Another U.S. base moves to monthly memorials

[cal04]

Soldiers at New York’s Fort Drum “who are killed in combat will be honored during monthly group memorials instead of individual services beginning in June.” The same policy was announced recently by the commanding general of Fort Lewis in Washington. He wrote in a memo, “I am afraid that with the number of soldiers we now have in harm’s way, our losses will preclude us from continuing to do individual memorial ceremonies.”

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/02/another-us-base-moves-to-monthly-memorials/

Some Army posts to end individual memorials
Soldiers from Fort Lewis, Wash., and Fort Drum, N.Y., who are killed in combat will be honored during monthly group memorials instead of individual services beginning in June.

At Fort Lewis, the decision was announced in a May 22 e-mail from Brig. Gen. William Troy, the acting commanding general of I Corps and Fort Lewis, to the command and staff on post, said Joe Piek, a Fort Lewis spokesman. The first group memorial is expected to take place the third week of June.

“As much as we would like to think otherwise, I am afraid that with the number of soldiers we now have in harm’s way, our losses will preclude us from continuing to do individual memorial ceremonies,” Troy wrote in his e-mail. “I see this as a way of sharing the heavy burdens our spouses and rear detachments bear, while giving our fallen warriors the respect they deserve. It will also give the families of the fallen the opportunity to bond with one another, as they see others who share their grief.”

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/05/army_memorial_070531w/

[babylonsister]

1. Ft. Lewis is reconsidering; hopefully Ft. Drum will, too:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1022875

[cal04]

3. thanks for the link

babylonsister. I hope they do too

[TomInTib]

2. I wonder if they will segregate services of the "fallen" enlisted and commissioned.

And I am sick of hearing about these "fallen" troops.

They are effing dead, Jim.

Ain't no reset button on this one, HotRod.

I will bet that separate services will be held for commissioned officers.

[partylessinOhio]

4. One service a month will make it appear that there are less DEAD.

Everything this administration does is for "appearances" or non-appearances like not showing the returning flag-draped coffins.

We need to stop this war and prevent * from invading more countries.


Thousands of protesters gathered in central London Saturday to
demand that Group of Eight (G8) leaders meeting at a summit in Germany
next week keep past promises about fighting world poverty

[JVS]

5. How big are these memorials?

[Decruiter]

6. Just more of Bush and this maladministration supporting our troops.

Cost cutting measures to be sure, but we can always count on a Bush spokesperson to put a postive spin on everything.

"At Fort Lewis, the decision was announced in a May 22 e-mail from Brig. Gen. William Troy, the acting commanding general of I Corps and Fort Lewis, to the command and staff on post, said Joe Piek, a Fort Lewis spokesman. The first group memorial is expected to take place the third week of June.

“As much as we would like to think otherwise, I am afraid that with the number of soldiers we now have in harm’s way, our losses will preclude us from continuing to do individual memorial ceremonies,” Troy wrote in his e-mail. “I see this as a way of sharing the heavy burdens our spouses and rear detachments bear, while giving our fallen warriors the respect they deserve. It will also give the families of the fallen the opportunity to bond with one another, as they see others who share their grief.”"

Ummm, Dear Brig. Gen. Troy, how the f do you sleep at night?