SOLDIERS ANGER OVER DEAN BROTHER MILITARY HONORS

Drudge Report ^ | 11/26/03 | Matt Drudge

[adam_az]

XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX WED NOV 26, 2003 10:49:38 ET XXXXX

SOLDIERS ANGER OVER DEAN BROTHER MILITARY HONORS

**Exclusive**

Active duty soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines are upset over being forced take part in a military repatriation ceremony today for remains believed to be those of the none-military brother of presidential candidate Howard Dean, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

"His brother will receive full military honors...flag over the coffin and all!" fumes one soldier, who asked not to be named.

Governor Dean is set to visit to the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the repatriation of his brother to Hickam AFB, Hawaii. 

The brother's remains were recovered in Laos by a JPAC recovery team this past month.  JPAC's mission is to search, recover, and identify remains of US service members who were killed in previous wars.

During the Vietnam War, Dean's brother and an Australian friend treked into Laos as civilians -- and were captured by the Vietcong and killed.

JPAC was pressured to not only recover his brother's remains, but to bump Dean's recovery over numerous other MIA's who actually died fighting for their country, a well-placed military source tells the DRUDGE REPORT. 

Additionally, JPAC is being pressured to push up Dean's brother's identification ahead of approximately a hundred other service members remains, it is claimed. 

Says one source: "These service members were recovered from all US wars, whose families are waiting to finally get word that their loved one, who gave his life for his country has been identified and is finally coming home.  It usually take 2 years plus for an identification.  Apparently, this 'rush job' will be done in 4-6 months. That's not all, we are repatriating his Australian friend, with military honors, and pushing his identification ahead our service members also."

The military source continues: "We feel it is not only a slap in the face to the servicemembers who gave their lives for our great country, but also the men and women who are currently in harms way"

In the past, JPAC has recovered remains of civilians [specifically contract civilians working for the military], but never with military honors!

In fact, one time, JPAC team members conducting the recovery had to actually pay the postage to FEDEX the remains back to the family because the government would not pay for it.

Developing...

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Filed By Matt Drudge
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[adam_az]

Um...

WOULD SOMEONE PLEASE ASK THE CINC ABOUT THIS???

[righthand man]

just read ,what makes dean so special.
link http://www.drudgereport.com/dean9.htm

[EggsAckley]

Typical Demo photo-op. Clinton must be really green with envy. If only he could have had a missing brother found. Heheheh.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Smacking Dean upside the head on the issues is fine. Family, however, should be off limits even under these trying circumstances.

[Sunshine Sister]

If this is true, I am OUTRAGED! Who gives a flyin' fish fart if these remains are identified. Dean didn't serve. Why should these remains even go to Hawaii and be tested at taxpayer expense. If Dean wants this done, fine. He can pay for it!

[dead]

His brother was not a soldier. He does not deserve military honors.

That's not attacking Dean's family. That is a fact.

[familyofman]

"JPAC was pressured to not only recover his brother's remains, but to bump Dean's recovery over numerous other MIA's who actually died fighting for their country, a well-placed military source tells the DRUDGE REPORT."

Pressure from who/where? The story leads you on, but doesn't say where the pressure is coming from. Maybe somebody in DC is applying the pressure (doesn't the military take orders from the Pentagon). Who else could be putting pressure on?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

"Huge" Rodham should be worried.

[jjm2111]

Maybe they were CIA.....:)

[vbmoneyspender]

I read somewhere that Dean's brother was with the CIA or another defense related agency and was working for our armed forces when he was executed. I could be wrong about this, but it would explain the military honors.

[Pukin Dog]

You are dead wrong.

Dean is looking for a flag-draped photo opportunity. There is no damn reason why his commie brother should get military honors. Thanks to Drudge, this will likely be fixed pronto.

[.cnI redruM]

>>>>>>>>>>JPAC was pressured to not only recover his brother's remains, but to bump Dean's recovery over numerous other MIA's who actually died fighting for their country, a well-placed military source tells the DRUDGE REPORT.

So how's your back feeling, Howard?

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

"JPAC is being pressured to push up Dean's brother's identification ahead of approximately a hundred other service members remains, it is claimed. "

There are THOUSANDS of unidentified remains at CILHI waiting to have forensic studies done. I'm not sure where this figure of "a hundred" comes from, but it sems pretty low to me.

Also, this is a trend- like JFK, Jr getting a burial at sea from a Navy ship. Just outrageous. We can't even provide a bugler to play "TAPS" for real heroes who fought and were wounded in defending this Nation, but we can do full military honors for some hippy .

Unless it can be shown that Dean and his rekking buddy were working for the CIA (unlikely(, rather than looking for exotic hookers and cheap heroin in that area, then I would oppose this phony exercise.

And, as much as Howard "the Duck" Dean hates the military, I am surprised that he would allow military honors anyway.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Dean's brother was a commie sympathizer and hated the military. Perhaps this is a way of actually smearing his memory.

[js1138]

Typical Demo photo-op. Clinton must be really green with envy. If only he could have had a missing brother found. Heheheh.

I'm just tring to think of a recent president who couldn't have benefited politically from one less brother.

[adam_az]

His brother was a putz civillian who walked into a warzone and was killed by the cretins he sympathized with.

Why should his remains be pushed to the very front of the list to be exhumed, identified, and returned by the US military BEFORE brave men who gave their lives in service to their country?

Someone with influence led to the course of events that led to this situation.

Dean is a well connected Governor.

Who is responsible? Not the CINC I would guess.

I think this is VERY relevent! If it was Dean, then the public should find out what to expect from such a self-serving putz.

[Kaisersrsic]

Military honors for an Australian tourist and traveling companion of Dean's brother an American tourist. Sounds like less than the full story. I wonder what these civilians were doing in Laos.

[Prolifeconservative]

It will be interesting to see if Kerry or Gephardt will take to this issue like a dog after a buried bone. They've been waiting rip Dean from limb to limb about something, anything. Here it is boys, expose those claws.

[Arkinsaw]

It may be that his brother worked for the CIA and was killed by the enemy while doing it. The fact that he has a flag sort of leads me to think that may actually be the case. Drudge and those complaining are assuming that the military got it wrong, it could be that the military knows exactly what its doing. I see no reason for the Bush Defense department to show favoritism to Dean's brother, that pretty much leaves a low level mistake or that he was actually on duty.