We Can Do Better than THIS

The Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia War Memorial Commission are embarrassing me. Embarrassing enough that I actually got off my comfortable arse and did something about it. (see my previous post if you can't figure out why I'm less slug-like on issues these days)

Now, I'm asking for your help.

read the article

If you have the time, or even if you don't... whichever side of the politics you are on with the war, this is about our service members, not about politics...

On the heels of the Marine Corps Birthday, and Veteran's Day... I can't believe we could be so short sighted and wrapped up in bureaucracy. Ok, maybe I can.

~loud irish sigh~

Please speak out about this.

Our service members deserve better from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

To save you having to look up all the names on the War Memorial Commission... (it took me a few hours to find them), you can get them straight from the email below. Some of the members were not re-elected this year, but the ones I could locate got the email.

Governor Kaine was sent in separately, via the website form.

The Governor's Website

You'll want to add your delegates and state senator to the list, and your local paper, if you have the inclination.

House of Delegates
State Senators

Please join me in an effort to fix this. Only WE can stop the insanity (or stupidity, as the case may be)


Virginia War Memorial Foundation Members

The Honorable William K. Barlow
The Honorable J. Brandon Bell, II
Mr. Dale D. Chapman, Adjutant
The Honorable John S. Edwards
The Honorable Frank D. Hargrove, Sr.
Mr. John Harper, Jr.
RDML John Hekman, USN (Ret.)
BG Bert Wellington Holmes, Jr., M.D.
The Honorable William R. Janis
The Honorable L. Scott Lingamfelter
RADM John L. Marocchi, USN (Ret.)
BG John W. “Jack” Nicholson, USA (Ret.)
Mr. Roger L. Overstreet
The Honorable Melanie L. Rapp
The Honorable D. Nick Rerras
COL E. Phillip Russell
Mr. S. Judson Stanley
BG Wilma L. Vaught, USAF (Ret.)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Subject: Lance Corporal Darrell Schumann, USMC, deceased

To: DelCAthey@house.state.va.us, DelEScott@house.state.va.us, DelSLingamfelter@house.state.va.us, DelWBarlow@house.state.va.us, DelRBell@house.state.va.us, DelFHargrove@house.state.va.us, DelBJanis@house.state.va.us, district27@sov.state.va.us, district21@sov.state.va.us, eeccleston@valegion.org, info@dvs.virginia.gov, president@womensmemorial.org, letters@timesdispatch.com


I am writing to you today because a great disservice has been done to an honorable member of our Armed Services.

This Marine died in Iraq, serving our country in this war. He was killed when the helicopter he was traveling in was downed during a sandstorm. This was the Marine Corps largest single loss of life in theater thus far.

According to the "guidelines" for the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, based on statements from Delegate Frank Hargrove, to the Virginian-Pilot and reported on Military.com today, this Marine's name will not be added, because he was not killed in action or as a hostile casualty.

I have to ask this question. Why are we limiting the honor we bestow on the men and women who die in service to their country? What logical reason is there to exclude any service member killed on active duty?

It is very simple to exclude any member who died under circumstances deemed unbecoming by their branch of service (or where the military life insurance wouldn't pay out, therefore making them ineligible for the honor)

But this young man died in theater, he is buried at Arlington. He should be honored on that wall. I am ashamed that Delegate Hargrove would suggest to Lcpl. Schumann's father that he get his son's death reclassified in order to have his name put on the wall. This is a bad guideline which can be easily changed, no family member should have to navigate a DOD landmine like Mr. Hargrove suggests in order to get this rightfully deserved honor from Virginia. We should be falling all over ourselves to honor this young man's sacrifice.

My service during the first Gulf War was no less important to the mission than the supply clerk in the reserve battalion in New York. This Marine survived Fallujah, and his service was no less than the Marines killed in Fallujah.

If the memorial wall is designed to honor those Virginian's who gave their lives in service of their country during the course of the war, who are we, as Virginians, to decide that a location, or a mission is any more or less important? My fellow Marines killed in helicopter crashes at Camp Pendleton, or Camp Lejeune, or Fallujah didn't give their lives any less honorably.

I call on the House of Delegates, the State Senate, the War Memorial Commission and the governor to make the changes necessary in our guidelines so as not to exclude Marines, Airmen, Sailors and Soldiers from being honored by the state of Virginia when they have given their lives for our freedom in a time of war. As a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Gulf War, as a woman who has served this nation honorably, as a Daughter of the American Revolution, I believe that this needs to be fixed, today.

Our proud tradition of military service and sacrifice in Virginia deserves more.

(edited for anonymity on this blog)