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A number of scandals and a criminal investigation at Arlington National Cemetery have cost the top two administrators their jobs.
Army Secretary John McHugh will announce today that he will be replacing Arlington National's superintendent John Metzler, plus his deputy Thurman Higgenbotham, after accusations of poor management and an investigation that Higgenbotham had illegally hacked into the computer files of a former Arlington employee.
Over the past couple of years, it was found that some of the 300,000 graves were improperly marked -- and in some cases bodies were buried in the wrong graves. In 2008, an Air Force Master Sergeant was buried on top of a staff Sergeant already in the grave, but the error wasn't discovered until the widow of the first servicemember buried there complained to authorities that someone else's headstone had been placed on her husband's grave.
The records of those hundreds of thousands buried at Arlington National are still kept in paper files. Metzler and Higgenbotham came under heavy criticism for not creating a computer database of the gravesites.
Moreover, in the course of the investigation into charges that Higgenbotham had hacked into a former employees emails, the Army found that Higgenbotham had allegedly filed a false statement with criminal investigators and took the case to the U.S. attorney who ultimately declined to file charges.
While Metzler has already announced he intends to retire, Defense Department and Army officials say both he and Higgenbotham are being forced to retire.
Secretary McHugh will announce today that he is creating a new assistant or deputy secretary's position that will provide future oversight of operations at Arlington National Cemetery.
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Obama now even has to handle this additional mess left over by Bush. Sometimes, I feel we need two presidents to deal with the mess left by the last one!
And then I guess we're gonna need FOUR when Obama is gone in 2012. Hopefully they won't be four socialists. One is enough for a long time.
How can you possibly lay blame for this on Bush and keep a straight face? The former President had no responsibility over who was posted to these positions and bears little if any blame for what happened. Why don't you grow up and blame these two individuals for not performing their duties, for doing their jobs. And if Blame goes anywhere it is to their direct supervisors who should have been watching these guys and making sure they were doing their jobs properly. Where was the supervisory oversight?
Let me ask you. If you work at a company, and some the employees aren't doing their jobs, and it costs the company you work for a loss in reputation because their inattention caused errors in work and mistakes. Do you blame the owner of the company, or their direct supervisor? Or do you blame the employees themselves?
Wow, typical liberal response. Place the blame on the previous administration. FYI, neither Bush or Obie is to blame...the blame lays squarely on the superintendent. Sometimes you just need to pull your head out.
Really? Are you that delusional? How is this a left over by Bush? John "Jack" Metzler has been in the national cemetery program since Johnson was in office. He joined Arlington in 1991 and lasted through Bush Sr and Clinton.
Plus, Obama won't deal with this just like he hasn't dealt with anything else.
Bad analogy, brute.
President Bush's admin. regularly insulted US citizens who didn't agree with his war mongering by calling them unpatriotic. Many of those insulted had been in the military or had lost a loved one in the name of freedom. I think the azzhole (Bush and his admin.) had better have their ducks in a row patriotically speaking, before they go accusing tax paying cit's and heroes alike as being unpatriotic.
It is becoming more and more clear that neither Bush nor his greedy lying monkeys had their patriotic ducks in a row. Guess what, it came back and bit him on the azz, didn't it...? Falls right in line with these "just go fight my war and shut up" crowd's allowing the returning wounded and maimed in the name of Bush's illegal war to languish with crappy medical services.
Wrong. Show us where the Bush admin called people "unpatriotic". Didn't happen. Though anyone who was against us using military force on the Islamofacists and their ilk following 9/11 is, in fact unpatriotic. But it wasn' the Bush admin saying this, it was the rest of the country. You know, the people who were angry that their country was attacked.
It's a well known fact that "patriotism" was used as a weapon by the pub's during the bush years to beat up those who questioned the Iraq war.
Just keep fighting Bush and cheney's wars, cuf.
"President Bush's admin. regularly insulted US citizens who didn't agree with his war mongering by calling them unpatriotic." THAT"S WHAT YOU WROTE.
