Our War Dead

Unfortunately there is an intellectual disconnect between some members of the United States Air Force and the dignity of treating our war dead with honor.

Here’s the story from the Washington Post:

“The Air Force dumped the incinerated partial remains of at least 274 American troops in a Virginia landfill, far more than the military had acknowledged, before halting the secretive practice three years ago, records show.

The landfill dumping was concealed from families who had authorized the military to dispose of the remains in a dignified and respectful manner, Air Force officials said. There are no plans, they said, to alert those families now.”

Shame on these men and woman and officers who allowed this desecration to take place. Shame on the Air Force for fostering a dispassionate climate that tacitly condoned such an action.

All of our war dead must have the honor in death that they carried into battle. It does not matter whether a piece of flesh can be identified to a specific warrior. It only matters that all  remains are honored and buried and marked for further generations to acknowledge in tribute.