Arlington National Cemetery can't keep bodies sorted

Running a cemetery is a pretty difficult business, particularly a cemetery of the size and prestige of Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Unfortunately, Arlington National Superintendent John Metzler and his deputy Thurman Higginbotham are being replaced after a some mix-ups involving mislabeled graves and at least one service member’s body being buried on top of an additional, the Pentagon told MSNBC. In addition, Higginbotham is being investigated for very maybe hacking computer files of a previous Arlington National Cemetery employee.

Article Resource: Arlington National Cemetery can’t keep bodies sorted By Personal Money Store

Arlington National Cemetery with no body database?

Metzler and Higginbotham were criticized heavily for not having an electronic database of the gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery and instead depending upon paper records. This weighed greatly on Secretary of the Army John McHugh’s mind as he made the move to dismiss the duo. A new position can be created to oversee Arlington National operations.

For 42 years, John Metzler has been a government employee. He served for 19 years as the Arlington National Cemetery superintendent. John Sr. preceded him as Arlington National Cemetery superintendent.

’Does anyone run a perfect organization?’ Metzler asked

John Metzler said his mistakes weren't malicious. While military rank and salary are not easy to come by, some reasonable supposition would indicate that John Metzler, with more than 18 years of service in the military, would make at least $3,454 per month according to the standard military pay table. A lot more than likely, he makes at least $2,000 to $3,000 more per month, although this is speculation.

Was John C. Metzler Jr. earning his pay?

Whichever the case, from John McHugh’s point of view, Metzler had definitely not earned his salary, in light of the surprising events. Not only that, but John Metzler saying that “nobody’s perfect” and telling the media that some of the issues occurred way before he actually began his job at Arlington National Cemetery are errors that are simply inexcusable in such a high-profile position funded by taxpayers. That doesn’t even take into account his responsibility in tending to the honored military dead.

Is there less room within the Arlington National Cemetery?

Does this seem to be because of sorting and possibly burial anomalies? In its 200 acres, Arlington National has a lot more than 300,000 buried. That does not take into account the special vaults that carry more than 40,000 total niches for cremated remains. As Arlington National averages 28 funerals per day, 6,900 per year, space will probably be an issue soon. Burr Oak Cemetery, a privately owned cemetery in Alsip, Illinois, had this exact exact same problem, and some employees resorted to less-than-respectful means of dealing with the situation Burr Oak Cemetery, a privately owned cemetery in Alsip, Illinois, had this problem, and some employees resorted to horrible means of dealing with the situation. Here’s hoping that Arlington National Cemetery will fix any issues they may have and continue to ser! ve The United States within the honorable fashion it has since its official designation on June 15, 1864, by Secretary of War Edwin Stanton.

Additional information at these websites

MSNBC.com

msnbc.msn.com/id/37612199

Arlington National Cemetery

arlingtoncemetery.org/visitor_information/anc_facts.html

WashingtonExaminer.com

washingtonexaminer.com/nation/arlington-cemetery-superintendent-retiring-95922519.html

Military pay chart

docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.dfas.mil/militarypay/militarypaytables/2010WebPayTable34.pdf