Trust me, you’ll need it.
Originally posted 2020-06-04 13:25:49.
Tag Archives: Memorial Day
A Poem
From my best friend, fellow “Swinger of Birches, (which I doubt anyone knows what that term means today), brother, and life-long editor, a piece of prose for the day. Thanks you Dennis, God bless you sir!
Memorial Day Celebrations, 2017, at Cemeteries Across the Land
A million American flags, and more, will be unfurled,
And invited dignitaries will righteously attest,
In our many scattered consecrated parks
Where our true American heroes rest.
Some will issue a lofty proclamation
To confirm our most robust determination,
And voice why this day is deemed solemn,
Why we today remember our many, many fallen.
When their spirited dialogs fade,
The forlorn bugles sound,
As the eerie strain of Taps
Echoes o’er those hallowed grounds.
All across our indebted nation, wherever stone statues stand—
From Arlington National, in all directions—proudly, American flags, way upon way.
Will we then take one moment to stroll these sacred lands,
Noting names etched in granite whose uncommon valor won the day.
Will we express our gratitude to those who gave their all,
Honoring their selflessness while fulfilling duty’s call,
And pay full measure to their sacrifice so gallant, so brave,
As we silently nod our head towards each and every grave?
When the sun is setting, and we all are roving home,
Will we pause with pride and honor, and marvel at that we have seen?
And promise to ourselves, and those who silently repose,
To return more often conferring on all who rest there our utmost esteem?
Amen
Originally posted 2017-05-28 17:30:41.
“All Gave Some . . .
But some gave all. And that is what this weekend is all about. So when you gather around the table for some traditional hotdogs and burgers this weekend, remember to hold hands and give a moment of silence to all those service men and women who are resting in ANC and in all those other hundreds of other cemeteries spread around the world
Jazz Finally at Rest By: Greg Maresca
On January 24, 2022, less than a month after Robert “Jazz” Jasinski, celebrated his 60th birthday, his six-decade run on this third post from the sun came to an abrupt and unexpected close. It would not be until May 23, 2023, that his cremains would be finally interred to their ultimate resting place in Arlington National Cemetery.
As the nation prepares to observe Memorial Day, it was certainly a tailored time to have his last and long overdue request realized. The elapsed time of 16-months – two hockey seasons – would have stirred a hearty laugh tinged with a little disgust from my old friend. Jazz was all too familiar with the enduring federal bureaucracy having spent most of his life toiling on the front lines for Uncle Sam – first as a U.S. Marine and then with the Transportation Security Administration.
The extended and unnecessary ripple effects of COVID-19 still resonate throughout America’s capital city and wokefully ground zero is Arlington National Cemetery. In no way does COVID still make such a prolonged wait for burial justified. It is nothing short of a national disgrace.
We have no issue with packaging multi billions in military aid to Ukraine and thought nothing of bequeathing nearly just as much military hardware to the Taliban in our flight out of Afghanistan – another national disgrace.
Millions pour over our southern border illegally, while we drown in government debt living in a cultural zeitgeist where plenty of folks think nothing of using a $1000 iPhone 14 Pro to check their food stamp balance.
The nation’s capital was like a second home to the Delaware County, Pennsylvania native having done a tour of duty at Marine Corps Headquarters. A favorite D.C. haunt of his was Arlington. Yet, it took 16-months to finally inter Jazz’s ashes among some of the men he served with and those he helped bury while serving with the Corps’ Casualty Notification Unit decades ago.
If Jazz had survived and knew that any veteran had such a long waiting period, he would have been heard. Given the circumstances, he never would have placed himself in a situation to jump the line, either.
Still, with this Memorial Day weekend upon America, we can’t bury some of our veterans in a timely fashion at the nation’s most hallowed and historic burial grounds affording closure for so many families.
There still exists a third of America who takes seriously the nation’s oldest president whose administration is devoid of many things, most of all – wisdom. According to Biden’s recent commencement address at nearby Howard University, America’s greatest threats are not foreign, but domestic. Is it any wonder why on this Memorial Day weekend, the nation is circling the drain of the abyss?
A call to Arlington’s general service number yielded nothing but excuses, namely COVID overkill. What was emphasized was how Arlington conducts approximately 6,400 burials a year averaging 30 per day. Their backlog consists of 4,500 extending the wait to 16 months – now in its third year.
Unanswered in another column from a year ago was when Biden abandoned Afghanistan in record time, why couldn’t he sign another one of his numerous presidential executive orders to expedite laying to rest heroic American veterans in a timely fashion?
Pulling punches is not in the Jasinski DNA as Jazz’s older brother Stan was generous providing solutions saying, “They (Arlington) need to think out of the box by holding larger ceremonies for groups at a time, use special ceremonial units or ROTC for extra manpower to reduce the wait. They have got to stop this ‘is what we have always done mentality.’”
Arlington guards the remains of more than 330,000 immortal souls buried under plain, white granite stones all in formation where every day is Memorial Day, and where waiting lists should be entrusted to the dustbin of history.
Arlington is the priciest of American real estate and is the unabridged narrative of the nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. And my old friend, whose ashes now finally rest here, would stress in no uncertain terms that we need to keep it that way.
Rest easy, Jazz, you are finally home.
Yes, may God please bless Jazz, and all the others who have served this once famous country. Amen
Postscript: I just received some very bad news from a Marine Brother, Sam Garland. Our best friend and brother Marine hero, LtCol Vic Taylor, USMC (Ret) from Steamboat Springs, CO has passed away. We know none of the details at this time. When I get more information, I will pass it along on here. 