Now, show me where anyone in the Bush admin called someone "unpatriotic" for questioning the Iraq War. You can't do it. Maybe you say this because you have a different idea of what "patriotic" means. To you, patriotic means calling the POTUS a torturer and a murderer, finding excuses and sympathy for every jihadist that comes down the pike and saying things like "Bush is the real terrorist". To people like you, a patriotic act is burning your thumb on your Zippo while setting an American flag on fire.
Brutus is right. Don't blame either Bush or Obama on this one. The two individuals were not hired by either of them. They did some horrible things in one of our most revered places and should be fired.
Damn, cuf, get off your high horse.
If bush was going to swell the ranks of military graveyards and hospitals he should have had them better policed.
Keep fighting bush and cheney's wars, cuf. Your splitting hairs and that doesn't bring understanding only more jot and tittle.
btw, I'm prior service and I served with honor and pride. My father and brothers are also prior service. Air Force, Navy and Army were all three served patriotically and with pride by my family. I would never ever burn a flag. I would die for my country. I am against terrorism of any kind.
Ive never called Bush a terrorist. Call Obama a nazi? It happens every day and has support from none other than republican law makers. Just ask Gingrich. It's only this <gasp!> horrible thing when it's done to bush or anyone other than Obama, I suppose.
I don't understand the apathy of these administrators. If Arlington National Cemetary itself doesn't move you honor those buried there, then you're too jaded for the task and deserve the boot!
I wonder where Metzler and Higgenbotham were hoping to be buried...
Looks like more mess from War Criminals Bush and Cheney for President Obama to clean up. The database for Arlington Cemetery hasn't been upgraded from paper to computer sounds like this problem from both bozos is a leftover problem from the previous administration who wasn't real keen on computers. The deceased buried at Arlington deserve much better than this for the ultimate sacrifice they made for our country. I'm glad that Obama's administration is cleaning up this problem.
The investigations began in 2008. So thank Bush Jr.
My comments above...ditto for you.
Actually, Air-Wreck, the previous administartion WAS "keen on computers". What do you think guide all the weapons and bombs used to kill all your Islamic radical friends?
CU, your right the military was keen on computers, but Cheney/Bush didn't know how to turn one on.
You'd think that the war mongering, Bush admin. that was accusing US citizens who didn't support his illegal second war of being "Un-patriotic!" would not only taken better medical care of returning war vets, which his admin. didn't, but would have made sure that their burials were honorable.
This is more of the underhanded, dispicable crap of the Bush admin. that is slowly being brought to light as time passes. Add this to the growing list which includes the lying to get us into Iraq, the torturing, and deregulation which gave us the recession and the BP oil spill now being dubbed the worst disaster in US history! Is everybody grasping the weightiness of those words? The worst disaster in US history.
I swear, the peels of the Bush admin. onion are being pulled back and the tears and the smell just get worse and worse. It's just like when the US entered central Germany after WW2 and began discovering the concentration camps, piles of emaciated bodies, ovens, medical experimentation on humans...All hidden from view until the fall of evil men.
No. Actually it's not like that at all. Only a hateful, nasty lib would make nazi comparisons to the former president of their country involving a scandal at Arlington Cemetary. Happens on this site all the time.
Maybe if the wrongdoing here is shown to go back as far as pre-2000 during the Clinton admistration, you can then backtrack some more and blame it on Bush Sr. For a president and his fellow travellers who talk so much about "looking forward", you people sure do a lot of looking back. Blame it on the last guy. That's the name of the game for Obama and his fans.
Blah blah blah, cuf. More cuf fluff.
I'm an independent, cuf. Not a lib and I think the whole nazi thing is pretty well worn full of wholes by both sides no matter if applicable or not and only a nasty, dyed in the wool, don't confuse me with the facts, conser-freak would try to put it all on one side or another.
