Remains of 274 US troops dumped in landfill

[ClearedHot]

Fucking SHAMEFUL!

https://news.yahoo.com/remains-274-us-troops-dumped-landfill-report-081234306.html

[Day Man]

adios, schwartz.

*fingers crossed*

[epsilon]

don't let the door hit you on the way out....

[DirkDiggler]

Condolences to the families, I really hope whoever is found responsible is swiftly fired.

[ClearedHot]

Fuck firing. Heads gotta roll.

Perception is reality, and the message sent is effectively "Die for your country, and your country dumps you in a landfill."

There is so much negative news blasted at us everyday that we sometimes become numb hearing about, this story has me physically angry and my stomach hurts...how could we as a service do such a thing.

[WABoom]

Reading this story made me sick to my stomach. There needs to be some MAJOR changes at the top and then a complete investigation so ALL the people responsible for this go to jail. Who in their right fuking mind would allow this to happen? Paying the ultimate sacrifice should of meant something to these animals at Dover. I am just so sorry for the families that already had to go through the heartache of losing their loved one, to now find out how they were disposed of. To the fallen.

[herkbier]

This is a shocking story and I can't believe someone would actually let this happen.

But then again, maybe I shouldn't be surprised when the focus of our ”leadership” is on uniform fashion statements and pushing for more ORIs.. Things like the mission, morale and dignity for our nation's heroes are all secondary.

[Flare]

to the fallen....unbelievable.

See ya, Norty. Gen Welsh for President, or CSAF.

[Majestik Møøse]

I bet all the required boxes were checked and paperwork signed. We as a service are so focused on satisfying the bureaucratic hoops that we can't see the big picture.

[HoHum]

Welcome to last month.

https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/air-force-disposed-of-war-dead-remains-in-landfill/

They gave excess (beyond what the familes wanted) ashes to a contractor for disposal. Never contract something important that you can do yourself.

[ClearedHot]

Welcome to last month.

https://abcnews.go.co...ns-in-landfill/

Last month the story was about a "few" remains, now 270+ have been confirmed and possibly into the thousands.

"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."

"This week, after The Post pressed for information contained in the Dover mortuary’s electronic database, the Air Force produced a tally based on those records. It showed that 976 fragments from 274 military personnel were cremated, incinerated and taken to the landfill between 2004 and 2008."

Edited December 8, 2011 by ClearedHot

[Catbox]

This is a shocking story and I can't believe someone would actually let this happen.

But then again, maybe I shouldn't be surprised when the focus of our "leadership" is on uniform fashion statements and pushing for more ORIs.. Things like the mission, morale and dignity for our nation's heroes are all secondary.

Shack...

But the big question is how to get congress (if they give a shit), the general public (if they give a shit) and the wider AF community (if they give a shit) to see the correlation that AF leadership's misplaced priorities leads directly to mishandled nukes and mishandled remains. To my mind it doesn't matter that Swartz was directly involved but if a shit load of Capts/Majors can see that the light at the end of the tunnel is a ######ing train...why can't he?

Edited December 8, 2011 by Catbox

[pawnman]

Jesus...I don't even have the words.

One of the themes driven home in all kinds of training and pre-deployment briefings is that the US will bring you home. It may take a long time, but the US will bring you home. To casually discard the remains of people who have given their lives in service is a huge betrayal of that promise.

I sincerely hope that those who made these decisions are held responsible...but I think the best we can hope for is that the WG/CC will be forced to retire with full benefits.

[Guest iflyfatties]

We spend millions to return the fallen (usually a finger bone or some other small fragment) from Vietnam with honor...can't fathom the disconnect between that mission and the shameful story here. I'm hoping for some clarification that sheds positive light on it, but doubt it will come... disgraceful.

[sky_king]

Never contract something important that you can should do yourself.

FIFY. Would it really have cost much more to bury the ashes (even all mixed in one container) at Arlington?

[Rockafire Explosion]

Probably a dissenting opinion, but here are my thoughts. Surivors/dependents fill out a CJMAB (Central Joint Mortuary Affairs Board) Form 1, "Disposition of Remains Election Statement Initial Notification of Partial Remains." Section 2 of this form asks the next of kin to decide between the following:

Option 1: In the event that further remains are identified, I would like to be notified and given the choice of accepting subsequent portions for disposition.

Option 2: In the event that further remains are identified, I do not want to be notified. I authorize the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force or Coast Guard to make appropriate disposition.

As you can imagine, many survivors don't want to be notified a month or a year later that an additional body part has been matched to their departed loved ones, and select option 2. To all of you who are shocked and horrified - what would you have the mortuary affairs folks do with the odd body part that is later matched to the deceased, when their next of kin have selected option two?

