The final insult to our troops

[TechBear_Seattle]

This makes me sick beyond words.

Troops' Gravestones Have Pentagon Slogans
By DAVID PACE, Associated Press Writer


ARLINGTON, Va. - Unlike earlier wars, nearly all Arlington National Cemetery gravestones for troops killed in Iraq or Afghanistan are inscribed with the slogan-like operation names the Pentagon selected to promote public support for the conflicts.

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.

The vast majority of military gravestones from other eras are inscribed with just the basic, required information: name, rank, military branch, date of death and, if applicable, the war and foreign country in which the person served.

Families are supposed to have final approval over what goes on the tombstones. That hasn't always happened.

Nadia and Robert McCaffrey, whose son Patrick was killed in Iraq in June 2004, said "Operation Iraqi Freedom" ended up on his government-supplied headstone in Oceanside, Calif., without family approval.

"I was a little taken aback," Robert McCaffrey said, describing his reaction when he first saw the operation name on Patrick's tombstone. "They certainly didn't ask my wife; they didn't ask me." He said Patrick's widow told him she had not been asked either.

"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."

The owner of the company that has been making gravestones for Arlington and other national cemeteries for nearly two decades is uncomfortable, too.

"It just seems a little brazen that that's put on stones," said Jeff Martell, owner of Granite Industries of Vermont. "It seems like it might be connected to politics."

The article continues

[liberaliraqvet26]

1. the propaganda is everywhere...

i cannot get anything that says Iraq War Veteran on it, they all say "Operation iraqi freedom" on them. my va records say "OIF" veteran. it's such crap

[Hissyspit]

6. Great to have you here liberaliraqvet26

[Imagevision]

12. I'd select; "killed in phoney Bush war for oil...RIP.

[Booster]

2. Yeah, me too. I read this earlier and thought "what pricks" to use

another man's tombstone for their political gain. Someone asked how low they could go; I think this is it.

[metisnation]

3. Thank you

for serving we're all glad that you made it back safe.

:dem:

[Hissyspit]

4. Oh, no. They'll go much lower... Great to have you vets, here, btw

[whistle]

5. Building another wall of division, if a family decides not to have

..one of these propaganda stones then they and their dead loved one are labeled unpatriotic. Than's more neo-con military pressure to accept the brand name given by the Pentagon Corporation, rather than just Iraq War 1 and Iraq War II and Afghanistan War 1.

[NYC]

7. "Connected to politics."

The owner of the tombstone company:

"It just seems a little brazen that that's put on stones," said Jeff Martell, owner of Granite Industries of Vermont. "It seems like it might be connected to politics."

[jonnyblitz]

8. unbelievable. nt

[NoFederales]

9. Fuckin' A it's politics; that whole goddamned BuchCo outfit ought to have

that shit branded right square on their bare-assed faces

NoFederales

[HawkerHurricane]

10. I want mine to say...

Operation
Iraqi
Liberation

Which is what it said back in December '02.

[babylonsister]

11. Please also see this post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=259

[TechBear_Seattle]

13. Done, thanks for the suggestion n/t

[FrenchieCat]

14. This is about as disgusting as it gets!

Death caused by politics has to lay with it? My goodness! I'm stunned for words!

[Lowell]

15. There is a big difference between an operation and a war

I'm just surprised they didn't throw an Exxon or Mobile logo along with the Operation Iraqi Liberation bullshit.