Posted on 02/17/2013 8:30:41 AM PST by KeyLargo
Feds OK first burial of a veteran's same-sex spouse in a national cemetery
Published February 16, 2013
| Associated Press
The government has cleared the first burial of a same-sex spouse of a veteran in a national cemetery, but it's far from certain how easy it will be for other gay military couples to win the same benefit.
Who gets buried where is one of the practical decisions that the federal government is grappling with following repeal of the military's don't ask, don't tell policy.
At first glance, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki's decision to grant burial to a same-sex spouse in Oregon represents a big departure from past federal policy. In 2004, the VA warned the state of Massachusetts that burying the same-sex spouse of a veteran in a state veterans' cemetery could lead to the federal government taking back nearly $12 million in grant money.
Then in 2008, the National Cemetery Association published a directive stating that individuals in same-sex civil unions or marriage are not eligible for burial in a national cemetery or state veterans cemetery that received federal money. Those directives were based on the language of the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines a spouse as a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife. The law is being challenged before the Supreme Court.
Then along came retired Lt. Col. Linda Campbell and her spouse, Nancy Lynchild. Campbell, with help from Oregon officials, pressed the VA to allow Lynchild to be buried at the VA's Willamette National Cemetery.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Lesbians in the military? Shocking. What’s next? Lesbian cops?
This is a desecration of sacred ground.
Of course, it is all part of the libtard’s plans.
There is no more holy ground. Tedward the swimmer was buried in Arlington.
“the guidelines of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs saying “Federal officials may not inter in Veterans cemeteries persons who are shown by clear and convincing evidence to have committed a Federal or State capital crime but were unavailable for trial due to death or flight to avoid prosecution.”
Well, buried right next to my husband, and the wife is in the grave next to that...........
don’t you dare call burying animals there worse than burying sodomites and lesbians. they at least are innocent creatures.
and i am sure there are plenty of armed forces service animals i’d bury there before any carpet muncher and donut puncher.
I wonder how much energy can be generated by all the spinning corpses
Freepmail wagglebee to subscribe or unsubscribe from the homosexual agenda or moral absolutes ping list.
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Both lists, as homosexuals destroying the military and marriage is a moral absolutes issue that goes beyond the h.a. angle. At this point, anyone who thinks the homo-nazi agenda doesn't affect anyone else is a big part of the problem and basically an assistant of the homo-nazis. My tolerance is now officially Dead and Gone. The homo-nazi agenda is a tool of the leftists/commies/progressives, meant to destroy our country. One of their methods.
Please freepmail ME if you want on/off either list.
sick
There are any number of disordered individuals that are in the military or police force. They should be the exception NOT the norm because they are abnormal self destructive and literally anti social UNLESS the society you support is leftist in nature.
What is 'shocking' is the extent that leftists have coerced and recruited supposedly conservative useful idiots to their cause.
In my opinion, this retired lesbian is scum and without honor as evidenced by her lack of ethics and lack of morality -'serving' herself and her perverted depravity by lying to remain in the military. She is part of the problem.
Secret Agent Man wrote:
“,,,don’t you dare call burying animals there worse than burying sodomites and lesbians. they at least are innocent creatures.
and i am sure there are plenty of armed forces service animals i’d bury there before any carpet muncher and donut puncher.”
Good story here about a war dog:
National cemetery denies burial of Army dog that served beside Michigan soldier
by ~ The Rebel ~ Posted January 25, 2013
One Detroit mother is fighting to ensure that the dutiful dog who served alongside her son is buried in a national cemetery.
Mina is a male black lab who served nine tours of duty in Afghanistan and was promoted to sergeant before retiring from the Army, Fox 2 News reported. The dog served three tours with Michigan native Army Sgt. Corey McCourt.
“The dog sits in front of the bomb and my son, who does this, goes in and he disarms the bomb after the dog finds it,” McCourt’s mother, June Etlinger, told Fox 2 News.
But after developing a serious lung ailment at age 13, Mina was euthanized. And with her son still serving in the Army, Etlinger was tasked with finding a suitable final resting place for the canine hero.
U.S. Army dog to get military burial in South Lyon
Wednesday, January 30, 2013 3:47 AM EST
By JOHN TURK
Of The Oakland Press
john.turk@oakpress.com; Twitter: @jrturk
A dog who served nine tours in the U.S. Army will get a formal military burial sometime this spring. That’s thanks to a generous Oakland County official who felt a kinship with Mina, the bomb-sniffing war dog.
The story of Mina, whose burial at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly was recently denied, “just really grabbed hold of me,” said Mike Zehnder, the county’s director of public services.
“It’s Saturday morning and I’m sitting there, drinking my tea and reading the paper,” Zehnder said. “Anything to do with veterans or dogs usually piques my interest.”
He said he decided to call Mina’s former military handler’s mother, June Etlinger.
“The dog was a veteran and I’m a veteran,” Zehnder said. “We should honor our vets as they should be honored.”
Zehnder sent a county truck with a uniformed officer to pick up the dog’s body.
The remains are expected to be cremated — with an American flag — today. The public services director will be taking care of the costs.
Zehnder said he offered to fund portions of the burial “because it was the right thing to do.”
He said Etlinger called him back after his initial offer on Sunday. She was in tears.
“I said ‘We can bury Mina’s ashes when (Etlinger’s) son gets home, and I’ll pay for the headstone.’” he added.
One thing that Zehnder said he was incensed about was the fact that the military still considers service dogs equipment.
“A Jeep, a helmet — those are pieces of equipment,” Zehnder said. “I plan on getting vocal about that at some point.”
The burial, complete with a military service, will take place for the black lab at the War Dog Memorial Cemetery in South Lyon.
“Till the day I go, I’m going to call him a soldier,” said Etlinger, whose son, Sgt. Corey McCourt, was Mina’s handler for two years.
Etlinger feels honored that media has covered the story of the family’s dog.
“I’m so proud,” she said. “This is like my kid, you know?”
The White Lake woman plans on learning a lot more about Mina.
“There were other handlers,” Etlinger said. “The history goes far, far back.”
She spoke to her son recently, who was in agreement of the funeral plans for Mina.
She read a statement from the McCourt family, who just learned of the attention the story has been getting.
The McCourts “would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to everyone working very hard to get Mina the honor that he deserves.”
Zehnder also has offered to pay for Mina’s headstone, making the whole burial process free for Mina’s family.
“This is a complete shock,” said Etlinger. “We weren’t expecting this.”
Contact staff writer John Turk at 248-745-4613 or john.turk@oakpress.com.
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/01/30/news/local_news/doc51085bdc14e0b125047983.prt
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