(2 pm. – promoted by ek hornbeck)
The results of the long underfunding, since Korea, and oh so easy to lay blame on the agency supposedly funded by the oh so patriotic masses who don’t serve and through their representatives they hired, of the Veterans Administration covering issues from the record keeping, as we enhance the needs by waging wars mostly of choice, to the resting place in the National Cemeteries of the mostly ignored, fallen and veterans of after returning home, brothers and sisters who serve.
This is but one more example of the total lack of Demand for the Country to Sacrifice as they demand the sacrifices by the soldier and their families!
Most of the grave markers in the Philippines cemetery have been half-buried for 20 years.
A private guard walks along soil-covered grave markers at Clark Veterans Cemetery at the sprawling Clark Economic Zone, a former U.S. Air Force base in Dau, Pampanga province in northern Philippines, in this July 1, 2011 photo
7/3/2011 – Walking along the rows of tombstones here offers a glimpse of the wars America has fought and the men and women who waged them.
But most of the grave markers have been half-buried for 20 years, and there is little hope that the volcanic ash obscuring names, dates and epitaphs will be cleared any time soon.
Clark Veterans Cemetery was consigned to oblivion in 1991, when Mount Pinatubo’s gigantic eruption forced the U.S. to abandon the sprawling air base surrounding it.
Retired U.S. soldiers, Marines and sailors volunteer to keep watch, relying on donations to try to maintain the grounds, but they lament that they’re short on funds to fix things, and that Washington is unwilling to help.
“It’s the veterans’ cemetery that America forgot,” Vietnam War veteran and ex-Navy officer Robert Chesko said.
snip It holds the remains of 8,600 people, including 2,200 American veterans and nearly 700 allied Philippine Scouts who saw battle in conflicts from the early 1900s to the resistance against brutal Japanese occupation troops in WWII.
Clark’s dead also include military dependents, civilians who worked for the U.S. wartime government and at least 2,139 mostly unidentified soldiers whose marble tombstones are labeled “Unknown.”
As America marks Independence Day, the veterans caring for the cemetery renewed their calls for Washington to fund and take charge of the work.
“People celebrate on the Fourth of July but they forgot the 8,600 who helped make that freedom happen,” said former Navy Capt. Dennis Wright, who saw action in Vietnam and is now a business executive. {read more}
And on this, especially related to the VA’s National Cemeteries care and over site of, we get a recent movement by at least one group in the oh so patriotic, and oh so family values 21st century christian crowd, the American Family Association, with no demand in the past decade plus to sacrifice as to the veterans of, seeking the removal of a director of the National Cemeteries, ignoring the fact that soldiers serve the Country and Constitution and not a single religious ideology nor a political party ideology, with this:
VA Bans Mention of God at Funerals for VetsSend an email to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki. Ask him to 1) stop his department’s religious discrimination and 2) relieve Director Ocasio of her duties.
No need to give their link to this online letter writing campaign to send to Gen Shinseki, and others, nor the message within the intolerant and lacking concern for many veterans families in the gibberishness of the short letter. Reason I’m even mentioning this is it does exactly what I thought it would, I erased their message and put my own words of support for the General and Ocasio within, quickly after I received a grifter fund raising request from this groups leader, an auto response after sending:
As you are aware, America is in the middle of a raging culture war that will decide the future of our country. Your involvement in this war is paramount to the foundation which is being laid for the next generation.Paul wrote to believers in Corinth, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be [people] of courage; be strong.” (1 Cor. 16:13)
Please consider supporting us with a donation of any amount: https:……………
Sincerely,Tim
Tim Wildmon, President
American Family Association
Won’t Sacrifice but find nothing wrong, in those tiny religious family value minds, to readily ask for donations to support this Tim Wildmon, self described righteous president, and whoever else is in league with him while also probably getting funds from the Koch brother and Rove types for political messaging!
Meanwhile, while still grossly underfunded especially related to our Defense Budgets and wars of choice, General Shinseki has taken on many many issues related to the Veterans of these recent theaters, that weren’t mentioned as they were waged, as well as long standing issues ignored by the country as to us older veterans and Especially, as to this subject, has been rehabilitating and expanding some National Cemeteries around the Country, building new and much needed National Cemeteries in more local communities in states around the country and upgrading, finally, the record keeping with the new technology that should already have been followed thus saving money instead of spending needed resources in constant catch up. Still no Demand for Sacrifice from the Country, but I bet this Tim Wildmon gets some ducats in his grifter coffer!!