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XPost: alt.journalism.criticism, talk.politics.guns
Lou Bricano <
lb@cap.con> wrote in news:S3oGM.755528$
AsA.543762@fx18.iad:
On 8/26/2023 7:32 AM, David Hartung wrote:
On 8/26/23 09:22, Lou Bricano wrote:
"Pentagon protested false Fox News report about fallen Marine,
emails show"
The network quietly removed the story based on false claims from a
congressman but did not apologize or run a correction
By Paul Farhi
August 26, 2023 at 6:00 a.m. EDT
The U.S. Marine Corps went up to the highest levels of Fox News last
month to challenge a story that falsely claimed a fallen Marine’s
family had to cover the cost of transporting her remains, emails
obtained by The Washington Post show.
Fox quietly amended the digital story and then removed it from its
website following more complaints from the Marines but still has not
apologized or corrected the erroneous report, which had been based
on a false claim quickly retracted by a congressman.
The Marines’ communications with Fox were first reported by
Military.com, which obtained the emails this week under a Freedom of
Information Act request.
The July 25 FoxNews.com story relied on an account from freshman
Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), who stated that the family of Sgt. Nicole
L. Gee had shouldered “a heavy financial burden” of $60,000 to
retrieve her body from Afghanistan. Gee, 23, was one of 13 U.S.
service members killed in a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport in
the frantic final days of the U.S. withdrawal.
The story’s reporter, Michael Lee, quoted Mills calling the
family’s supposed expenditures an “egregious injustice.”
Neither Pentagon officials nor Gee’s family were quoted in the
original story.
Marine Corps officials say the family did not face any financial
burdens to have Gee’s body shipped to Arlington National Cemetery.
They disputed the story in a series of emails to Fox executives —
including Fox News president and executive editor Jay Wallace and
editor in chief Porter Berry — shortly after the story was
published.
“The allegations originally published turned out to be false,
which I suspect Mr. Lee knew in the first place, and was the reason
he did not seek comment from the Marine Corps,” wrote Marine Corps
spokesman Maj. James Stenger in an email to the Fox executives.
Two days after his original comments to Fox, Mills walked back his
claims in a statement in which he seemed to blame the Pentagon and
the Gee family for being “in their time of grief, confused”
about the costs associated with the transportation of Sgt. Gee’s
remains. He said the Department of Defense “was able to provide
clarification” about the matter.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2023/08/26/fox-news-retracts-mar
ine-story-nicole-gee/
Mills, a Republiscum/QAnon lying shitbag, slandered the Marine
Corps. Fucks News, nothing but a Republiscum/QAnon propaganda organ,
eagerly ran with the story. Then Fucks News, when shown their
story was lies, just quietly took it down without apologizing or
issuing a retraction.
Republiscums/QAnon always lie. Besides spewing racist hate speech,
lying is all they do.
In all liklihood it is Rudy and the Washington Post who is lying.
No. And you know it, too. It happened exactly as described in the
WaPo (the co-Gold Standard).
It's so easy to catch Rudy and his "sources" misrepresenting
circumstances and facts.
PENTAGON Published July 25, 2023 1:59pm EDT
Family forced to pay to ship body of Marine killed after Pentagon policy change: 'Egregious injustice' Nonprofit stepped in to pay $60,000 to
move Sgt. Nicole Gee's remains to Arlington National Cemetery
A Republican lawmaker is sounding the alarm after being notified one of
the 13 Gold Star families from the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan was
forced to pay to move the body of their loved one.
Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., who is also an Army veteran, told Fox News
Digital that during a meeting with the families of the "Fallen 13" last
week, he was "enraged to learn that the Department of Defense had placed
a heavy financial burden" on the family of Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L.
Gee, who were forced to find funding in the thousands to move her body
to its final resting place after her death 2021 death in Afghanistan.
The Gee family was able to secure the funding, which came to "a
staggering $60,000," to move their loved one's body after a nonprofit organization stepped in to cover the cost, Mills said.
According to Mills' office, the option for the Defense Department to
decline to pay for transport of the body was made possible by an
amendment to last year's National Defense Authorization Act, stating
that the secretary of Defense "may" provide a fallen service member's
next of kin "a commercial air travel use waiver for the transportation
of deceased remains of military member who dies inside a theater of
combat operations.
Gee's remains were initially flown to her hometown of Roseville,
California, for a ceremony, but the responsibility for transporting Gee
to her final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery would fall on
the family. Honoring Our Fallen, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting the families of fallen American service members, stepped up to help the
family transport the remains via private jet to Virginia.
But Mills believes that the responsibility should fall on the Defense Department and not burden the families of fallen heroes.
"Typically, our fallen heroes are flown back home for a solemn service
and then laid to a final rest at Arlington Cemetery with the utmost
respect and honor," Mills said. "It is an egregious injustice that
grieving families were burdened to shoulder the financial strain of
honoring their loved ones. This is an unacceptable situation that
demands immediate rectification."
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a Fox News request for
comment.
