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Arlington Cemetery grave mixups spark questions, confusion

Dysfunctional management, misplaced remains and contracting problems have been found in investigations into Arlington Cemetery.

Amid a freshly dug space in front of four plots, the headstone for grave site 66-1181 is missing at Arlington National Cemetery. An Army spokesman said the plot did contain a body, but it had the wrong headstone.

Sept. 15, 2010

Amid a freshly dug space in front of four plots, the headstone for grave site 66-1181 is missing at Arlington National Cemetery. An Army spokesman said the plot did contain a body, but it had the wrong headstone.

Katherine Frey-The Washington Post

Errors were discovered at three plots in Section 66. One had a headstone but no remains. Another contained a body but had the wrong headstone. A third had two sets of remains, only one of which matched the headstone.

Sept. 15, 2010

Errors were discovered at three plots in Section 66. One had a headstone but no remains. Another contained a body but had the wrong headstone. A third had two sets of remains, only one of which matched the headstone.

Katherine Frey-The Washington Post

The cemetery exhumed the remains of Pvt. Heath Warner, a Marine who died in Iraq, after his family grew worried that he was buried in the wrong spot. Warner was positively identified.

Sept. 15, 2010

The cemetery exhumed the remains of Pvt. Heath Warner, a Marine who died in Iraq, after his family grew worried that he was buried in the wrong spot. Warner was positively identified.

Katherine Frey-The Washington Post

A wreath sits at the site where Heath Warner's body was exhumed from Arlington National Cemetery.

Sept. 15, 2010

A wreath sits at the site where Heath Warner's body was exhumed from Arlington National Cemetery.

Katherine Frey-The Washington Post

Former cemetery superintendent John Metzler, left, and former deputy superintendent Thurman Higginbotham are sworn in prior to testifying before a Senate subcommittee.

Former cemetery superintendent John Metzler, left, and former deputy superintendent Thurman Higginbotham are sworn in prior to testifying before a Senate subcommittee.

Ricky Carioti-The Washington Post

Former superintendent John C. Metzler Jr. said it was "painful for me that our team at Arlington did not perform all aspects of its mission to the high standard required."

Former superintendent John C. Metzler Jr. said it was "painful for me that our team at Arlington did not perform all aspects of its mission to the high standard required."

Ricky Carioti-The Washington Post

Higginbotham invoked his right against self-incrimination and refused to answer most of the senators' questions about his role in approving millions of dollars in botched contracts.

An Army inspector general's report released last month identified Higginbotham as the "point of contact for monitoring all IT [information technology] contract performance" despite having no training as a contracting officer.

Higginbotham invoked his right against self-incrimination and refused to answer most of the senators' questions about his role in approving millions of dollars in botched contracts. An Army inspector general's report released last month identified Higginbotham as the "point of contact for monitoring all IT [information technology] contract performance" despite having no training as a contracting officer.

Ricky Carioti-The Washington Post

"We've got waste. We've got abuse. We've got fraud. The whole trifecta," said Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) at the hearing.

"We've got waste. We've got abuse. We've got fraud. The whole trifecta," said Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) at the hearing.

Ricky Carioti-The Washington Post

Several times during the hearing, senators pushed for specifics about how the problems arose and when Metzler and Higginbotham learned about them.

Several times during the hearing, senators pushed for specifics about how the problems arose and when Metzler and Higginbotham learned about them.

Ricky Carioti-The Washington Post

Thurman Higginbotham of Arlington National Cemetery is dismissed after invoking the Fifth Amendment.

Thurman Higginbotham of Arlington National Cemetery is dismissed after invoking the Fifth Amendment.

Ricky Carioti-The Washington Post

Headstones have been found along a stream under Ord & Weitzel Drive in the northwest corner of the cemetery.

Headstones have been found along a stream under Ord & Weitzel Drive in the northwest corner of the cemetery.

Gerald Martineau-for The Washington Post

Cemetery officials say they do not know how the stones got there, whom they belong to or how old they are.

Cemetery officials say they do not know how the stones got there, whom they belong to or how old they are.

Gerald Martineau-for The Washington Post

A cemetery official promised "immediate corrective action" for the headstone situation.

A cemetery official promised "immediate corrective action" for the headstone situation.

Gerald Martineau-for The Washington Post

The headstones were discovered after an investigation of the cemetery by the Army's inspector general, which found 117 graves that are marked on maps as occupied but have no headstones.

