Pausing during Veterans Day to Support Military Chaplains and Updating of Chaplains Hill Monuments

Military Chaplains Tribute: A Call to Honor Fallen Heroes

“Military families have a deep appreciation for military chaplains,” says Rabbi Harold Robinson, CH, RADM, USN (retired), a veteran and former military chaplain. “As part of his legacy, we believe Joe Biden would support the completion of the Military Chaplains Tribute at Arlington National Cemetery. We ask for your support to make this happen.”

In recognition of Veterans Day, it’s important to highlight an ongoing project that seeks to add the names of 81 Protestant and Catholic chaplains to Chaplains Hill in Section 2 of Arlington National Cemetery. These chaplains gave their lives in the line of duty, from Korea to Iraq and Afghanistan, and this memorial will ensure their sacrifices are never forgotten.

The National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces (NCMAF) is a coalition of nearly 150 faith-based organizations supporting military chaplains, including those in military and VA hospitals. The memorial project has been endorsed by notable organizations, including the American Legion Executive Committee, the Association of the U.S. Army, Vietnam Veterans of America, and the Navy League Council of NY.

In 2021 and 2022, Congress approved resolutions with strong bipartisan support, signed by President Biden, to modernize this memorial. Despite these approvals, the Office of the Secretary of the Army, which oversees Arlington Cemetery, has yet to implement the congressional directives or the president’s approval.

In 2011, NCMAF led efforts to establish a memorial for Jewish clergy at Arlington. The committee later proposed upgrades to the Protestant memorial, including replacing the deteriorating concrete headstone with a new granite monument and installing a bronze plaque to honor missing chaplains. The committee has worked diligently to improve the memorial at no cost to taxpayers, but no action has been taken.

NCMAF has the necessary funding and materials to carry out the upgrade without costing the government or Arlington Cemetery. The Dignity Memorial Company has offered to donate and install a new granite monument, replacing the old one.

Military Leaders Call for Action

Three military religious leaders have voiced concerns over the stalled project:

“It is troubling and disappointing that this initiative has stalled,” said The Right Reverend Derek Jones, Bishop of the Armed Forces and Chaplain, and Chairman of the NCMAF Board of Directors. “Despite approval from Capitol Hill and support from the White House, the Secretary of the Army and her department have not acted to preserve the memory of our fallen clergy. The President and Congress have shown their commitment to honoring these heroes.”

Rabbi Harold Robinson added, “There is no doubt that the American people honor and respect the sacrifices of our fallen clergy. NCMAF urges Arlington Cemetery and the Secretary of the Army to follow through on their commitment to honor these religious leaders.”

Father Robert R. Cannon, Chaplain, Colonel, USAF (retired), Catholic Representative to the NCMAF, said, “On this Veterans Day, it is fitting that we preserve the memory of those military chaplains who paid the ultimate price with their lives.”

To urge your congressman to take action, visit https://tinyurl.com/5n6u87v6.

About NCMAF

The National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces (NCMAF) is a coalition of 150 U.S. faith communities and clergy members who support military and VA chaplains. Memorials have been erected on Chaplains Hill at Arlington National Cemetery to honor those chaplains who died in service to the nation. Over the past 75 years, monuments have been dedicated to Roman Catholic and Jewish clergy, reflecting the ongoing sacrifices made by religious leaders in military service.

For more information about NCMAF, visit their website or Facebook page.