Posted on 10/31/2007 8:10:42 AM PDT by pissant
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA), ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, condemned the National Cemetery Administration’s decision to prohibit the recitation of a common flag-folding ceremony at military burials. The ceremony requires that the American flag be folded 13 times while the significance of each fold is recited.
“The National Cemetery Administration’s decision to ban this symbolic and respected tradition is a disservice to anyone who has have ever worn a uniform for this country,” said Congressman Hunter. “The flag folding ceremony serves not only to memorialize the service and sacrifice of those being honored, but also all those who have served in America’s armed forces.
“This decision is completely unjustified and should be reversed immediately. Our veterans deserve nothing less.”
The National Cemetery Administration reportedly changed the flag-folding recitation policy following a complaint at Riverside National Cemetery in California. Specifically, objections were made to one of the many religious references in the ceremony.
Flag-folding recitation banned at veterans cemeteries nationwide
Riverside Press Enterprise ^ | October 24, 2007 | Joe Vargo
Posted on 10/25/2007 6:57:48 AM PDT by Watershed
Through thousands of military burials, Memorial Honor Detail volunteers at Riverside National Cemetery have folded the American flag 13 times and recited the significance of every fold to survivors of those being laid to rest.
The first fold, a narrator tells relatives, represents life, the second a belief in eternal life.
The 11th fold celebrates Jewish war veterans and “glorifies the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”
A single complaint lodged against the words for the 11th fold recently prompted the National Cemetery Administration to ban the entire recital at all 125 national cemeteries.
A spokesman in Washington said the complaint originated from someone who witnessed the ceremony at Riverside National but would provide no other details and declined to release the directive banning the flag-folding recital, saying it was “an internal working document not meant for public distribution.”
Veterans are furious. Story continues below Joe Vargo / The Press-Enterprise The recitation of the 13 folds of the U.S. flag can no longer be made at national cemeteries. Veterans and honor detail volunteers, such as Bobby Castillo, 85, left, and Rees Lloyd, 59, are furious.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1916198/posts
***The National Cemetery Administration reportedly changed the flag-folding recitation policy following a complaint at Riverside National Cemetery in California. Specifically, objections were made to one of the many religious references in the ceremony.***
From one complaint
Ping
One complaint caused this??? Doesn’t the lack of complaints in other burials speak volumes?
PC gone amuck!
I emailed my congressman yesterday on this topic - I hope he can do something to reverse the NCA.
He should also reject Hillary’s embrace of driver’s licenses for illegal aliens - the same kind of licenses the terrorists used on 9/11.
He needs to get on the front page - flag folding ain;t gonna cut it.
Seize the opportunity Hunter Illegal immoigration is back on the front burner...POUNCE!!!
Associated Press - VA ‘Clarifies’ - But Does Not Rescind - Policy on Flag-Folding Ceremonies
http://www.aclj.org/News/Read.aspx?ID=2773
October 31, 2007
Erica Werner, Associated Press Writer
The Veterans Affairs Department moved Tuesday to clarify a directive limiting the use of a religious recitation at flag-folding ceremonies after it sparked an uproar among some veterans and Republican House members.
In a memo last month to directors of the agency’s 125 cemeteries, a senior VA official said they should not distribute or post nongovernment handouts on “The Meaning of Each Fold of an Honor Guard Funeral Flag.”
The memo said the handout and its religious references shouldn’t be used as a script at committal services unless the next-of-kin requests it.snipped
(You can read the entire VA memo here.)
http://www.foxnews.com/projects/pdf/flagmemo.pdf
Yes.
It's a touching moment, and to remove it because one idiot complained? How about we just ask in advance. Or maybe we just ban the idiots.
Good for Hunter.
No one else has the courage, intestinal fortitude, love and devotion of family and country to bring us out of this morass.
I mean, why not? (sarc).
He just won my vote!
Under the Reagan administration this decision would have been reversed immediately. Actually, they would have known better and it would have never been made.
VA Clarifies Policy on Flag-Folding Recitations - Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
October 30, 2007
“13-Fold” Ceremony, Other Scripts Approved
WASHINGTON -- To ensure burial services at the 125 national cemeteries operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reflect the wishes of veterans and their families, VA officials have clarified the Department’s policy about recitations made while the U.S. flag is folded at the gravesite of a veteran.
“Honoring the burial wishes of veterans is one of the highest commitments for the men and women of VA,” said William F. Tuerk, VA’s Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs. “A family may request the recitation of words to accompany the meaningful presentation of the American flag as we honor the dedication and sacrifice of their loved ones.”
Traditional gravesite military funeral honors include the silent folding and presentation of an American flag, a 21-gun rifle salute, and the playing of “Taps.”
The clarification includes the following:
- Volunteer honor guards are authorized to read the so-called “13-fold” flag recitation or any comparable script;
- Survivors of the deceased need to provide material and request it be read by the volunteer honor guards; and
- Volunteer honor guards will accept requests for recitations that reflect any or no religious traditions, on an equal basis.
Veterans with a discharge other than dishonorable, their spouses and eligible dependent children can be buried in a national cemetery. Other burial benefits available for all eligible veterans, regardless of whether they are buried in a national cemetery or a private cemetery, include a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate and a government headstone or marker.
# # #
Duncan Hunter, once again, the only leader in the pack of presidential candidates to SHOW his leadership. The rest of the spineless lot remain silent for fear they may offend someone.
My wife and sons will insure that the flag folding recitation will be done for me.
Ping!
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