The headstones were discovered after an investigation of the cemetery by the Army's inspector general, which found 117 graves that are marked on maps as occupied but have no headstones.

Gerald Martineau-for The Washington Post

Joe Davis, a spokesman for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said he was "stunned" to learned about the discarded headstones: "We're finding out that people are just not doing their jobs."

Joe Davis, a spokesman for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said he was "stunned" to learned about the discarded headstones: "We're finding out that people are just not doing their jobs."

Gerald Martineau-for The Washington Post

One of the headstones offers clues to its age. An official said its design was discontinued in the late 1980s.

One of the headstones offers clues to its age. An official said its design was discontinued in the late 1980s.

Gerald Martineau-for The Washington Post

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This Story Tech firms' probe of Arlington Cemetery blames paper records, lack of oversight Article \| Antiquated paper record-keeping and lack of oversight led to the mishandling of dozens of remains at the nation's most important military burial ground, according to a three-month review of Arlington National Cemetery's operations by a consortium of technology companies. Arlington cemetery urns turn up on auction block, but how'd they get there? House passes bill requiring Army to account for all graves at Arlington Cemetery Arlington cemetery urns to be returned instead of auctioned Army names new superintendent for Arlington National Cemetery Arlington Cemetery's deputy chief retires amid investigation Army team at Arlington seeks to guarantee burial records At Arlington Cemetery, Army ready for drastic measures Arlington graves sat unmarked Not just any headstone -- his dad's Arlington headstones found lining stream Arlington officials knew of tombstones More burials will be checked Flawed record system cost Arlington millions Arlington cemetery's overseer to retire Arlington Cemetery grave mixups spark questions, confusion This Story Ex-cemetery official takes Fifth Article \| Invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, former Arlington National Cemetery deputy superintendent Thurman Higginbotham refused Thursday to answer U.S. senators' questions about his role in approving millions of dollars' worth of botched contracts at the nation's most venerated... Cemetery failed to fix problems found in 2005 Your Take: How should those affected by mix-ups be remembered? At Arlington Cemetery, years of problems Arlington graves sat unmarked Arlington Cemetery grave mixups spark questions, confusion Arlington National Cemetery Grave Discrepancies Army probes remains mix-up at Arlington Cemetery This Story Arlington Cemetery gets help digitizing Article \| A consortium of high-tech companies from Northern Virginia is stepping in to help Arlington National Cemetery digitize its paper burial records, Sen. Mark Warner announced Friday. Not just any headstone -- his dad's Arlington Cemetery grave mixups spark questions, confusion More burials will be checked Arlington graves sat unmarked Spy Talk: Maybe thousands more missing : Chaos at Arlington National Cemetery PDF: U.S. Inspector General's Report PDF: Secretary of the Army John McHugh's official reprimand This Story Arlington exhumation confirms Marine's ID Article \| The remains of Marine Corps Pvt. Heath Warner, who was 19 when he was killed in Iraq four years ago, were positively identified Wednesday after his coffin was exhumed from the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. Tell us your concerns about loved ones buried at Arlington. E-mail tellus@washpost.com. 2 bodies found in wrong plots at Arlington cemetery Vets groups seek to have VA running Arlington User poll: Who should take care of Arlington National Cemetery? Arlington graves sat unmarked More burials will be checked Not just any headstone -- his dad's Arlington Cemetery gets help digitizing Arlington Cemetery grave mixups spark questions, confusion Army probes remains mix-up at Arlington Cemetery This Story For first time in decades, Arlington National Cemetery must bury multiple 'unknowns' Article \| When the remains of a Vietnam War soldier buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery were identified in 1998 using DNA, Pentagon officials proudly said that the days of interring service members as "Unknown" could well be over. Senate legislation would require Army to account for every grave at Arlington National Cemetery Remains in Arlington grave may have been dug up elsewhere Army investigating 8 sets of remains buried in single gravesite at Arlington Senate bill calls for every grave at Arlington cemetery to be accounted for Scope of burial mistakes at Arlington is a mystery More details emerge about bodies buried in wrong Arlington plots Poll: Who should take care of Arlington National Cemetery? Your Take: How should those impacted by Arlington Cemetery mix-ups be remembered? Arlington Cemetery grave mixups spark questions, confusion 2 bodies found in wrong plots at Arlington cemetery Vets groups seek to have VA running Arlington Arlington graves sat unmarked		Network News X Profile View More Activity TOOLBOX E-Mail This Reprints		More on washingtonpost.com • More Photo News » washingtonpost.com
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