War 'Slogans' On Troops' Graves?

[PA Democrat]

(AP) Traditionally, gravestones for Americans killed in combat have included the minimum information necessary to identify the fallen soldier, sailor, airman or Marine.

Almost all the headstones for the more than 2,000 troops killed in Iraq or Afghanistan, however, are inscribed with the slogan-like operation names the Pentagon selected to promote public support for the conflicts.

<snip>

"I was a little taken aback," Robert McCaffrey said, describing his reaction when he saw the operation name on his son'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."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/08/24/national/main793188.shtml

[Captain Hilts]

1. That weirds me out at Arlington also. It's weird. nt

[stellanoir]

2. Gravestones to promote military conflict. . .?

Does this seem mind boggling disrespectful and in outrageously poor taste to anyone else. . .?

[PA Democrat]

3. Even the owner of the company that makes the tombstones expressed his discomfort with this.

"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."

[brmdp3123]

4. That's a little misleading.

For those killed in action, the markers always include the name of the conflict they died in-WWI, WWII, Vietnam, etc. Also, that is the 'standard' tombstone provided by the military. The next-of-kin can provide one of their choosing.

[Minimus]

5. Seems to me the name of the conflict is different from the operation name.

They have a new operation name in Iraq everytime you turn around.

[Squatch]

7. Actually, Operations in Iraq since 2003 have been known as

Operation Iraqi Freedom, aka OIF. Operations in Afghanistan are known as Operation Enduring Freedom, OEF, while domestic operations immediately following 9/11 were known as Operation Noble Eagle.

[Minimus]

9. I thought the op was referring to the "operation names" for example:

Operation Sidewinder
Operation Ivy Lightning
Operation Eagle Curtain
Operation OK Corral
Operation Rifle Sweep
Operation Panther Squeeze
Operation Red Dawn
Operation Iron Grip
Operation Choke Hold
Operation Desert Snowplow

etc. etc. etc.

[Squatch]

11. There's a picture in that link

that clearly shows the larger OIF/OEF designations. But, you are correct: those Opns you listed would certainly make for an interesting graveyard.

"Johnny, died in Operation Desert Snowplow, which I believe was a frat prank that backfired."

"No, you're thinking of Operation Panther Squeeze."

"So that's what they're calling it nowadays?"

[Minimus]

16. I committed the posting before linking sin.

:blush:

[Bluebear]

14. Of course you are right. nt

[PA Democrat]

10. The title of my thread is the title of the article on the CBS website.

And I personally don't agree that it is misleading. Other tombstones simply state "World War II" or "Vietnam" or "Korea". In the 1980's the Pentagon began a marketing ploy to come up with names to garner public support for conflicts. Read the whole article, and see if you still think that marketing slogans belong on a soldier's tombstone without the family's consent.

[Squatch]

12. Well...the more I think about it

if the Opns names are restricted to OIF/OEF, it would certainly help understand where the person died. Now, if they started listing individual missions, that'd get rather confusing.

[Bluebear]

13. Your 5 posts this year have been extremely interesting.

[yardwork]

20. The man who makes the gravestones seems to disagree.

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."

[supernova]

22. And you're misreading

the intent of the gov't here.

The idea is to BRAND the deceased soldier with the will of a particular "president" for a voluntary conflict nobody, except Dick Cheney and Bill Kristol, wanted.

[dflprincess]

24. Not just KIA

Any vet's VA footstone will list when s/he served. My dad's lists WWII, as well as his rank, service branch (Army Air Corp) and his medals.

[Squatch]

6. Were any gravestones of soldiers who died on 6 Jun 1944

inscribed with "Operation Overlord"?

Yeah, it's kinda creepy.

[Ganja Ninja]

8. It wouldn't surprise me if you checked the tombstones from ...

before 2004 and found they had "Vote Bush/Cheney 04" on them. These guys are relentless when it comes to politicizing. I'm surprised they haven't carved it into Lincoln's head at his memorial.

[Contrary1]

15. This statement should settle the debate:

VA official Steve Muro: "The headstone is not a PR purpose. It is to let the country know and the people that visit the cemetery know who served this country and made the country free for us."

It's for our own good, damn it.:eyes:

[Scriptor Ignotus]

17. I for one am glad to be free of the tyranny of Saddam Hussein

thank god I am free of his free-speech zones and loyalty oaths, his waterboarding and his warrantless wire-tapping. Ah, it feels so good to be free of that tyrant.

[PA Democrat]

21. LOL!

And don't forget how you no longer have to worry about how Saddam took away habeas corpus!

[Minimus]

19. Operation Iraqi Freedom is making our country free?

I still don't get that "they are fighting for our freedom" line. My nephew did two deployments to Iraq and his wife is on her first (both in the Navy). They have a bumpersticker on one of their cars: "Sexually Frustrated for Your Freedom"

[supernova]

18. This is creepy beyond anything

You only need to know:

DOB - DOD, name, rank, and location of death. It's an objective, solemn, tribute free from the moralizing that crated the conflict in the first place. There is no honest way for the gov't to know how the individual soldier felt about being in the middle of the conflict.

To say on a TS that a soldier died during Operation Iraqi Freedom is ugh. Revolting and an insult to the soldier. Kind of imposing the Wil of the State on him even in Death.

[PA Democrat]

23. Plus, how many Americans would know where "Operation Enduring Freedom" took place?

Why not just state "Afghanistan"?

[damntexdem]

25. I'm surprised they missed a bet to make a few bucks:

selling advertising space on the headstones for Halliburton, KBR, Blackwater, and so on.