 in Afghanistan's Zabul province after a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle, according to the Pentagon. He left behind two young sons.

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