"Troops' Gravestones Have Pentagon Slogans" (AP)

[hopein08]

I checked briefly to see if this had been posted and didn't see it. If it this is a duplicate, please accept my apologies and do whatever needs to be done.

Anyway, I found this link at Wonkette.com

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050823/D8C5NH5G0.html

It is completely disgusting...but like Max Cleland, I respect any family who choses the option. It just shouldn't be offered by the Pentagon.

Troops' Gravestones Have Pentagon Slogans

Families of fallen soldiers and Marines are being told they have the option to have the government-furnished headstones engraved with "Operation Enduring Freedom" or "Operation Iraqi Freedom" at no extra charge, whether they are buried in Arlington or elsewhere. A mock-up shown to many families includes the operation names.

...

VA officials say neither the Pentagon nor White House exerted any pressure to get families to include the operation names. They say families always had the option of including information like battle or operation names, but didn't always know it.

...

The Pentagon in the late 1980s began selecting operation names with themes that would help generate public support for conflicts.

...

"In one way, I feel it's taking advantage to a small degree," McCaffrey said. "Patrick did not want to be there, that is a definite fact."

I recommend reading the rest. I think it is clearly PR by the Pentagon.

[Moderator]

1. duplicate topic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1721723