Air Force dumped remains in landfill

This is an utterly disgusting story. A report has come out that between 2003 and 2008 the Air Force took the unclaimed partial remains of 274 soldiers, incinerated them, and dumped them in a Virginia landfill.

Permission had been given by the families to dispose of the remains in a "respectful and dignified manner". Instead they were dumped, and it was actively covered up. Now that questionshave been raised, the Undersecretary for Personnel said that ""It would require a massive effort and time to recall records and research individually,"

The remains consisted of 976 sets of partial remains from 274 soldiers, and an additional 1,762 sets of remains that were too damaged to be DNA tested.

usnews.nbcnews.com...

originally posted by: Zaphod58
This is an utterly disgusting story. A report has come out that between 2003 and 2008 the Air Force took the unclaimed partial remains of 274 soldiers, incinerated them, and dumped them in a Virginia landfill.

Permission had been given by the families to dispose of the remains in a "respectful and dignified manner". Instead they were dumped, and it was actively covered up. Now that questionshave been raised, the Undersecretary for Personnel said that ""It would require a massive effort and time to recall records and research individually,"

The remains consisted of 976 sets of partial remains from 274 soldiers, and an additional 1,762 sets of remains that were too damaged to be DNA tested.

usnews.nbcnews.com...

That is sad, especially the cover up part of it.

The story quotes a lady saying some of her husbands remains were dumped, it is phrased in a way that make me think his other remains were separately discarded or buried or something. Were these soldiers given a proper ceremony at some point and some remains actually buried or whatever properly and these remains were not part of that or something?

a reply to: Vasa Croe

Some of the remains were returned to the families. There were some body parts identified later that were dumped, and from what I'm understanding over 1700 sets of partial remains that weren't identified, so they don't know who they belonged to and if they got a proper burial or not.

Disgusting behavior, but not shocking and that is beyond sad.

There are countless other ways to handle remains than putting them in the landfill. That should go to show most veterans how much their government appreciates their service.

This article was released in 2011 and I am wondering if anything has changed since then?

a reply to: Zaphod58
This is absolutely disgusting!! When I first glanced over everything I wanted to know who the unclaimed soldiers were. Then I realized that I misunderstood. The remains were partial remains that had been identified after the original remains were buried. Any way you look at it, it is horrible that this is how our government treats the men and women that protect us everyday.

The men and woman that protect you?

I don't think they were protecting you...

I agree, this is the lowest of the low. But, cannon fodder and all, right?

I'm disgusted, but not surprised.

Seems to me, any decisions that are made should, in regards to anything political or military, or human...be immediately followed up with the phrase "what could possibly go wrong?" In hopes that it would spawn conscious thought of potential blowback /repercussions of their actions.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Why on earth would they do that?
What reason would they have to do something like that?


Just shows how heartless those in power are. They will send men and women out to die and bleed for there bank accounts then when done discard them like garbage .....

Disgusting

Disposed of like a put down pound dog after giving it all serving their country. Very sad and disrespectful on the whole. Hopefully they can be exhumed and given a proper resting place.




a reply to: Zaphod58

a reply to: crazyewok

Some fobbit bean counter trying to ass kiss his way to the top showing how much money he saved, and no one above him being willing to spend the extra money to do it right.

I hope to hell heads roll over this.

a reply to: Zaphod58

GI Joes. Government issued men. They own you once you are in and can do whatever they want to you then. Ask the guy I grew up 2 houses from. A true blue loyal American. Just finished his 4th round of chemo over 4 different cancers. Oh did I mention the government had him and his group handling Uranium with nothing but rubber gloves and paper booties on? Yeah,thats how much they care about the soldiers. So we killed them. Whats the big deal? They were ours to do with what we wanted. I dissuaded both my sons from entering the armed services. I didn't raise them for 18 years to have the government kill them for me.

I don't even want to imagine ... The families had already held funerals for their loved ones as soon as they had been identified from the first remains found, and then the lab technicians discover there is a match between those remains already identified and others still in the mortuary.

I guess they could have created a grave for the "unknown soldiers" and buried the remains there. But they to convert it into a major fumbletrip by doing a cover up.

originally posted by: Sparkymedic

I'm disgusted, but not surprised.

Pretty much sums it up.

a reply to: stormcell

And are STILL trying to. We spend a large amount of money every year looking for even a TRACE of MIA remains, but they won't try to figure out who these poor souls were because it would require "an exhaustive search"? I'd comment about that but it would break the T&C.

WTF !~

a reply to: shadownninja
Really???? What were they doing? Dancing the Macarena? These are the men and women that put on a uniform and put their lives on the line EVERY DAY. I guess you are OK with your loved ones burning in a trash dump?

Unlike you, I respect the men and women that put on that uniform for me and mine. It's someone like you that made the decision to put these soldiers in a trash dump.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I find this horrifying and totally reprehensible, the officer's or whomever made this call need to be put on trial, these remains should have been placed in a military cemetary as I assume they laid down there lives in service to there country.

I am British and maybe not qualified to comment on US matter's but I feel this would also demoralize any military personel whom heard about this treatment of there comrade's.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I read this last night, and was heartbroken and outraged at the same time.......

I cant fathom the though process that made them think this was acceptable

a reply to: ManBehindTheMask

It took a good ten minutes to write this I was so pissed when I read it. Half of what I wanted to say I'd have to have gone back and taken out.

News that should make everyone fuming mad. Will it be covered or ignored. What we're they thinking cutting costs or being malevolent.