Who knew? There are no people who deserve our respect and care more than the families and friends of the deceased, regardless of the cause of their demise, and many would argue that’s it’s an even truer case to the families and friends of those who died while in service to their country. But for some unlucky number- the utmost care was not taken to ensure the proper somber note when our fallen brothers and sisters were cremated-

The U.S. military has, since 2001, cremated some of the remains of U.S. service members killed in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere in a Delaware facility that also cremates pets, a practice that ended Friday when the Pentagon banned the arrangement.

The facility, in an industrial park near Dover Air Force Base, has cremated about 200 service members, manager David Bose said Friday night. It uses separate crematories a few feet apart to cremate humans and animals, he added.

According to reports no one is sure how many service members were cremated at the Friends Forever Pet Cremation Service, and there’s no evidence that would show any service member having been cremated in the animal crematory, however, the real issue stemmed not from which crematory was used, but from the feelings of shock and dismay caused in those who went to oversee the procedure, saying farewell to their loved ones.

The revelation came to light when an Army officer who works at the Pentagon traveled to Delaware on Thursday to attend the cremation of a military comrade.

Offended to discover that the facility was labeled as a pet crematory, the officer sent an e-mail late Thursday to superiors at the Pentagon that included a photograph of the signage.

It soon rocketed to the attention of (Defense Secretary Robert) Gates, who directed David Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, to conduct “a comprehensive review of existing DOD policies and practices governing the cremation and handling of remains of U.S. service members,” (Pentagon press secretary Geoff) Morrell said.

As a result, in 2001 Air Force officials contracted with two local funeral homes to perform cremations, including with Torbert Funeral Chapels and Crematories, which oversees the facility managed by Bose, and another crematory that is located with a funeral home.

Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne directed Friday that the service “cease using the off-site crematory, use only crematory facilities that are co-located with licensed funeral homes, and have a military presence during the off-base process at the funeral-home facilities,” Morrell said.

Why it would’ve taken this 6-7 years for all of this to become an issue is debatable- is it really so bad that they were being cremated at this facility, given that they were cremated in proper human crematories with no signs of foul play, and if so… why did no one say anything until now? Was this just one man’s over-reaction? Or is it as deeply disrespectful as it sounds to find out that the very people we’re supposed to be honoring and holding in the highest regards are being cared for after death in a facility called Friends Forever Pet Cremation Service?

In my opinion the military should have known better than to outsource to this facility, when obviously as they’re using now- there were more traditional and fitting arrangements that could’ve been made. Odds are, when this service began, it was cheaper and easier than going to a traditional funeral home facility. But this is one place where surely Uncle Sam can afford not to be a miser.

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No wonder we’re having such trouble finding bin-Laden (assuming anyone is really looking for the guy anymore) we can’t even really figure out if we’ve killed or captured a guy, when his is or isn’t in our presence.  We’re not really sure to tell the truth.  Confused?  I know I am.

Abu Ayyub al-Masri, the head of al Qaeda in Iraq, has not been captured, a senior U.S. military official told CNN on Friday.

Iraqi authorities said Thursday that al-Masri had been captured in Mosul.

U.S. military officials were surprised about the report of Abu Ayyub al-Masri’s capture — first reported by Iraqi media and picked up by The Associated Press. And intelligence officials said they were skeptical, even though Iraqi officials said al-Masri was already in U.S. military custody.

Al-Masri (”the Egyptian”), also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, took the reins of the Iraqi al Qaeda offshoot in June 2006 after a U.S. missile strike killed his predecessor, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Since then, Iraqi officials have reported his death three times, his capture twice and a mortal wounding once.

So either the guy is a zombie, a magician, a figment of our imaginations, or- all these intellegence officials are completely lacking in intellegence.  Which do you think it is?

Iraqi officials have also misreported the deaths or capture of other high-ranking insurgents, Baathists or others, including al-Zarqawi before he was killed and Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri, the highest ranking former member of Saddam Hussein’s regime still at large.

