I Have A High Tolerance Level...

[Richard]

...but NOT for stuff like this!

Richard

Air Force Dumped Ashes Of More Troops’ Remains In VA Landfill Than Acknowledged
WaPo, 7 Dec 2011

The Air Force dumped the incinerated partial remains of at least 274 American troops in a Virginia landfill, far more than the military had acknowledged, before halting the secretive practice three years ago, records show.

The landfill dumping was concealed from families who had authorized the military to dispose of the remains in a dignified and respectful manner, Air Force officials said. There are no plans, they said, to alert those families now.

The Air Force had maintained that it could not estimate how many troops might have had their remains sent to a landfill. The practice was revealed last month by The Washington Post, which was able to document a single case of a soldier whose partial remains were sent to the King George County landfill in Virginia. The new data, for the first time, show the scope of what has become an embarrassing episode for vaunted Dover Air Base, the main port of entry for America’s war dead.

The landfill disposals were never formally authorized under military policies or regulations. They also were not disclosed to senior Pentagon officials who conducted a high-level review of cremation policies at the Dover mortuary in 2008, records show.

Air Force and Pentagon officials said last month that determining how many remains went to the landfill would require searching through the records of more than 6,300 troops whose remains have passed through the mortuary since 2001.

(Cont'd) http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...bdO_story.html

[SF18C]

I also just read this...is there something we are missing?

I am disturbed that this would take place as reported.

[JimP]

Sadly - this is a continuance of a pattern developed over the years there. Fortunately, the Air Force is taking this seriously and is thoroughly investigating this. It literally shocks the conscience of every American.

[Sohei]

Originally Posted by Richard

...The Air Force dumped the incinerated partial remains of at least 274 American troops in a Virginia landfill,...

Just reading that one sentence is truly aggravating to the core. Those words should never go together in one sentence.

[nissan350z13]

Currently being in the Air Force, I am ashamed... DOS- 24days. I will pass this along to my fellow Airman and make it known at this base. Thank you for the post, I will be following the investigation! v/r SrA- Nissan

[MiTTMedic]

Close the landfill, cover it over, and make it a memorial.

I can understand "medical waste", such as a small sample taken for DNA purposes, etc., being disposed of in that manner, but it sounds like entire remains were disposed of. Even though people are giving the "Iraqi Salute" (shrugging shoulders like they don't know about it), there must have been direction from a General Officer, or higher to permit the process. You would think that a lower-Enlisted person somewhere in the chain that said something. If they didn't, that would be criminal, too.

Just my 2-cents.

[greenberetTFS]

"Ask not what your Country can do for you,but what you can do for your Country"....... This is beyond shame,that these soldiers remains are treated like garbage........ After they find out who authorized this disgraceful action they should give him/her/them dishonorable discharges with NO befits,retirement pay and what ever else you can nail them on..........

Big Teddy

[chance]

"Air Force and Pentagon officials said last month that determining how many remains went to the landfill would require searching through the records of more than 6,300 troops whose remains have passed through the mortuary since 2001".

Well!!! what are you waiting for? Get busy.

[JJ_BPK]

Air Force Dumped Ashes Of More Troops’ Remains In VA Landfill Than Acknowledged
WaPo, 7 Dec 2011

This week, after The Post pressed for information contained in the Dover mortuary’s electronic database, the Air Force produced a tally based on those records.

It showed that 976 fragments from 274 military personnel were cremated, incinerated and taken to the landfill between 2004 and 2008.

An additional group of 1,762 unidentified remains were collected from the battlefield and disposed of in the same manner, the Air Force said.

Those fragments could not undergo DNA testing because they had been badly burned or damaged in explosions.

The total number of incinerated fragments dumped in the landfill exceeded 2,700.

I do not condone or in any fashion support these actions,,

But I would like to know what we are talking about.. quantitatively..

The remains were to small and/or badly damaged to allow any DNA identification??

What are they talking about???

Has anyone ever witnessed a vehicle accident clean-up as the fire department hoses the road and sidewalk to get rid of the fragments ??

Or a big city hospital ER/morgue fragment clean-up after a Friday night 3AM shooting in the hood??

Or the motor pool fragment sterilization crew after an IED hits a Bradley???

I am certainly not a happy camper,, but I think I will wait for a few more fragments of information..

My $00.0002

[JJ_BPK]

More Fragments..

A few points:

• There was/is a process for the disposal of Fragments at Dover Mortuary Affairs Operations
• The family of the Warrior is informed and asked for their desires for disposition, to include Fragments..
• The Fragments.. are cremated
• The process was changed in 2008 from landfill to burial at sea.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...show_article=1

Still doesn't make me happy, but until there is more data, I will think positive and believe that the Fragments..
were similar to those from hospitals and morgues.



I would like to add a few points. We lost my Mom in September and her wishes were be to cremated. When I went to the crematorium, the owner reviewed the process. He assured me he was following the national standard.

• The length of time required depends on the weight of the individual
• After cremation, there will be Fragments.. of large joint bones that are put thru a crushing machine
• ALL medical Fragments.. that use batteries (pacemakers) are removed before cremation and with permission, returned to the manufacture.
• The family is asked for their preferred disposition of non-electrical Fragments.. (hip/joint replacements, dental appliances, war shrapnel...)
• The family can watch from a viewing room.
• The chamber is thoroughly cleaned and vacuumed after each use.

I did not ask, nor do I want to know, what happens to the dust in the vacuum..

Mom was inurned at Arlington National Cemetery. She was in the Army Nurses Corp during WW II. I have spent time reviewing their processes because of current problems...

My $00.0002