It was the paper’s fault
After a months long investigation of the incompetent boobery at Arlington National Cemetery, the Northern Virginia Technology Council arrived at the conclusion that paper isn’t an adequate record keeper according to the Washington Post;
“They relied on three-by-five cards, which anyone in today’s age knows is a totally inadequate way to keep track of records of the remains,” he said.
The cemetery also used just one fax machine, which Warner said “created an enormous bottleneck for the thousands of families trying to call in and schedule an interment for their loved ones. Backing up this fax machine was a manual system with paper and pencil.”
Warner also said urns at the cemetery, rather than being stored properly while awaiting inurnment, would “sit for extended periods of time on a desk with simply a paper record attached to it.”
Apparently, the paper also buried eight urns in a single burial site and left headstones laying around. Luckily, none of the people were found to be negligent, so they continue to get their forced-retirement pension checks…cuz it’s all the paper’s fault. Bad paper. No ice cream for you.
Category: Shitbags, Veterans Issues
Cost to the taxpayer:
$20,000 for laptops, printers, and Microsoft Office Suite with Access database.
$2,400,000 to hire one GS at $60K per year for 40 years, not including retirement, to maintain the computers and database. Less than the cost of the contract putting soda pop in the DFACs in BCT.
Cost to the next of kin:
$Priceless.
Ok, so they are working on fixing their information tracking system. That’s good; it’s certainly a start.
What I want to hear about is when they fix their hearts so that they give a damn about our military dead in the first place.
Call crazy or old-fashioned or weird but I would find being able to work at Arlington or another National Military Cemetery an extremely high honor. Being entrusted with the final resting place of so many brave men and women and helping their families to get through a trying time in their lives as they lay a loved one to rest for the final time should be a job that is seen as a sacred duty, IMO. And when it simply becomes another “job”, then it is time to move on to something else. But, hey, I’m wired strange like that. Call it my conservative, Christian, Midwestern, hardworking upbringing.
Damn straight, the paper did it, and my ball point pen is mis-spelling my words when I write. Sure, got that, wokay.
Yeah, lets get them all laptops that they can loose or get stolen while they are distracted at the local strip joint.
They left out that they had installed a computer system that didn’t work,and had nobody competent to operate if it did.
Got to vent about this issue – this is typical of how our government (and especially the VA) treats those of us that have served in uniform – we’re just a burden. When I first read of the mess as Arlington, and the administrators that were allowed to “retire”, I was furious. And the one thing that really got me pissed – where were the “veterans groups” that are out there “looking out for our interests” raising hell about this?
It’s time for us to start taking charge – raising hell with the vet groups and the VA – either represent us (and not kiss the asses of those in power in DC), or let us find people that will take charge and start making a difference.