|
When I visited the cemetery last week, the visitor's center had a kiosk where one could look up the headstone location of anyone interred since 1999, and a manned office to help locate the markers of those buried before that date. I was able to find a number of graves, including COL Moroney's, fairly easily using the kiosk. I can't speak to the accuracy of matching graves to stones, but it appeared to me that there were legitimate efforts being made to automate the stone locator process. I was impressed by the stone numbering system--without it, I can't begin to imagine trying to find an individual grave in some of the larger, older sections.
As to the 'momento' complaint, I would challenge those complaining to find another cemetery, military or civilian, that collects, catalogs and permanently stores items left at headstones. The VN memorial isn't a cemetery, its a group monument, so that analogy made in the news report is misleading. Again, during my visit I didn't note any rotting or excessively old flower arrangements. In Section 60, where most of the newest graves are located, there were a great deal of small momentos left by visitors on and around the stones, such as glass beads, dogtags, unit crests and photos, and they appeared undisturbed for the most part. Beyond the rare flower arrangement left by a recent visitor, older graves had no momentos to speak of.
Other random observations:
I was surprised by the wide variety of religious affiliation symbols on the newer markers. In addition to the standard Christian and Jewish symbols, I can recall at least 10 other symbols on stones, many of which I didn't recognize.
One other thing of note was what appeared to be the new marker for MOH recipients. SFC Paul Smith's stone (which wasn't in Section 60 for some reason) was like all the other, older markers for MOH earners (the standard stone with a MOH symbol and the MOH listed as an award), but SPC McGinnis' stone had a gold-colored inlay of all the engraving. It certainly made the stone stand out, something that will catch the eye of those that aren't aware of the MOH symbol found on the older MOH earner markers.
The cemetery staff is planting rows of trees among the new areas of Section 60, as well as in other adjoining areas, apparently in an effort to provide shade and keep continuity with other wooded areas of the cemetery. I thought it was a nice touch.
I noticed a cemetery worker using a long pry bar and bubble level to straighten a marker in an older section that didn't appear to get many visitors. He was putting a great deal of effort into being precise. If that's any indicator of the care the staff takes of the cemetery as a whole, I'm not too concerned about how our deceased heroes are being treated there.
The Tomb Guards are still doing a great job and representing our Army very well to the GAP (Great American Public). I was rather surprised at how quiet and reverent the crowds at the Tomb were, even during the times between the changing of the Guard.
I didn't realize the large number of spouses and families buried with their vets.
Putting L'Enfant's grave on the hill next to the Custis House, overlooking the city he designed was a fitting location, IMO.
Visiting Arlington is always a sobering visual reminder of the real cost of freedom, especially when you consider that all those graves are only a small fraction of those that have stepped up over history to protect our nation and its ideals.
|