An older picture (1959) of Vic as a LCpl
A Day to Remember
Memorial Day. The holiday of holidays is upon us. With all the family get togethers, barbequed dogs, burgers, and cold beer let us not forget what the day is all about. Greg once again gives us a peak into the new America, where everything wrong is now right and vice versus. Of all the things wrong that can be fixed, why not this one? I have a close attachment to Arlington having buried so many brothers in those hallowed grounds during my time at The Barracks. Thank you Greg and may God bless Jazz and his family in hopes they will get closure sooner than later.
Arlington’s Unsightly Reckoning
By: Greg Maresca
Robert Jasinski “Jazz” and Greg Maresca
What was blatantly missing in action during this much anticipated primary polling season was my time-honored conversation with my old Marine Polish paisan, the Jazzman – Robert Jasinski. During his six-decade run on this third post from the sun, he was an avid historian and a political sage who never hesitated to engage with anyone on any topic.
Having been deployed the world over while in the Corps and an avid reader, Jazz was well spoken and quite knowledgeable. For over a generation, before each primary and general election, we would examine and critique the political ticket facing us in Pennsylvania from top to bottom.
In the midst of this primary season, I reached out to his older brother Stan who promptly informed me what candidate his late brother would have supported in the state’s senatorial race, which on the GOP side is still being contested in an extended recount. My intent was to find out when Jazz’s cremains would finally be laid to rest sometime this spring in the nation’s most hallowed burial grounds, Arlington National Cemetery.
Prior to Jazz’s unexpected step into eternity on January 24th, we had planned to visit Washington D.C. later this year. We had been contemplating it for some time. The nation’s capital was like a second home to the Delaware County native having done a tour of duty at Marine Corps Headquarters. A favorite haunt of his was Arlington. I had been on the cusp of Arlington having visited the Iwo Jima Memorial. For whatever reason, that most iconic of World War II monuments was as far as I ever ventured.
It was initially understood that any interment at Arlington, provided you were not recently killed in action, would take between three to four months. This is despite the fact that not every veteran is eligible to be interred there.
After hearing back from the funeral director, Stan told me that the backlog for burial at this national shrine stands more than a year out. In fact, the funeral director said interment of Jazz’s ashes would most likely occur in June 2023, some 17-months after his passing.
Is there a staffing problem?
There is absolutely nothing about the unprecedented backlog on the Arlington website as it is business as usual. A call to their general service number yielded nothing but more of the same. What I did learn was how Arlington conducts approximately 6,400 burials a year. The cemetery averages 30 funerals per day with their backlog consisting of a 4,500 long waiting list extending to a 15-month delay.
This is an astronomical amount and totally uncalled for.
These unelected bureaucrats in the federal government are still in blame mode putting the delays at the feet of the mighty COVID excuse. How long are we going to use COVID as a crutch for every miscue and mistake? We package $40 billion in military aid to Ukraine and bequeathed more than twice as much military hardware to the Taliban in Afghanistan. Yet, with this Memorial Day weekend upon America, we can’t bury some of our veterans in a timely fashion affording closure for so many families.
There are those who believe there are some good members of Congress but can’t figure out what they are good for. Perhaps our polarized Congress can fix this. After all, what is there to disagree about?
Perhaps since Congress has been delegating its authority to the executive branch, it begs the question: where is the Biden administration in all of this? Since Biden got us out of Afghanistan in record time, why can’t he sign another one of his numerous presidential executive orders to expedite laying to rest Americans in a timely fashion?
Too often the unrelenting volley of class warfare, microaggressions, and the pronoun police coupled with department store sales and barbeques drowns out the true meaning of Memorial Day. Some veterans gave all in the line of duty and we honor and remember them today, while others pay daily over a lifetime.
Arlington has the remains of more than 330,000 souls buried under plain, white granite stones all in formation where every day is Memorial Day, and where waiting lists should be entrusted to the dustbin of history.
If you’ve never visited these hallowed grounds, you should. In fact you must. We owe so much to the men and women at rest here. It is absolutely beautiful, especially in the spring when the Cherry blossoms are in bloom. One of the things that impresses everyone is that no matter at what angle you look at the white markers, they are lined up perfectly. It’s a place where you can walk around and “feel” them whispering to you. Please go if you have not.
We Need Him Now!
Dear Friends, I was not going to post today. I was the guest speaker at a ceremony in a community where Nancy and I used to have place to stay as snowbirds. Kind of took it out of me. I told the story of Cpl Gary Wayne Olson, Chapter 34 in my book. Telling the whole story required setting the stage which really was quite emotional for me. But I got through it and they all seemed to enjoy it. I saw a few wet eyes as I talked. I know I had to pause now again my self., especially when reading his poem in his own hand writing.
Anyway, as I said I wasn’t going to post today as emails were flying all over cyber space yesterday and today and I just wanted to relax and have some Scotch, read them, and reply. But then I received one with an attachment that I am certain you all have seen several times. The emailer, Richard, a fellow Marine with whom I have served said. “America needs this.” I knew what it was but still watched it — TWICE. Richard you were correct, America really does need this today, and we need someone just like him.
How he was able to give that talk from the heart and not have wet eyes is beyond me. Watch it if even if you’ve seen it, then pray we will find someone to like him to bring us out of this awful mess we are in. God bless you, God bless the United States of America, and God bless the 1.1 million Americans who gave it all, and are probably rolling over in their graves screaming at us wanting to know how did we allow this to happen.
