Posted on 09/20/2013 1:13:53 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
The White House is rushing to organize a Sunday memorial service for victims of the Navy Yard shooting, leaving top defense officials worried that it will not properly honor the 12 people shot dead on Monday.
The White House gave Navy Yard brass less than 12 hours to assemble a 2,500-person guest list composed of service members and contractors affected by Monday’s mass shooting, according to exclusive emails obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.
“Urgent tasking in support of Sunday’s Memorial Ceremony. By 0730 tomorrow we need an estimate of how many employees want to attend the NAVSEA Memorial Ceremony,” a Navy official said in an email sent out to officers Thursday evening. “President Obama will participate in order to honor the people we lost.”
Aaron Alexis, a mentally ill Navy Reserve veteran and defense contractor, shot 20 Navy personnel, police, and contractors on Monday morning, leaving 12 dead and eight wounded. He was killed by police hours after the rampage began.
The late notice had Navy officials scrambling on Thursday night to gauge interest and identify which Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) personnel were closest to the victims.
“What I need you to do is work your Recall Rosters TONIGHT and provide a consolidated response by PMS code by 0700 tomorrow in order to support the 0800 meeting,” the email continues.
One defense official said the short notice was especially exasperating.
“Some of us are burying our friends, it would be meaningful if they gave us time to properly plan—that’s what infuriating about this to me,” a defense official said. “The universal feeling around here is that we’re getting jerked around.”
In addition to the late notice, Navy officials, who asked to remain anonymous, were furious at the limited number of seats available to those most affected by Monday’s carnage.
“Attendance will be limited to employees (GS, uniformed, and contractors) plus one guest,” the email says. “We expect only around 2500 tickets available for the NAVSEA family, so unfortunately interest alone does not guarantee a ticket.”
The Navy Yard employs about 16,000 civilian and military officials.
“In the building where the shooting took place, there are 3,000 people who work in that building on a regular basis. So 1,200 isn’t going to cut it,” a source said.
Navy officials were also kept in the dark about the details of the invitation process, leaving them with the impression that White House organizers were treating them as an afterthought, according to the source. The lack of detail forced Navy officials to reach employees after work hours and demand personal details.
“We are not yet sure what the final ticket distribution mechanism will be, so you will need to connect the following TONIGHT for those interested in coming,” the email says before asking for the names of employees, their guests, and contact information.
The uncertainty added tension to an already taxing process, according to one official.
“You’re taking people already stressed […] and further stressing them out to put together these ridiculous lists,” the defense official said.
The ceremony will take place Sunday afternoon at the Marine Barracks located on 8th and I Street SE, just blocks from the shooting.
The White House has invited congressional leaders, White House officials and other political dignitaries who sources say may be more concerned with a photo opportunity than mourning the loss of colleagues and friends.
The White House did not respond to requests for comment.
The emails allude to the public nature of the ceremony, reminding attendees that Navy personnel are required to wear dress blues.
The email reminds defense officials that “show time” for the closed-door exclusive event is at 5:30 p.m.
Kicking a bureaucracy’s posterior occasionally can be a good thing.
President Hussein can’t wait to get his ugly mug in front of the cameras. Again.
Another Obama-generated debacle in the making...
King Hussein has spoken. Get your ass in gear for the Political Grandsta... er. I mean the Memorial Service.
What a perfect opportunity for the Kenyan to rant not ony for gun crontrol, but use this stage for another rant against Repubs defunding Obamacare.
Oh yeah. May God bless the victims, blah blah blah.
.... and more gun control.
.... lets leave out that -- unless they intend to ban SHOTGUNS, and who knows, they might, these wretched bast'ds -- nothing they propose would have made a whit of difference.
One thing that WOULD have made a difference, is if the initial response team did not get a Stand Down order.
FUBARack need him some face time. After all, he’s almost NEVER on tv.....
Since the Navy Yard is local, he can play golf on his usual course this weekend instead of having one of his minions tote his clubs onto AF1 again.
Wouldn’t it be interesting if no one showed?
“Kicking a bureaucracy’s posterior occasionally can be a good thing.”
Yes, that’s true. But the issue here is a memorial service for lifelong friends of people who were suddenly and savagely murdered. Not bureaucracy, not politics.
Yes, bammy must take political advantage of this situation immediately!
The sooner Zero has a memorial, the sooner this can be considered “in the past”...WAY in the past so it can be thought of as one of those “what difference does it make?” kind of things.
“...unless they intend to ban SHOTGUNS, and who knows, they might, ...”
They can ban anything they want.
Going door to door and taking them is an entirely different matter.
They want to open that Pandora gun safe... well, good luck.
>> It’s nothing more than a photo-op for The Won.
Exactly. It’s disgusting.
I know they won’t - but those ‘invitees’ should all just turn it down. I know I would!
Screw you Barack!
everyone should decline and do their own service
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