I wanted to talk about the National Cemetery System a little bit more. I want to talk about how there are some states that don't have any National Cemeteries at all. How is it that after 235 years that we have been a great nation with veterans dieing to protect its unwavering flag that we still have states that don't have a place for veterans can be laid to rest with their families and their brothers and sisters if arms? I think this is some thing that needs to be addressed on a public forum and to the federal government. How can we not allow a veterans from Montana to be laid to rest in Montana, or Connecticut, Delaware, Washington DC, Idaho, North Dakota, Nevada, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, or Wyoming. These states do not have a National Cemetery for Veterans to be laid to rest in, that's 11 state without National Cemeteries in them.
I believe deep in my heart that there is a grand scheme of things that I just do not understand, that this is just an over sight by our federal government, that this is just something no one has ever asked before. I just don't want to believe that anyone in our country would think that this is so insignificant that it should not be taking care of or that is should be forgotten. Being a veteran myself of the conflicts around the world I would like to know that I will be able to be laid to rest with my brothers and sisters, the bond that a service member earns in combat is one that only blood relations could ever compare to. We fight and die on a battle field most of time thousands of miles away from everything we know. We watch as fear and joy are washed from our faces to only a numbness that seems almost comforting at times. We do this because we love our country, our families, our communities. We do this because we love each other and want nothing more but to make it home alive to enjoy the world around us, to enjoy what we believe is worth dieing for. We do this so that people around the world may have the chance just as we do to be something different, to be something anything at all. I thing that the National Cemeteries are something we have earned, its not even about the cost its about our right to be buried with only those who know what it means to have a "bond or blood".
If we do nothing than a veteran that would want to be laid to rest in their home state of the ones listed above would have to cover all the cost. When in other states with National Cemeteries a veteran would have no cost, they would be provide with a head stone or marker and they would also get a burial flag presented to the family. That is only if you are laid to rest in a state that has a National Cemetery.
Now it is not all rubbish, a veteran can be buried in a privet cemetery with little cost to them but there are some questions that need to be asked such as if a cemetery is offering "free" sites for veterans is there a requirement to buy any additional grave sites and if so what is the cost, where are they located? You must ask about additional equipment needs or requirements such as "grave liners" or "vaults"? Are there maker holders that need to be purchased, or prior to requesting a FREE government headstone are there any requirements or special marker bases or is there any difference in cost for placement and care of it? If so is it cheaper to get a marker from the cemetery? What kind of trust fund is in place to protect the buyer? What are the if there are any restrictions on headstones and markers? These are all questions that do not need to be dealt with when a National Cemetery is available, also in the times when these questions are normally thought about its too late and most people are not thinking clearly any ways.
As an update of something new that the Department of Veteran Affairs has going on. They just realised a new marker for all veterans that are laid to rest in privet cemetery's. The new markers have a folded flag as the center piece and the related service name below. This is a great step forward to for all veterans no mater where they are laid to rest.
Most all this information can be found at www.cem.va.gov/ there is also plenty of other interesting things you may need to know as well. Remember your grandfather, father or yourself may need this one day to. We must as a society remain diligent for the rights and freedoms of our veterans, we must honor their lives and their deaths for when we stop and we no longer have room in our hearts for their scarifies than so shall we as a nation die.
Ride with pride when its Red, White and Blue! US Army Combat Vets