Al-Duri, who was the King of Clubs (No. 6) on the U.S. military’s deck of most wanted regime officials, was most recently reported captured two weeks ago by multiple Iraqi officials. He had previously been reported killed in 2005 and captured the year before.

Wow… kinda helps you sleep at night knowing the Keystone Cops are working in conjuntion with Mr. Magoo to keep Iraq, and the rest of the world, safe and secure- doesn’t it?

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The public has long since exhausted our jabs, sneers, and disgust at the speech President Bush famously made on the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln. Today, the White House finally expresses regret.

But Dana Perino, the White House press secretary, is just now saying that the Bush administration has “certainly paid a price for not being more specific on that banner”.

Have you really paid the price, Ms. Perino? Nearly five years have passed since Bush made that speech and the White House is just now marking its error. The mission is far from accomplished… soldiers lives confirm this.

Now in its sixth year, the war in Iraq has claimed the lives of at least 4,061 members of the U.S. military. Only the Vietnam War (August 1964 to January 1973), the war in Afghanistan (October 2001 to present) and the Revolutionary War (July 1776 to April 1783) have engaged America longer.

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Hey all you soldiers out there! Mandatory Christianity isn’t ok. And if you don’t think it’s happening in the military, take a second look:

Last month, Specialist Hall and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, an advocacy group, filed suit in federal court in Kansas, alleging that Specialist Hall’s right to be free from state endorsement of religion under the First Amendment had been violated and that he had faced retaliation for his views. In November, he was sent home early from Iraq because of threats from fellow soldiers.

It seems strange, right? I mean… we’re a country of equality. Especially religious equality. But it’s amazing how little discrimination can be felt if you’re Christian too. Try spending a few days in the military as an Atheist, Muslim, Buddhist, or Jew.

Complaints include prayers “in Jesus’ name” at mandatory functions, which violates military regulations, and officers proselytizing subordinates to be “born again.”

hmmm…. sounds familiar in most units. Mandatory prayer on the unit level and in major functions. To be chastised for non-participation in prayers and religious events isn’t a shock.

Kudos for Spc. Hall for having the guts to take action against Commanders who push their personal beliefs on enlisted soldiers.

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erm… Make that Capital Hill.  Well, in a roundabout way.  They’re starting in California.

On Monday Vets of OIF, OEF, and other U.S. wars will be heading to federal court after filing a lawsuit that states they have not been receiving proper medical care since they’re deployments.

The lawsuit before a judge in U.S. District Court for Northern California claims the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs was unable to deal with the growing number of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, cases emerging from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Unless systemic and drastic measures are instituted immediately, the costs to these veterans, their families, and our nation will be incalculable, including broken families, a new generation of unemployed and homeless veterans, increases in drug abuse and alcoholism, and crushing burdens on the health care delivery system and other social services in our communities,” the suit said.

Some of those in the suit say they have suffered from PTSD for many years, even before the most recent wars highlighted the fate of many Americans who served in difficult combat abroad.

Those saying the VA failed them include Barbara Bachmeier, 54, who reports she was sexually harassed and raped in South Korea in the 1980s while working in military intelligence for the U.S. Army, and then received insufficient care.

“I was having all these various flashbacks and nightmares,” the Alaska resident said in an interview. “But the VA does not want to pay disability payments unless they really have to.”

“Their attitude is not what can we do to help you,” she said, explaining she once considered suicide. “It was very difficult to navigate the VA system.”

In proceedings that could last through May 1, the court will hear testimony not from former service members such as Bachmeier, but from administrators and officials involved in the system.

“He (the judge) can’t actually make decisions about individual issues and while having a veteran talking about their individual experiences is emblematic of the problem, it’s not particularly useful for the judge because he needs to hear about systemic problems,” said Kasey Corbit, one of the lawyers for the plaintiffs.

How this will play out in court remains to be seen- but if nothing else it will shine an even bigger spotlight on a very real, long term, continuing problem that is plaguing troops today.

We’ll continue our coverage on this case as it happens until it’s conclusion- for better or worse.

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