Capt.Argel marker to be removed (his mother said display (Vets for Peace) insult to his memory)

NEWS-PRESS ^ | 8/18/05 | NORA K. WALLACE

[Former Military Chick]

The Santa Barbara Veterans for Peace have agreed to remove the name of Capt. Derek Argel from its Arlington West memorial, after the fallen soldier's mother complained that the display was an insult to her son's memory.

The Lompoc Air Force special tactics officer was killed Memorial Day in a plane crash in Iraq, and his name became one of the more than 1,800 represented on the rows of crosses displayed each weekend at West Beach.

The decision to take down the marker came after the group heard that Debbie Argel Bastian, his mother, and Wendy Argel, his widow, wanted the Air Force Academy graduate's name removed.

The group initially said that such a move was not up to family members, but decided to compromise after hearing Mrs. Bastian's statements about her son and the family's wishes.

Lane Anderson, a Veterans for Peace member, said the group would surrender the marker to Mrs. Bastian if she comes to Arlington West. To stay true to its mission, the group will keep in place the cross representing Capt. Argel's death in the war. A note will be affixed saying the soldier's name was removed at the family's request.

If a friend or other family member wants to take a photograph with a marker noting Capt. Argel's name, he or she will be allowed to make a temporary sign, Mr. Anderson added.

A veteran himself, Mr. Anderson acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue, particularly since other soldiers have visited the crosses and have used the site to pay their respects to a fallen comrade.

The group has offered to give Mrs. Bastian the marker with Capt. Argel's name; it is convinced that she may change her mind if she sees Arlington West in person.

But the grieving mother, who is visiting her son's widow and baby son in Florida this week, said the nameplate is not something she wants.

"I don't want to see it," she said. "It's not a tribute to Derek. It's just a personal feeling. I want it off. Our family does not want it. I'm not angry. I just want them to understand one family's wishes."

She does not agree with the Arlington West volunteers who say the cross can offer comfort to Capt. Argel's fellow service members who visit. Some of Capt. Argel's remains were buried last week at Arlington National Cemetery with the four other men killed in the plane crash with him, and he will also have a burial site in Lompoc. That, his mother said, is a "real place" for people to pay their respects.

"My sympathies are with the families who have lost their loved ones," said Mr. Anderson, a Vietnam War veteran. "But my efforts at Arlington West are focused as well on the men and women who did not get invited to the funeral or memorial, who need to touch the name of their comrade. I ask Debbie Argel Bastian to consider carefully before she removes the name."

Mr. Anderson sent Mrs. Bastian an e-mail Wednesday outlining his thoughts on the issue. She read it but remains convinced Arlington West is designed as an antiwar statement.

"Their web page says 'Wage Peace,' " Mrs. Bastian said. "I think they're trying to convey victims of war. Derek is not a victim of this war. He is a grown man, well-trained; he knew what he was doing. He would not want his name associated with an antiwar movement."

Mr. Anderson conceded that the display started out as a demonstration about the cost of war.

"It became a memorial because of the soldiers and families coming to it," he explained. "They made it a memorial. We complied with their needs. They taught us to listen, to keep our distance. ... All across America there are different (displays) ... Very few people remain convinced ours is antiwar once they've seen it."

Mrs. Bastian has been giving national interviews since the News-Press wrote about her request Tuesday. She symbolizes the flip side of the public vigil by Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq.

Ms. Sheehan, who opposes the war, remains camped outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, seeking an audience with the president. In Crawford, as in Santa Barbara, rows of crosses memorialize the war dead. Mrs. Bastian also wants her son's name removed from that display.

The Lompoc mother said that Ms. Sheehan "can demonstrate however she wants to" as long as Capt. Argel's name is removed.

MIKE ELIASON/NEWS-PRESS Lane Anderson of Veterans for Peace with Capt. Argel's marker.

[PzLdr]

Not up to the FAMILY??? This from the same crowd as knucklehead Cindy "Don't use my son's name [only we can]" Sheehan. How delightfully presumptious. Somebody ought to kick their leftist a*ses!

[beachn4fun]

1) The group initially said that such a move was not up to family members, but decided to compromise after hearing Mrs. Bastian's statements about her son and the family's wishes.

Yeah, I bet it was when they got wind that you were seeking legal rep.

2) "Their web page says 'Wage Peace,' " Mrs. Bastian said. "I think they're trying to convey victims of war. Derek is not a victim of this war. He is a grown man, well-trained; he knew what he was doing. He would not want his name associated with an antiwar movement."

You are an awesome woman. As a mother I cry with you. I also applaud your stand.

To you and Capt. Derek

[Soaring Feather]

Thank You for the ping.

[Leapofaith]

Thanks for the ping! What a great Soldier and great Mom. I am emailing everyone I can think of about the abuse of this family. I detest these so called people. Why don't they HAVE to get permission to use the names of these soldiers. I would go berserk if it was my son and travel to where it was yank it out of the ground and beat them with it. Did I say I detest these people?
Leapofaith

[Mo1]

"My sympathies are with the families who have lost their loved ones," said Mr. Anderson, a Vietnam War veteran. "But my efforts at Arlington West are focused as well on the men and women who did not get invited to the funeral or memorial, who need to touch the name of their comrade. I ask Debbie Argel Bastian to consider carefully before she removes the name."