Naturally, cremation seems appropriate. The government has already been authorized to dispose of additional remains, so what's wrong with putting the cremains in a dumpster? The deceased have already been honored and buried, presumably with respect, so if the families don't want to be notified, and have instructed the government to determine disposition, I fail to see the cause for hysteric uproar. And yes, if a limb of mine turns up a year after I'm dead and gone, feel free to incinerate it and throw the ash/bone mix away.

Flame on.

[Danny Noonin]

so what's wrong with putting the cremains in a dumpster?

What the fuck is the matter with you?

[Guest iflyfatties]

Option 2: In the event that further remains are identified, I do not want to be notified. I authorize the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force or Coast Guard to make APPROPRIATE disposition.

I don't think many family members would anticipate the same organization who still sends teams to Vietnam in order to identify remains and who stands guard 24/7/365 in front of the Tomb of the Unknowns would consider the landfill appropriate.

You're probably right, most service members would not care if their cremated arm were trashed, but the family members expect a certain level of respect and transparency. Checking a box on page two of a form that says "appropriate" which then leads to the landfill, does not give respect or transparency.

also...what Noonin said.

[Stitch]

Probably a dissenting opinion... And yes, if a limb of mine turns up a year after I'm dead and gone, feel free to incinerate it and throw the ash/bone mix away.

Flame on.

No problem, how bout we kick em' into a festering cesspool while we're at it. Just WTF is wrong with you?

Even if servicemembers/families choose Option 2, any remains deserve better than to go in the dumpster with yesterday's tuna sandwich and used kitty littler.

To the fallen

RIP Brothers/Sisters

[dream big]

This is a shocking story and I can't believe someone would actually let this happen.

But then again, maybe I shouldn't be surprised when the focus of our ”leadership” is on uniform fashion statements and pushing for more ORIs.. Things like the mission, morale and dignity for our nation's heroes are all secondary.

2...was going to say the same thing.

[Spinner]

Shack...

But the big question is how to get congress (if they give a shit), the general public (if they give a shit) and the wider AF community (if they give a shit) to see the correlation that AF leadership's misplaced priorities leads directly to mishandled nukes and mishandled remains. To my mind it doesn't matter that Swartz was directly involved but if a shit load of Capts/Majors can see that the light at the end of the tunnel is a ######ing train...why can't he?

Because the train wasn't wearing a reflective belt, did not complete it's master's degree, took an extension to complete SOS by correspondence because it was actually doing the mission, and was blocked by all of the f-ing shoeclerks who will stab someone in the back so that they can get noticed & hopefully their next promotion.

RIP Brothers and Sisters, you did not deserve that treatment from your grateful nation.

[Napoleon_Tanerite]

I fail to see how is this is any less serious than flying nuclear weapons XC. "You will come home" is (in my opinion) THE most sacred promises this nation makes to its service members. ANY violation of that trust is unforgivable.

[pawnman]

Probably a dissenting opinion, but here are my thoughts. Surivors/dependents fill out a CJMAB (Central Joint Mortuary Affairs Board) Form 1, "Disposition of Remains Election Statement Initial Notification of Partial Remains." Section 2 of this form asks the next of kin to decide between the following:

Option 1: In the event that further remains are identified, I would like to be notified and given the choice of accepting subsequent portions for disposition.

Option 2: In the event that further remains are identified, I do not want to be notified. I authorize the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force or Coast Guard to make appropriate disposition.

As you can imagine, many survivors don't want to be notified a month or a year later that an additional body part has been matched to their departed loved ones, and select option 2. To all of you who are shocked and horrified - what would you have the mortuary affairs folks do with the odd body part that is later matched to the deceased, when their next of kin have selected option two?

Naturally, cremation seems appropriate. The government has already been authorized to dispose of additional remains, so what's wrong with putting the cremains in a dumpster? The deceased have already been honored and buried, presumably with respect, so if the families don't want to be notified, and have instructed the government to determine disposition, I fail to see the cause for hysteric uproar. And yes, if a limb of mine turns up a year after I'm dead and gone, feel free to incinerate it and throw the ash/bone mix away.

Flame on.

I think the difference is "appropriate disposition". I wouldn't view a landfill as appropriate disposition of any remains, let alone remains that we are willing to spend countless time and effort to recover. Seriously, would it have taken that much more time and effort to, say, scatter the ashes to the wind, bury them at sea from a US Navy vessel, or put them at Arlington?

[LJDRVR]

Unfuckingbelievable.

I have no words. Somebody needs to be shot. Not kidding.

[JarheadBoom]

The government has already been authorized to dispose of additional remains, so what's wrong with putting the cremains in a dumpster?

- Because it is a slap in the face of all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of our nation.

- Because putting human remains in a dumpster is fucking wrong (and probably illegal if the first Google hit for "abuse of a corpse" is any indication).

Are you really this clueless, or are you just trolling in a particularly vile manner?

I really hope you're trolling - I don't like to think that one of my brothers-in-arms wouldn't have a problem with dumping the remains of a fellow American in a fucking dumpster.