Troop Remains dumped in a landfill.

[McD]

Has anyone else seen this?
U.S. News - Report: Air Force dumped remains of 274 troops in landfill

I am irate. I wrote to our congressman, senators, etc. I've included my message to them below:

I recently read an article on msnbc regarding the remains of our servicemembers being dumped into a landfill. As the wife, sister-in-law, sister, and granddaughter of many veterans, I was appalled and deeply saddened to read this article. However, I realize that the casualties of the Iraq/Afghanistan wars were something that our military was perhaps not prepared to handle on such a massive scale. Emotionally I may not be able to understand that, but the practical side of me does.

What I cannot understand is the stance that the Pentagon is taking: Last month, Pentagon and Air Force officials said that figuring out how many remains were sent to the King George County, Va., landfill would take combing through the records of more than 6,300 troops. "It would require a massive effort and time to recall records and research individually," Jo Ann Rooney, the Pentagon's acting undersecretary for personnel, said in a Nov. 22 letter to Rep. Rush Holt (clipped).

As a former soldier, as a loved one to many soldiers and veterans, and as an American, I cannot understand why the Pentagon would not be willing to research this matter to do right by these men and women.

I am writing to you regarding this matter for because I have to believe that you care enough about the men and women willing to fight and die for our country. I am asking you to try to make the Pentagon understand that they HAVE to do right by our servicemembers that they have so grievously disrespected. They deserve better than this.

Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.

Quote pulled from this article, clipped for length issues, not content. U.S. News - Report: Air Force dumped remains of 274 troops in landfill




If this is something that is upsetting to you, please take the time to contact your elected officials to try to make it right.

[frugal.lass]

This is one of those things that shocks me so much that I am having problems even formulating my thoughts.

Wow...just wow. It's terrible, and frankly, inexcusable.

[Uniwolf]

McD I saw this just a little bit ago. I was so shocked, horrified, ticked off, all at the same time. If you don't mind I think I will hijack your letter. I don't know that I could write one as respectully as you have.
God Bless and thank you and your family for your service to our country. Mel.

[McD]

By all means, please do so!

[imagine]

I heard this on the morning radio news.

The put a warning in front of it. This piece is very disturbing. Young children and other sensitive people may wish to not to listen.

Here are news article about it

One from November
Air Force Investigates Mortuary At Del. Base : NPR

And one from today
Report: Hundreds Of Troops' Ashes Were Dumped In Landfill : The Two-Way : NPR

[NikoSan999]

But yet they did this for 911.
Shared on FB...as a mother of a son going to Afghanistan in January I, personally, am outraged.

[BlissMommy]

That is just horrible!

[Incognito]

Absolutely appalling; a mass grave or graves should have and could have been managed and arranged somehow, with the honour and respect due to those who fought and died for their country.

[oheoh's momma]

this is beyond words I have 2 children that are soldiers. To not know what has happened to their remains and have mis handled is horrible, deplorable, and appalling. really angers me deeply to the core

[ShadowMom]

This is unexceptable! Every serviceman or woman deserves to be buried with FULL honors!

[MomToTwoBoys]

I have to ask:

If this practice was secretive and in effect up until 2008, what makes this instance so offensive to people?

As a former Marine, I am not suprised. Events like this happen all of the time. It's only when it reaches the media does it become so "unacceptable" to the general public. The military does what it is ordered to do by someone higher than them. Even the hint of defying an order set out by a superior officer is grounds for punishment under the UCMJ.

You know the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that was repealed? Well, this is an instance of "Don't Argue, Don't Get Put In The Brig".

[Incognito]

I had no idea they did such things.
I can understand the possibility of hurried graves or a mass burial pit in a foreign country in a war-zone, or lost comrades whose bodies cannot be retrieved. But I cannot see any justification for the way they have handled this matter, when there were decent, humanitary alternatives available.

[Trishagirl]

I hear about it on the news last night how horrible for anyone to do such a disgraceful thing to these people & their families.

[nodmicks]

I'm totally speechless!

[McD]

I have to ask:

If this practice was secretive and in effect up until 2008, what makes this instance so offensive to people?

As a former Marine, I am not suprised. Events like this happen all of the time. It's only when it reaches the media does it become so "unacceptable" to the general public. The military does what it is ordered to do by someone higher than them. Even the hint of defying an order set out by a superior officer is grounds for punishment under the UCMJ.

You know the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that was repealed? Well, this is an instance of "Don't Argue, Don't Get Put In The Brig".

I had no idea that there was ever an instance of something like this happening. The entire concept of it is completely offensive. We are still working to bring home the remains of servicemembers lost in Korea and Viet Nam, but we have servicemembers here that we just toss like garbage?

I don't fault the individual solider that was working under orders. I fault the organization that made the order happen. I fault the whole thought process of 'too bad, so sad, it's too much work to try to sort out now.'