Operation Just Cause... ...for as long as it takes
Sent in by Veterans News and Information Services
by Thomas E. Mani
ARLINGTON, Va. (Army News Service, April 28, 2000) -- Each year, 4 million visitors come to Arlington National Cemetery to walk its shaded hills and to connect with the spirit of those who rest there. The public gained one more way to encounter Arlington National Cemetery April 17, as its own Web site went live.
The site was created to give the public greater access to information about a shrine that grows more important to the nation with each public ceremony or private service that takes place there, said John C. Metzler Jr., cemetery superintendent. Its attractions have world renown -- the eternal flame of President John F. Kennedy's grave, the stately pillars of the Custis-Lee mansion, the bone-white marble of the Memorial Amphitheater, and the wreath-strewn Tomb of the Unknowns, patrolled night and day by a guard of honor.
The major criterion in designing the site was that it should present its information clearly and accurately with the same dignity and respect that pervades everything done at the cemetery, said Col. Richard R. Breen, public affairs officer of the Military District of Washington.
Administration, operation, and maintenance of the cemetery falls under the commander of MDW, while the assistant secretary of the Army (Civil Works) has responsibility for program formulation and budget oversight. The assistant secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) has responsibility for formulation and oversight of burial policy at the cemetery.
The site can be accessed with the following Web address: Arlington National Cemetery. Some of the content of the site continues to be available on the MDW web page (www.mdw.army.mil), which itself will be enhanced in the coming months, officials said.
MDW contracted with MemberWare Technologies, Inc. to create the site. MemberWare's design that was selected uses a whitish-gray background much like the color of the government-issued headstones that mark most of the more than 260,000 gravesites at Arlington. A recurring menu bar extends along the top of the main pages from an image of a firing party and bugler that fades into the background. Small, quick-loading images bring other scenes of the cemetery, such as that of a joint-service casket team tending the flag for the departed.
"The Official Web Site of Arlington National Cemetery" provides authoritative information on burial entitlements and procedures for arranging a funeral at Arlington, as well as more general information on the history of Arlington, visiting, and what one may discover when they do. Visitors will have an opportunity to leave comments and to follow links to related sites. Among the features of the site is a gallery of photos showing the grounds, ceremonies and services.
Together with Arlington's other outreach efforts, from exhibits at its Visitors' Center to self-guiding tours, the Internet will bring Arlington within reach of a whole new audience, officials said, and give those who visit a way to better understand its many dimensions.
"There is a lot of misinformation about Arlington," said Don Snyder, cemetery administrator at Arlington, who was instrumental in getting the site up and running. "We hope the site will dispel much of that."
(Editor's note: Thomas Mani is command information chief for the Military District of Washington.)
Link to original news item: ARMYLink News
Disclaimer of Endorsement: Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by VNIS. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of VNIS, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. VNIS is not a government agency and is a sole proprietorship, own and operated by Christian L. Wilson USN/Ret
