"History's Highlight -- Flags for our National Cemetery". (St. Augustine Report, by former Mayor George Gardner)

Thanks to former St. Augustine Mayor George Gardner for his story today in St. Augustine Report, "History's Highlight -- Flags for our National Cemetery":

History's Highlight

Flags for our National Cemetery    

   At certain national cemeteries, where NCA staff have capacity, we will be placing flags for Memorial Day. This includes St. Augustine National Cemetery, where staff will place individual American flags at all grave sites and also display the "Avenue of Flags." 

National Cemetery Administration 

Chief of Staff Tom Howard

   

City activist Ed Slavin has a way of getting to the heart of a matter - at whatever level. While corona virus prevented public attendance at Monday's wreath-laying ceremony at the St. Augustine National Cemetery, below is Slavin's effort to honor the fallen on Memorial Day.
   It began with Slavin's email to VA Under Secretary (Randy) Reeves, copied to dozens of state and local officials and media. 

Dear VA Under Secretary (Randy) Reeves:

   I spoke today by telephone with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs General Counsel, Col. William A. Hudson, Jr. (Ret.), who suggested that I contact you to make my request that VA kindly approve and allow American flags to be placed on graves in our St. Augustine National Cemetery for Memorial Day, 2020.

   I explained to Col. Hudson how easily COVID-19 social distancing might be implemented at our tiny 1.4 acre St. Augustine National Cemetery while American flags are placed on graves, a traditional honor provided by local St. Johns County Boy Scout troops. (I left a phone message for you earlier.).

   This is our oldest national cemetery, established in 1828. The graves in our St. Augustine National Cemetery include Seminole War veterans, Civil War veterans (including graves marked U.S.C.T. for "U.S. Colored Troops") and veterans of all wars since that time.

   The home of our Florida National Guard, St. Augustine is a small town that deserves a "morale boost" during these trying times, as we emerge from coronavirus lockdown.

With kindest regards, I am, Ed Slavin

Slavin later emailed:

   One of my informants tells me that, as a result of our concerns, a chaplain contacted maintenance at the cemetery -- look for flags on graves in the next day or two.

And finally,

Mr. Slavin:

   Thank you for your email and the opportunity to speak on the phone. 

   As we discussed, to make informed decisions during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, NCA used existing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health guidance to maintain physical distancing, limit the size of gatherings and encourage vulnerable populations to remain sheltered in place. 

   Therefore, NCA made the difficult decision to not host public events for Memorial Day, including the placement and retrieval of gravesite flags by groups. 

   At certain national cemeteries, where NCA staff have capacity, we will be placing flags for Memorial Day. This includes St. Augustine National Cemetery, where staff will place individual American flags at all gravesites and also display the "Avenue of Flags."   

   Additionally, all 142 VA national cemeteries, including St. Augustine, will be open for visitation throughout the Memorial Day weekend. Families and friends are welcome to place flowers or individual flags at Veterans' gravesites.

   Cemetery visitors are asked to adhere to CDC, state and local health and safety guidelines and local travel restrictions.   

Thank you again for your support.  

Tom Howard, Chief of Staff, National Cemetery Administration

   Photo: Col Mark A. Tolzmann, U.S. Army (Ret.)