Veterans' Affairs Backtracks on 13-Fold Flag Ceremony

Press Release

VETERANS' AFFAIRS BACKTRACKS ON 13-FOLD FLAG CEREMONY

WASHINGTON, DC. November 2, 2007 - Yesterday the Department of Veterans' Affairs issued a memo (attached) to all cemetery directors in the National Cemetery Administration that states the 13-fold flag recitation will be allowed at military funerals. Employees and volunteers will be able to recite the ceremony if requested by the family.

"I commend the VA for their quick reversal on their previous misguided 13-fold flag policy," stated Rep. Calvert who, along with Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-OH) and 126 Members of Congress, sent a letter to the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs demanding a reversal of the policy disallowing the 13-fold flag recitation. "This is a victory for military families and veterans who should not have their funeral decisions dictated by Washington bureaucrats."

"This is a victory for veterans across the country," Rep. LaTourette said. "I'm glad the VA has cleared up the mess and will let families have the funeral service they want. They did the right thing."

The issue over the recitation, which includes references to Judaism and Christianity, was prompted by one complaint to the Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California located in Congressman Calvert's district. The Press Enterprise (www.pe.com) reported that since the complaint, federal workers and volunteers have been instructed not to perform the recitation even if requested by the family. According to Veterans' Affairs, the decision to disallow the recitation was made to provide uniformity in the funeral ceremony.

In addition to the letter to the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs, Reps. Calvert and LaTourette introduced legislation, H. Res. 783, that expresses the Sense of Congress that the Veteran's Affairs National Cemetery Administration employees, volunteers, and veterans' service organizations that perform funeral honors and memorial honor details should be permitted to recite the 13 steps to fold an American flag at any national cemetery if requested by the family of the deceased (attached). To date H. Res. 783 has 57 cosponsors.

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