You Mr. Anderson are no gentlemen ... You are a lying disrespectful hypocrite.

What part of take the names off do you not understand?

You don't care about these brave fallen soldiers ..

For if you truly did .. then you would respect the wishes of their families and not play this psychological warfare in the media

This PR Stunt of your's, Mr. Anderson is a sick and pathetic attempt to get attention.

Why would anyone travel hundreds of miles to visit a fake grave?

You, Mr. Anderson have no respect and no honor

You, Mr. Anderson are a disgrace

[silent_jonny]

Thank you for the ping, FMC.

Mrs. Argel, there's nothing I can say. I'm sorry for your loss. And I'm sorry that you have to deal with this nonsense in the midst of your grief. God bless you and your family.

[CMAC51]

The decision to take down the marker came after the group heard that Debbie Argel Bastian, his mother, and Wendy Argel, his widow, wanted the Air Force Academy graduate's name removed. The group initially said that such a move was not up to family members, but decided to compromise after hearing Mrs. Bastian's statements about her son and the family's wishes.

Everyone should write their congressmen and Senators requesting legislation protecting the good name of our armed forces. It should be illegal to use the name or image of a deceased or injured military personell without the express written persmission of the serviceman or next of kin. The servicemen I have talked to believe it would be slanderous to have their name used in association with anti-war groups such as those in Crawford.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank God for this hero and his loved ones! bump!

[Leapofaith]

I agree. I think that should have to get express written permission and in the absence of kin they should have to get the Soldiers C.O.. I am going to write!

[StarCMC]

Thank you, Ma'am for raising a hero. God has welcomed him with open arms. I am so sorry for your loss. He was truly a hero proved in liberating strife.

 

 

Arlington
Click the picture for music

I never thought that this is where I'd settle down,
I thought I'd die an old man back in my hometown,
They gave me this plot of land, me and some other men, for a job well done.
There's a big white house sits on a hill just up the road,
the man inside he cried the day they brought me home,
they folded up a flag and told my mom and dad, we're proud of your son

Chorus:
And I'm proud to be on this peaceful piece of property,
I'm on sacred ground and I'm in the best of company,
I'm thankful for those things I've done,
I can rest in peace, I'm one of the chosen ones,
I made it to Arlington

I remember daddy brought me here when I was eight,
we searched all day to find out where my granddad lay,
and when we finally found that cross,
he said, "Son this is what it cost to keep us free"
Now here I am,
a thousand stones away from him,
he recognized me on the first day I came in,
and it gave me a chill when he clicked his heels, and saluted me.

(Repeat Chorus)

And every time I hear twenty-one guns,
I know they brought another hero home to us.

We're thankful for those thankful for the things we've done,
we can rest in peace, 'cause we are the chosen ones,
we made it to Arlington,
yea dust to dust,
don't cry for us,
we made it to Arlington.
 

 

 

 

[Just A Nobody]

Conservatives who think progressives are misinformed idealists will forever be blind-sided by the malice of the left-by the cynicism of those who pride themselves on principle, by the viciousness of those who champion sensitivity, by the intolerance of those who call themselves liberal, and by the ruthless disregard for the well-being of the downtrodden by those who preen themselves as social saints.

Thank you for the link to this very informative article. I felt this sentence was an excellent summary of those behind the ditch witch with their complete and utter disregard for the rights, requests and suffering of those they are using as pawns in the scheme that is being staged in Crawford.

My prayers go out for the families of our fallen heroes.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I agree 100%.

[Gucho]

a mom, a son is proud of.
PING


Bump - Thank you.

[sport]

His mom is correct.

[La Enchiladita]

PING!

[La Enchiladita]

I'm glad that military families are now learning of these travesties in Santa Barbara and Santa Monica known as "Arlington West," and their sponsor "Veterans for Peace," the offshoot of Veterans Against the War from the Vietnam era.

These are not fitting or respectful memorials, but a mockery of what is very real to many Americans.

[Just A Nobody]

a mockery of what is very real to many Americans.

Exactly...which is what makes it so sick and wrong.

[righttackle44]

Thanks for letting me see this.

I was born during WWII. That means that the generation
of adults who helped raised me were the men and women who
fought overseas, in really nasty, difficult battles and places. I knew men who lived in misery and difficulty due to their battle wounds and scars. Men on crutches and wheelchairs at the grocery were commonplace sights to me as were missing arms, eyes, noses, horrible scar tissue.

My teachers and coaches and Sunday School teachers and friends of my parents were people who led secret missions and bombed Germany, fought off the German Luftwaffe from B-17 gunner positions, flew B-24 missions, escaped from German prison camps, survived the Bataan Death March, eluded German forces in Europe after bailing out of a burning B-17, stormed beaches at Tarawa and Guadalcanal and Normandy. They passed out chocolate bars to German, French, British, filipino and Chinese children. The dodged Kamikaze planes on flattops and cruisers and destroyers. Yes, I knew men who did all of these things.

Hence, I have attended memorial services for many who fought Over There.

Taps still bring tears to my eyes and a giant lump to my throat.

God bless those for whom we blow taps today. I want the families of Those Who Are Not Coming Home to know that we mourn with them and thank and bless them for their sacrifices, as do we those made the Actual Sacrifices.

Taps is a reminder that we people of America owe another debt, one that we can never fully repay.

(I have not served. My tagline honors my son and my cousin.)