Ask glenn beck who has nazi tourette syndrome. We all know that the people described above are standing naked in their living rooms save for their spit shined jack boots, giving him the nazi salute every night. Would you also be saying that Newt Gingrich is a nasty liberal since he defends playing the nazi card on our president? Don't be stupid, cuf.
Oh yea...Are you referring to the Clinton admin that gave us a surplus which Bush quickly destroyed with an illegal war piled on top of a just one and then a recession of epic proportions? Well, I suppose he wasn't perfect, was he? Gee! I wish we had those problems today! Instead we are still playing clean up for 8 years of greed and power mongering by Bush/Cheney and their 'ilk'.
Face it. The cemetary, just like the medical insanity at places like Walter Reed are a direct result of the Bush admin. You want to insinuate that others are unpatriotic, you had better not be unpatriotic yourself. Our veterans, living and dead, deserve better than "Go fight my war and shut up". Deal with it.
CU Farley do you know what Socialism is all about? Why is it that Republicans say Socialism with a repulsed grimace on their face of someone who had just ingested a rat turd? Their is no perfect system for a society but anyone that looks at the facts will see that the U.S.A. has became more and more a capitalistic country and that fact is why we are in steep decline, to make things better a blend of capitalism and socialism is necessary, a little heavier on the socialism side than what we currently have, truth be known uncontrolled capitalism is a very sinister thing indeed, unless you are one of the few with all the wealth which is why Republicans seem to be all giddy about it, apparently you can't be a good Republican if you don't lay awake thinking up your next dishonest scheme to screw the less fortunate out of what little they have. No thanks
ALL leftist politics go against human nature and common sense. Punishing the successful is no way to run a country. Many of the "less fortunate" are working hard to become, um...more fortunate, but no none is guaranteed equality of results in this country. Only equality of opportunity. Some others of the "less fortunate" are that way because they lack many essential qualities to become "fortunate". Taking from the hard-working successful people and giving to others by force is not the way this country became the greatest on earth.
"human nature and common sense"
What is human nature? To screw thy neighbor, for Republicans maybe.
What about common sense? Does it make sense, common or otherwise to return to the failed Republican policies, you guys bankrupt the country and destroyed the middle class all to make the fat cats fatter, how do the Republicans plan to fix that? More tax cuts for the wealthy, you realize those dudes took that money and invested it overseas so they could enjoy the benefits of slave wages and not pay taxes at all here, right.
And make no mistake you don't have an equal opportunity to succeed in this country, that has to be bought and paid for also, if you are born broke you will most likely die that way.
"Hard working successful people", please. Some people earn what they have, some people are born with what they have, Republicans think you have take something that you didn't earn from someone to be successful, and the last thing they want are others to have an opportunity to better themselves, they think they should be the only ones that have anything of value because they are the chosen, the ol' "I got mine ta hell with you" mentality that has ruined our country.
CUF! I think we actually agree here. There is hope for us yet.
no none is guaranteed equality of results in this country. Only equality of opportunity.
Equality of opportunity? How stupid can you be? A child born to a widowed mother, as has been the case with so many of our service members lately, will have the same opportunity as say Bill Gates child, or Geroge Bushs' grandchild or Bill Clintons grandchild. Never in the history of our country has the opportunity been limited to the few with the most money and best family connections. That fatherless child of the service member will have to work 10 times harder than the others just to have a a shot at success. Equal opportunity my a##!
Damn, Frank...You make a good point too.
Sorry, cuf. The friendship is off. We will never agree...
;-)
"ALL leftist politics go against human nature and common sense"
Except when you consider, Lefities espouse a philosophy of "do unto others...", while righties espouse a philosophy of "me first", huh, Einstein?
Execpt, I've never seen a Leftist policy embrace a "do unto others" stance. I've seen a lot of "take from others", from both left and right, but more from the left.
Here is an imprtant point though--compulsion is not the same thing as compassion. Leftists only know compulsion.
Keep at it, CU Farley. There are fewer and fewer conservative voices on this blog anymore.
