Should A Private Contractor Handle Arlington Cemetery?
SodaHead News
July 01, 2010 17:00:00
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As the nation prepares to celebrate the 4th of July, some are wondering if the Army should transfer management of Arlington National Cemetery to the Department of Veterans Affairs following the scandal kicked up by a report from the Army’s inspector general revealed a dysfunctional management of the hallowed military burial ground. Others yet think a private contractor might better handle the job.
The Army fired the cemetery’s superintendent earlier this month after the IG’s report uncovered evidence of an unhealthy workplace climate, a lack of established policies and more than 200 discrepancies between burial maps and gravesites. Salon.com, whose reporting prompted the investigation, also revealed this week that the cemetery has quietly, and illegally, reserved choice burial plots for VIPs. In hearings this week, Rep. Ike Skelton, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said problems at Arlington dated back decades and should not have been tolerated this long.
According to AOL News, Skelton wondered whether the Army should give up control of Arlington, with Virginia Rep. Joe Wilson adding that VA cemeteries are run well and asking if there would be “any benefit” in transferring control to the VA. Army brass expressed the feeling that it is the Army’s responsibility, especially in times of war, to carry soldiers to their final resting place. The Army has run Arlington since 1864; the VA runs 131 national cemeteries in 39 states through its National Cemetery Administration, including 33 soldiers’ lots in private cemeteries.
Should the Army give up management of Arlington?
The Army fired the cemetery’s superintendent earlier this month after the IG’s report uncovered evidence of an unhealthy workplace climate, a lack of established policies and more than 200 discrepancies between burial maps and gravesites. Salon.com, whose reporting prompted the investigation, also revealed this week that the cemetery has quietly, and illegally, reserved choice burial plots for VIPs. In hearings this week, Rep. Ike Skelton, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said problems at Arlington dated back decades and should not have been tolerated this long.
According to AOL News, Skelton wondered whether the Army should give up control of Arlington, with Virginia Rep. Joe Wilson adding that VA cemeteries are run well and asking if there would be “any benefit” in transferring control to the VA. Army brass expressed the feeling that it is the Army’s responsibility, especially in times of war, to carry soldiers to their final resting place. The Army has run Arlington since 1864; the VA runs 131 national cemeteries in 39 states through its National Cemetery Administration, including 33 soldiers’ lots in private cemeteries.
Should the Army give up management of Arlington?
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Top Opinion
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SEAL76 July 01, 2010 20:06:52Yes
+4Interestingly enough the VA takes really great care of Dead Veterans. If they could only apply the same level of competency to the Living Veterans. I am a disabled veteran and my son is as well. I have done fairly well with the VA but my son's care has been a total flop.
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Remember Georgia Tri-State Crematory?
On a more personal note, it pained me to tears when the scandal broke. Arlington is one of the Most Beautiful Places in the Country and to have it stained with scandal was almost too much to bear.
I really don't know if the DVA, the VFW or any other Veterans Group, by itself or as a Group effort can make things right or better. I Hope that a solution can and will be found. We owe Those who are buried at Arlington MORE than we can ever repay them.
Thank you and your son, both, for your service.
This is what happens to our heros in a gov run system. Can't wait till the same type of system runs the hospitals.......can you?
A group like the VFW would probably be good.
These men and some women would be proud to be next to their "Brothers and Sisters" Those who died at their sides protecting ech other and those who came back to grow ol;d and join their comrades so late to the party.
What do the Marxists think they are going to do. with these lands that were hallowed by the Gettysburgh Address.