Alleged Abuses of Arlington Waivers

There have been a number of press reports indicating that the Clinton Administration has approved waivers for burial at Arlington National Cemetery for those not normally eligible for such burial. Due to the seriousness of these charges, I will be posting here links to the information that I am able to gather. You are then, of course, free to draw your own conclusions.

While I, for one, hope that these charges are not true, I believe that both Arlington and those buried there deserve better and that the American public deserves to know whether this hallowed ground has been sullied by politics. Your support for these efforts would indeed be appreciated.

Updated: 8 April 1998

The Debate Over Arlington Burial Restrictions Continues – April 2, 1999
House Veterans’ Committee News Release – March 24, 1999
House Passes Arlington Burial Restriction Bill – March 23, 1999
Who Deserves An Arlington Burial? Congressman Bob Stump – 9-6-98
Newest Waivers Again Raise The Eligibility Question – August 16, 1998
Congress Wants To Know Why Koop Was Granted A Waiver: 7-6-98
Statement By Congressman Terry Everett, Chairman, Subcommittee On Investigations, Committee on Veterans Affairs
Statement By The White House: 19 November 1997
Is Nothing Sacred? By Paul Rodriguez – (c) Insight Magazine
Clinton Donor The Focus Of Arlington Probe: 21 November 1997
Army Releases Nine Names In Arlington Probe: 21 November 1997
Army Secretary Says Charges Not True. : 21 November 1997
Ambassador’s Burial Being Reviewed: 21 November 1997
White House Denies Burial Charges: 22 November 1997
Complete List Of Arlington Waivers: 22 November 1997
Disclosures Quiet The Furor: 22 November 1997
Press Report Regarding M. Larry Lawrence’s Political Contributions
Defense Secretary Cohen Intervened In Army Burial – 26 November 1997
Defense Secretary Cohen Involved In Burial Dispute: 27 November 1997
Records Lead To Doubt About Lawrence Waiver & Burial: 5 Dec1997
Clinton Granted Waiver To C.Everett Koop – 5 December 1997
Clinton Says Aides Not At Fault In Lawrence Burial Waiver: 6 Dec 1997
Will Ambassador Be Disinterred? – 6 December 1997
‘Hero’ Likely In School Not In War – 6 December 1997
Twisted Plot Over Ambassador’s Burial Continues – 7 December 1997
Widow To Remove Lawrence Body From Arlington: 8 December 1997
Politicians Call For Lawrence’s Removal From Arlington: 8 Dec 1997
Lawrence To Be Moved From Arlington – CNN – 8 December 1997
Envoy’s Wife To Have Body Removed From Arlington: 9 December 1997
GOP Continues To Push Issue Of Ambassador’s Burial: 10 Dec 1997
Panel To Probe Arlington Waivers: 10 December 1997
Finances Were Focus Of Lawrence Investigation: 11 December 1997
Ambassador’s Body Removed From Arlington: 11 December 1997
A Hometown View Of M. Larry Lawrence: 11 December 1997
Lawrence’s Body Moved Quietly: 12 December 1997
The Trouble With Larry: 12 December 1997
Ambassador Removed From Arlington: 12 December 1997
Lawrence Reburied In San Diego: 12 December 1997
Lawrence Body & Stone Removed From Arlington: 12 December 1997
Ambassador Lawrence Disinterred From Arlington: 12 December 1997
State Department Concludes Lawrence Lied About Service: 13 December 1997Letter From Congressman Terry Everett To Secretary William Cohen
Controversy Centers On Eligibility Rules: 23 December 1997
An Overview – Courtesy of Nightline: December 4, 1997
Lawrence’s Widow & The Presidential Sex Scandal: January 1998
Statement By Congressman Terry Everett – January 28, 1998
House Panel Vows To Tighten Arlington Standards – January 29, 1998
Statement By Congressman James E. Clyburn – January 28, 1998
Statement By Eric J. Boswell, State Department – January 28, 1998
Statement By Congressman Bob Stump – January 28, 1998
Statement By Congressman Frank Mascara – 28 January 1998
Statement By Former Arlington Superintendent Raymond Costanzo 1-28-98
Statement By Army Secretary Togo West – January 28, 1998
Statement By Congressman Lane Evans – January 28, 1998
Statement By Norma C. Nicolls, Assistant To M. Larry Lawrence – 1-23-98
GAO Report: Contributions Played No Part In Waivers: January 1998
Access Can Help Get An Arlington Gravesite Says GAO Report: Jan 1998
Statement By John C. Metzler, Jr. Superintendent of Arlington: 1-29-98
Congressman’s Statement Re: C. Everett Koop – 2 February 1998
Statement By Richard L.Hembra, Health, Education & Human Services:2-98
Surgeon General Koop Gives Up Arlington Burial – February 5, 1998
Surgeon General Gives Up Arlington Burial – More News – Feb 5, 1998
Justice Department Probing Lawrence Appointment – February 5, 1998
Congress Proposes New Regulations For Burial: 12 February 1998
Congress Proposes Arlington Restrictions – February 19, 1998
Army: New Regulations Too Restrictive – February 24, 1998
New Regulations Clear Congressional Panel – 5 March 1998
Widow Sues Columnist – March 5, 1998
House Approves New Arlington Burial Rules: 25 March 1998
General Accounting Office (GAO) Review Of Arlington Burial Waivers
M. Larry Lawrence Funeral Service In California – January 1996

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard