Gates open to lifting ban on casket photos
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Feb 10, 2009 16:00:34 EST
The controversial policy that bans media coverage of flag-draped caskets arriving from the war theater to Dover Air Force Base, Del., is once again being reviewed with an eye toward reversal, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday.
“If the needs of the families can be met, and the privacy concerns can be addressed, the more honor we can accord these fallen heroes, the better,” Gates said at a Pentagon news conference. “I’m ... pretty open to, to whatever the results of this review may be.”
Gates said he ordered the review after President Barack Obama said Monday night during a nationally broadcast news conference that the White House is “in the process of reviewing those policies.”
Gates said he has put a “fairly short deadline on that effort,” but was not more specific.
Gates, a Bush administration holdover who has served in the Pentagon’s top job since December 2006, said he looked into changing the policy a little over a year ago.
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It's about time the ban is lifted. What a slap in the face to our fallen heros and their families. These are military men and women, who have paid the ultimate price, and then to be brought back under secrecy is just another blow to the waiting familiy. The old saying A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS does apply here. Quite possibly if the pictures are shown, then the numbers will become real.
ReplyDeleteHope your day is wonderful Kathie. Thanks much for this post. I just may use parts of it on our local NAMI website. Thanks much...Pat
Hi GrandmaB
ReplyDeleteThank you and you're right. There have been too many families that wanted coverage of their family member's funeral. While we must respect the wishes of the families that don't want coverage, we cannot ignore the ones that do. The other issue is that while so people object to pictures of the coffins coming back, we need to be reminded that they are still sacrificing their lives. It is too troubling that the American people are too disconnected from what is going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. They need to be reminded.