On the recordMay 17, 2012
I thank the gentleman from Virginia and the gentleman from Florida. I would like to start by talking about what this means to me. This is about accountability, responsibility, and authority. All of these leadership themes are well defined throughout the Uniform Code of Military Justice, but a civilian team does not protect the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. That's the 3rd United States Infantry Regiment that has the responsibility to honor our fallen comrades and conduct ceremonies and special events to represent the U.S. Army. One of most known tasks of this unit is the distinguished charge of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown at Arlington National Cemetery, which it has done with honor since July of 1937. Again, this is a military unit, it's not a civilian unit. Many of our fallen heroes who were killed in action choose to be buried in Arlington, home to our Nation's military history, the men and women who sacrificed to make this country what it is today. The current chain of command under the Department of the Army has a civilian executive director of the Army National Cemeteries reporting directly to the Secretary of the Army. Nowhere in the current chain of command does there exist a uniformed military officer of appropriate rank with commensurate command authority, accountability, and responsibility who is subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.…
