Veterans Urge Support for Military Chaplains and The Updating of Chaplains Hill Monuments

At this time of the Easter and Passover holidays, the Trump Administration is requested by military religious and veterans organizations to move forward with a long delayed update to the Chaplains Monuments at Arlington National Cemetery

Rabbi Harold Robinson, Ch, RADM, USN, (Ret.), a long term and former military chaplain, asserted, “Passover and Easter are seasons that remind us of past sacrifices and provide us with hope the future. The military chaplains we seek to memorialize at Arlington Cemetery have brought that same spirit, sacrifice and hope to the men and women of our armed forces in times of war and far off dangerous places. Honoring them honors all of our traditions and reaffirms the very spirit of America.”

There is a long-standing effort to add the 81 names of the Protestant and Catholic Memorials on Chaplains Hill on Section 2 of Arlington National Cemetery.  This would honor and include the chaplains who died in service from Korea to Iraq and Afghanistan. 
The effort is led by the National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces (NCMAF).  NCMAF’s membership is comprised of nearly 150 religious organizations who endorse military and Veterans Affairs chaplains.

Derek Jones, Bishop of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy, noted, “As we enter Passover and the Easter season, it marks the 13th year that this project has been ready to execute. The only objections come from bureaucrats at Arlington who have, thus far, successfully defied Congress and blocked the project.  This is a non-partisan project with bipartisan support and two legislative actions calling for it to be done. It is time for the President to look at this tribute slated for Arlington National Cemetery.”

The enhancement of the Memorials has been endorsed by the American Legion Executive Committee, the Association of the US Army, the Vietnam Veterans of America, the Navy League Council of NY.

Approved by two acts of Congress, with staunch support from both sides of the aisle, and signed by President Biden, the National Defense Authorization Acts of 2021 and 20222 contained a passage providing the NCMAF authority to upgrade this monument.  The office of the Secretary of the Army, which has oversight of Arlington Cemetery, has not implemented the directives of Congress and the approval of the President.

In 2011, the National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces (NCMAF) led the effort to donate a monument to Jewish chaplains on Arlington Cemetery section two. The committee then proposed to upgrade the Protestant Memorial with a granite headstone, replacing the crumbling concrete headstone and making a new bronze plaque that included the missing chaplain’s names. This committee has diligently, respectfully, and repeatedly sought to upgrade the memorial at no cost to the taxpayers.  Yet, no action has been taken to update the monuments.

NCMAF has the financing and materials to update the monument at no cost to the Government or Arlington Cemetery. It would replace the aging concrete Protestant Chaplains Monument with a new granite piece in the same shape and size as the current one. The Dignity Memorial Company has agreed to donate the new granite monument and provide installation.

To urge your congressperson to take action, visit https://tinyurl.com/5n6u87v6.

The National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces (NCMAF) is the umbrella organization for 150 U.S. faith groups and the professional clergy representatives who endorse Military and V.A. chaplains. It has erected several monuments on Chaplains Hill in Arlington National Cemetery honoring chaplains who have perished while in our Nation’s service. During the last 75 years, monuments were placed to honor Roman Catholic and Jewish chaplains, reflecting the ongoing sacrifice of these warriors of faith. More information about the NCMAF, visit the organization’s website https://www.ncmaf.com/ or the Facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/NCMAF

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