Running a cemetery is a more difficult business than numerous individuals assume, particularly a cemetery like the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Sadly, 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 one more, the Pentagon told MSNBC. In addition, Higginbotham is being investigated for allegedly hacking computer files of a previous Arlington National Cemetery employee.
Arlington National Cemetery without a body database?
Metzler and Higginbotham were criticized for not having any kind of electronic database of the gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery and instead relying upon paper documents. This weighed heavily 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.
John Metzler, 62, has been a government employee for 42 years. He served as Arlington National Cemetery superintendent for 19 years. His father John Sr. preceded him as Arlington National Cemetery superintendent.
’Does anyone run a perfect organization?’ questioned Metzler
John Metzler admitted mistakes, but he clarified to the media that they are not 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?
No matter what the case, from John McHugh’s point of view, Metzler had certainly not earned his salary, in light of the shocking events. Not only that, but John Metzler saying that “nobody’s perfect” and telling the media that some of the problems occurred before he started 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 Arlington National Cemetery running out of room?
Could that be the reason for the sorting and burial anomalies? In its 200 acres, Arlington National has a lot more than 300,000 buried. That doesn’t 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 problem, and some employees resorted to less-than-respectful means of dealing with the situation. Here’s hoping that Arlington National Cemetery will fix any administrative troubles and continue to serve The United States in the honorable fashion it has given that its official designation on June 15, 1864, by Secretary of War Edwin Stanton.
Read a lot more on this topic here
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