And to continue, I'd like to add that there are 4 categories, that when combined, describe most people: Rich, Poor, Ambitious and Unambitious. There are the Rich and Ambitious, who will continue to prosper. The Rich and Unambitious, who will either stay the same or lose their assets, or prosper through no action on their part. The Poor and Ambitious, who will strive to better themselves and either stay the same or be successful. And the Poor and Unambitious, who will do nothing and live off the charity of others (or handouts).
I can't believe that even a story like this doesn't take two minutes to degnerate into yet another round of snarky political finger-pointing on here. As Americans, every single one of us should be appalled at this situation. I don't really give a damn whose watch this started on, who allowed it to perpetuate, or which paper-pusher is now blaming which other one. (By the way, it's 2010 and these records are still on the paper to be pushed? Seriously?)
Arlington is the closest thing we have in this country to sacred ground. I don't care who fixes this mess, just fix it. Now. Those 300,000 men and women deserve so much better.
A majority of the paper records are from pre-computer days. Remember the cemetery has been in operation for 146 years.
I went to see a flight school buddies grave and both he an his fathers locations were looked up on a computer and I was handed a sheet with their locations.
Given the slim budget the DoA gives Arlington it is no surprise they are not as automated or have the man power to transfer 146 years of paper records into databases.
JoAnne, you're exactly on point, fix the problem. Computers have been prevalent since the early eighties. I remember lugging around one of the early Compaq "portables" in the mid 80's when I worked for a bank, and while as an individual I didn't own a pc until roughly 1990, we're still talking about 20 years in which these records have languished.
It's not a Democratic or a Republican problem, it's a national problem that needs a relatively insignificant amount of money to modernize a symbol of honor and courage. Spend the money now, fix the problem, there's no room for blame here, nor any need to blame anyone.
Great point. I agree completely. I have to admit I got a bit over the top with my anger. I hope they do a good job and fix it up the way the fallen deserve.
Thanks all. I've mentioned before that I've been to Arlington several times and wish everyone else could get there too. Once you've seen the Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, everything that divides us in this country seems to pale in significance to the history we all share.
Living in LA - (From earlier today) - my very best to your wife. It'll be 13 years this summer for me, too, but compared to what she's been through, my own experience and even my Mom's were a walk in the park. Stay strong.
Thanks for the good wishes, although I'm pretty sure that just the diagnosis is enough to make a walk in the park an understatement on your part. All the best to you and yours as well, there may not be a cure yet, but there's always hope.
"...Lefties espouse a philosophy of "do unto others..."
Except they finish that phrase thusly ..."with the money we take from your pocket."
I agree! Show me a single politician that cares about others and I will show you hundreds that don't.
I have yet to see or meet a poor liberal/progressive politician. Smoke and mirrors my friends.
So true... Why can't all of the liberal politicians be like the conservative politicians who never break laws, never f'k around on their spouses, never tell lies or take money from others, give all of their money away to charities and lead lives of humble austerity, and always give their mommas flowers on Sunday because....well...that's the lord's day. :-)
..."with the money we take from your pocket." yes, then let's add: "...BEFORE it is all given to the fat cats via special tax breaks", shall we? You really want us to believe the 'greed heads' we all know and love are DEMOCRATS, and not REPUBLICANS?? Really????
Both sides are filled with greedy lil people. Dem/Repub's both care about making money while in office and have a nice easy retirement.
There is not a single modern politician that cares more about others then themselves.
Once again the Republicians have created another problem... I dont understand why bush and his lil dog chaney are not in jail !
How did Republicans create this problem?
First of all, you put two oil men in charge, niether of which had any business running a country, then you let them hold secret meetings with.....big oil companies.
And what does that have to do with Arlington?
I think DBO is implying that the two oilmen in charge are more worried about the actual dog fight and their wagers than they are the lives of those who come back to the US either in a wheelchair or a box.
The current admin doesn't care about those who come back in a wheelchair or box either. If they did soldiers would be home.
As a Veteran, I find this appalling and disgusting!