Grave mixups

Last week it was revealed that a horrible situation exists at Arlington National Cemetery, one of the most revered burial sites in the world.

The keepers of the hallowed grounds apparently mishandled hundreds of remains and grave sites, whereby there are an unknown number of mismarked, unmarked, and empty graves. There were also cases of graves being moved without the knowledge of the families, according to investigators.

The report blamed "dysfunctional management" and feuding between Arlington Superintendent John Metzler and Deputy Superintendent Thurman Higginbotham for the problems.

Metzler has announced his retirement. Higginbotham was put on "administrative leave." This means Metzler is going to collect a pension and Higginbotham is still collecting a salary.

They both should have been suspended without pay immediately for the apparent inexcusable performance of their assigned duties. In fact, they should be arrested for what is being reported.

Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place of thousands of veterans who died defending our freedoms. It's where presidents, military leaders, and common soldiers lay.

It's supposed to be the eipitome of cemeteries. Instead, it appears some of the worst botches of cemetery caretaking ever exposed have been occurring here.

If a local cemetery caretaker makes similar mistakes, fines and possibly prison is likely.

In virtually any type of business, such mismanagement can lead to exhorbitant fines and jail terms.

A trucking company better keep adequate logs of drivers' records of the fines are substantial.

A tax preparer must keep good records or the fines are very steep.

There's the potential of jail term if a business owner doesn't keep the right environmental records.

Here's a case where some of the greatest military heroes, as well as soldiers as young as their teens, are buried in what is supposed to be a showcase for freedom, only to have an incomprehensible scandal revealed.

Mr. Metzler and Mr. Higginbotham shouldn't get away with merely turning their backs on the situation and letting someone else clean up the mess. If what's alleged is true, they deserve severe fines, loss of their benefits and pay immediately, and a prison sentence.

The Arlington debacle is a sad one.

Local war hero Andrew Baddick is buried at Arlington as well as John F. Kennedy and numerous Americans who helped forge our history.

Nobody knows how many graves are mixed up, empty, or mismarked.

Even if it's only a few, it's tragically too many.

By Ron Gower

rgower@tnonline.com