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Teen makes digital record of Arlington graves
Los Angelas Times ^ | April 26, 2011 | Faye Fiore

Posted on 05/01/2011 5:11:41 AM PDT by driftdiver

Reporting from Arlington, Va.— Rosemary Brown is standing over the grave of her son at Arlington National Cemetery when someone catches her eye. It's a boy in khaki shorts and muddy shoes, juggling a clunky camera and the Motorola Xoom he got for his 17th birthday five days earlier.

"May I ask what you're doing?" Brown inquires. The boy begins to peck at the Xoom tablet, and in seconds the image that Brown has come all the way from Cartwright, Okla., to see fills the screen. It's the white marble headstone of Army Special Forces Staff Sgt. Jason L. Brown, killed by small-arms fire in Afghanistan three years ago this day. Her face brightens.

"Most of Jason's family and friends are in Oklahoma and Texas. For them to be able to see his grave…," she says, her voice breaking.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: arlington; military
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"It's a tool to help remember people. They can go on and think, 'Wow, look at all these people who gave their lives just so I can walk around,' " Ricky says.
1 posted on 05/01/2011 5:11:43 AM PDT by driftdiver
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To: driftdiver

What a thoughtful young man.


2 posted on 05/01/2011 5:24:54 AM PDT by FES0844
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To: driftdiver
A 17 year old kid w/ a Motorola Xoom can accomplish what the entire federal government cannot.

Why am I not surprised?

3 posted on 05/01/2011 5:41:11 AM PDT by tsmith130
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To: driftdiver
Here's this incredible young man's tribute to our fallen military: Preserve and Honor
4 posted on 05/01/2011 6:02:45 AM PDT by 2nd amendment mama ( www.2asisters.org | Self defense is a basic human right!)
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To: driftdiver
His website, preserveandhonor.com
5 posted on 05/01/2011 6:04:20 AM PDT by B4Ranch (Allowing Islam into America is akin to injecting yourself with AIDS to prove how tolerant you are .)
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To: driftdiver

Except not all the headstones are on the right graves, are they?


6 posted on 05/01/2011 6:05:50 AM PDT by PAR35
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To: B4Ranch

Great minds and all that stuff....LOL This young man should receive the highest accolades for what he is doing.

His website brought tears of gratitude to my eyes.....gratitude to those who gave their all for our freedom and gratitude to Ricky Gilleland for using his God-given talent in such a positive, awe-inspiring way.


7 posted on 05/01/2011 6:07:21 AM PDT by 2nd amendment mama ( www.2asisters.org | Self defense is a basic human right!)
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To: PAR35

For those who missed my reference above:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2561608/posts


8 posted on 05/01/2011 6:17:35 AM PDT by PAR35
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To: driftdiver
There are thousands of Arlington dead listed at Find-a-Grave.
9 posted on 05/01/2011 6:20:39 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: oh8eleven

<There are thousands of Arlington dead listed at Find-a-Grave.

I happened to be on Find-a-Grave the other day looking at some celebrity graves when I thought to look up some relatives. I was surprised to find several of them at a cemetery in Washington, DC. It turns out that a guy is going through the cemetery, making a digital record of the graves and submitting them to Find-a-Grave. I contacted him and learned about what he was doing, first for his own relatives, and now for others buried there. It’s nice to have a record.

I also learned that there are volunteers whose job it is to but virtual flowers on the virtual graves so no one is forgotten. I think this is a very nice gesture.


10 posted on 05/01/2011 6:28:23 AM PDT by radiohead (Buy ammo, get your kids out of government schools, pray for the Republic.)
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To: radiohead
also learned that there are volunteers whose job it is to but virtual flowers on the virtual graves so no one is forgotten. I think this is a very nice gesture.

On the Find-a-Grave site or Ricky's site?

11 posted on 05/01/2011 6:40:50 AM PDT by LuvFreeRepublic (Support our military or leave. I will help you pack BO!)
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To: radiohead
I started a genealogy project a little over three years ago and that's when I bumped into Find-a-Grave.
My mother's family was once very prominent in the Germantown suburb of Philadelphia, and I was quite surprised to find many family listings and photos, all posted by volunteers no less.
12 posted on 05/01/2011 6:44:43 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: driftdiver

THIS is God’s work. Bless this young man.


13 posted on 05/01/2011 6:49:34 AM PDT by Big Bronson
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To: driftdiver

He’d better be careful. Some SEIU public union golden parachute govt employee, is gonna file a work grievance against him.


14 posted on 05/01/2011 7:01:29 AM PDT by rawcatslyentist (It is necessary that a person be born of a father who is a citizen; ~Vattel's Law of Nations)
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To: driftdiver
Just put this info and a link to Ricky's site on Facebook and “liked” his FB site. I also contacted a friend at the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots association to suggest he put an article in the Rat Digest about the site, if that hasn't already been done. The River Rats do a lot with Wounder Warriors, Vets and they give out scholarships to kids whose parent has fallen in service to our country. Great post!! Thanks.
15 posted on 05/01/2011 7:11:33 AM PDT by LuvFreeRepublic (Support our military or leave. I will help you pack BO!)
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To: driftdiver

Well, I was hoping to find a cousin of mine. No luck. He is not in the Gov database either, yet I have a picture from another of his grave at Arlington, and his burial info in the paper said he was buried there...


16 posted on 05/01/2011 7:42:01 AM PDT by PghBaldy (Like the Ft Hood Killer, James Earl Ray was just stressed when he killed MLK Jr.)
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To: tsmith130

I am a bit stunned that this hasn’t been done already.


17 posted on 05/01/2011 8:46:04 AM PDT by VanDeKoik (1 million in stimulus dollars paid for this tagline!)
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To: PAR35

Perhaps he and several other teens who have exhibited such thoughtfulness and organization should be overseeing Arlington.


18 posted on 05/01/2011 8:55:19 AM PDT by skr (May God confound the enemy)
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To: tsmith130

Indeed, and he’s not asking for $1 billion in stimulus money either...


19 posted on 05/01/2011 9:34:51 AM PDT by DTogo (High time to bring back the Sons of Liberty !!)
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To: DTogo

A fine example of how private industry works better than public.


20 posted on 05/01/2011 9:57:16 AM PDT by ph12321 (We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately - Benjamin Franklin)
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