Boy Scouts banned from planting American flags on veterans' graves for Memorial Day due to coronavirus
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A longtime Memorial Day weekend tradition to honor veterans is now canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, but there are persisting calls to bring it back.
For decades, the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and other groups have devoted part of the holiday to place small American flags at the graves of veterans and those who have given the ultimate sacrifice as a way to honor our country's war heroes.
Yet this year the Department of Veteran's Affairs has prohibited public events at the sites because of COVID-19. The Boy Scouts and other groups have been barred from carrying out the mass flag placements.
On Long Island, N.Y., where more than 500,000 veterans are buried at two national military cemeteries, there are demands for the VA to reconsider and rescind the ban.
"If we can't figure out a way to make sure we are placing flags at their graves to honor them, then something is seriously wrong," said Suffolk County executive Steve Bellone, whose county includes the sprawling Calverton and Long Island National Cemeteries, which hold more veterans than any other military cemetery in the nation, including Arlington National Cemetery.
Bellone is confident that officials can carry out a plan that would keep the Scouts safe.
"What we're asking the VA to do is, rather than have a blanket policy across the country, allow the national cemeteries at the local level, to make this determination in conjunction with the local health department,” he told Fox News. “We will take the responsibility to say that this flag placement plan meets the state and national guidelines but give us that opportunity to do it, allow us to honor our fallen heroes.”
Every year, the members of Boy Scout Troop 443 from Middle Island, N.Y., place thousands of flags next to the headstones at one of the Suffolk sites, the Calverton National Cemetery.
For the past five years, 18-year-old Eagle Scout Kieran Monaghan has been one of the Scouts who has walked the hallowed ground and gingerly placed an American flag next to each headstone. He is confident that his troop can again carry out their mission this year, safely, if only given the chance.
The U.S. National Cemetery Administration, the federal agency within the VA that operates the sites, told Fox News that because of the "national emergency, VA national cemeteries will not be hosting public Memorial Day events," and that includes "mass placement of gravesite flags."
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Donald Trump is off topic.
So, unlimited numbers of families and community members are allowed to place flags on the graves of the fallen, but the Boy Scouts can't? Hmmm.
Hmmm.
All for planting flags at veterans graves. They can skip one year though.
Don't you think that that comment would sound rather cold-hearted to grieving families?
Recent war dead, yes.
I dont think it would bother families of those killed in WW2, Korea, or VietNam a bit.
ANY ceremony such as this could be skipped for one year with no ill effects.
Dead is dead, John. It doesn't matter how long ago a person died. Sheesh.
Who do you propose should make the almighty decision as to an "acceptable time limit" for grieving and/or paying respects to those who gave their lives for our nation, John?
... because it's too hard.
Uh, nothing?
Well said, Mr. Bellone.
I have to say that we Long Islanders are very upset about this. This is an outside activity and plenty of room for social distancing. This is a very time-honored event here. Also the DAR is having issues with putting up wreaths at memorials.
I'm a big supporter of taking care during the pandemic, but this is a bit ridiculous....
Thanks for your input, Perrie. This story really disturbed me when I read that the agency allows many to enter and place their flags but bans others.
IMO, social distancing could easily be achieved at these cemeteries so the Boy Scouts and other groups who've previously participated could continue their traditions.
I realize that most people who don't live on Long Island get this, but we have strong traditions here, many of them going back to the Revolutionary War. Honoring our dead servicemen with flags and wreaths has been a part of our culture here and the boy and girl scouts (I was a Girl Scout and a troop leader for the Boy Scouts) teach the children about respect for those who gave their lives for this country.
I don't get why the Boy Scouts couldn't do this. I am sure that their troop leaders would have made sure all guidelines were kept. Part of their duty is to be respectful of laws and guidelines.
It really isn't just a Long Island thing, Perrie. Many areas of the USA where I've lived and worked have expressed the same strong ties and traditions that honor our history.
I didn't include this sad sentence from the article in my intro:
I realize that, it's just that sometimes I think that people view Long Islanders / New Yorkers as being vastly different than the rest of the country. It really isn't true.
That is really sad.
I hear you. But, I don't think that way because I have dozens of relatives and in-laws who live in NYC, Downstate, Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley, LI, and Mohawk Valley/Upstate/North Country NY. Anyone who puts everyone from a particular state into one basket is ignorant, IMO.
When I heard this story my first thought was someone was afraid of the liability. If a scout gets sick will the cemetery take the blame and is there a financial liability in this as well. It's sad that this was my first thought. It says something about me and it says a lot about the state of this country IMO.
They always do it here. The little flags and wreaths.
Not to sound contrary yet I always thought it was a waste. All the little flags and wreaths just end up as trash.
There should be a better way to honour people.
Before people jump on me, I am not saying they have to or should stop, maybe just a more eco friendly way of going about it.
But tradition is what it is and I agree that them doing it wouldn't change the course of the virus or put anyone at risk.
Why, yes. We could also dig up and compost the bodies, and farm that land.
Good comment, Ender. Thank you!
The Legion Post here is placing flags at local cemeteries and will keep a distance while doing it. Somebody at the VA is overreacting, this can be done in a safe way.
How hard is this? Give all the kids masks. And gloves, if you like. I see no reason to cancel it.
I find this to be quite disturbing. A small tribute to the hundreds of thousands that have served our county and that paid the ultimate price should not be stopped. I'm quite sure that this could be handled safely by the Boy Scouts.
Honor the Warrior, they come in all colors.