Michael Lee is a writer at Fox News. Follow him on Twitter @UAMichaelLee
https://www.foxnews.com/us/family-forced-pay-ship-body-marine-killed-afte r-pentagon-policy-change-egregious-injustice
*
IMO the family, politician, and the Washington Post are all to blame for
the mess made of this story. The politician, being an Army veteran,
should know better and have greater awareness of the services available
to families of fallen members.
*
While serving in the US Marines, or any other branch of the US armed
services, an enlisted or commissioned member must declare a permanent
home of record. In the event that they become disabled or killed, their personal effects and remains will be shipped to the home of record, in
this specific case Roseville, CA.
At this point, the US Marines, Dept of the Navy, and DOD have completely
100% fulfilled their obligation.
*
In the event of a service connected death, a notification team is
dispatched to the family. Marine notificaiton teams are well prepared
and versed. The senior member of the team will designate a coordinating
member from the team members present and provide direct contact
information for any assistance that may be needed including services
provided by the Veterans Administration.
At this point, the responsibility of the connected service ends and the
VA takes over if requested by the family.
*
After the family received the remains of their service member to the
home of record, they decided that they wanted permanent burial in
Arlington, VA, instead of any other national cemetaries that were
closer. This is a personal choice and decision they made.
Apparently the national cemetary in Dixon, 50 miles from Roseville
wasn't good enough. The Sacramento national cemetary in Dixon is a very
nice well cared for final resting place.
https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/sacramento.asp
*
There are nine national cemeteries in California.
Five National Cemeteries are presently accepting new interments:
Sacramento Valley VA National Cemetery, Dixon CA 95620
Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside CA 92518
San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery, Santa Nella CA 95322
Miramar National Cemetery, San Diego CA 92122
Bakersfield National Cemetery, Arvin CA 93203
The other national cemeteries in California are only accepting burials
of family members of persons already interred, although Fort Rosecrans
National Cemetery ( San Diego CA 92106) still offers burial of cremated remains.
Having experienced ceremonies at numerous national cemetaries, including Arlington, Sacramento or San Diego would also have been an excellent alternative choice and easy for future memorial visitation. They have
optional horse drawn carriage transport for the remains to resting spot, bugler, clergy/chaplain, and a three-volley salute if requested and
eligible (Death active duty or USAF retirees only). This is a very nice
well maintained national cemetary.
However, the family for reasons known only to them, opted to bury the
remains as far away from them as possible in Arlington, VA.
*
National Cemetery Administration
Burial Benefits
Burial benefits available include a gravesite in any of the VA national cemeteries with available space, opening and closing of the grave,
perpetual care, a government headstone, marker, or medallion, a burial
flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate, at no cost to the family.
Some Veterans may also be eligible for burial allowances. Cremated
remains are buried or inurned in national cemeteries in the same manner
and with the same honors as casketed remains.
Burial benefits available for spouses and dependents buried in a
national cemetery include burial with the Veteran, perpetual care, and
the spouse or dependents name and date of birth and death will be
inscribed on the Veteran's headstone, at no cost to the family. Eligible spouses and dependents may be buried, even if they predecease the
Veteran.
The Veterans family should make funeral or cremation arrangements with a funeral provider or cremation office. Any item or service obtained from
a funeral home or cremation office will be at the family's expense. The Veterans Benefits Administration created Burial Benefits for Veterans
and their Families, to assist in pre-need planning and record storage.
https://youtu.be/eHrU-iXl8Zk
Schedule a Burial
To schedule a burial in a VA national cemetery, please contact the
National Cemetery Scheduling Office.
Eligibility
The National Cemetery Scheduling Office has the primary responsibility
for verifying eligibility for burial in VA national cemeteries.
Headstones, Markers, and Medallions
Most Veterans with a discharge other than dishonorable are eligible to
receive headstones, markers, and medallions, at no cost to the
applicant.
Presidential Memorial Certificates
A Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC) is an engraved paper
certificate, signed by the current President.
Burial Flags
A United States flag is provided, at no cost, to drape the casket or
accompany the urn of a deceased Veteran who served honorably in the U.S.
Armed Forces.
Burial Allowance
VA burial allowances are flat rate monetary benefits that are paid for
an eligible Veteran's burial and funeral costs.
Survivor Benefits
The Veterans Benefits Administration offers a variety of benefits and
services to spouses, children, and parents of Servicemembers and
Veterans.
What to Expect
Learn more about what to expect when attending a burial service at a VA national cemetery.
Pre-Need Burial Eligibility
The pre-need program determines eligibility for burial in a VA national cemetery in advance of need.
Burial at a Private Cemetery
Many burial benefits are available for eligible Veterans buried in a
private cemetery at no cost to the family.
https://www.cem.va.gov/burial_benefits/
*
The U.S. Marines and DOD met their obligation by returning service
member remains to the permanent home of record. It is up to the family
to then arrange for burial per their beliefs and apply for reimbursement
or any services.
The family misrepresented the facts and circumstances by incorrectly
claiming a financial burden. A clueless politician then poured gasoline
while an ignorant journalist lit the match.
Fox made no false journalistic indictments, the Washington Post did.
Once again, Rudy Canoza proves that he has never served his country and
has no knowledge about those who have done so.
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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