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Funding sought to secure new Veterans Cemetery
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Posted on Nov 13 2006
The Military Veterans Affairs Office is hoping to acquire more funds for the security of the newly opened CNMI Veterans Cemetery in Marpi.
MVAO executive officer Martin Sablan said the cemetery is prone to vandals, citing the incident that occurred at the site prior to its formal opening last Saturday.
If funds are allocated to the cemetery, Sablan said they would be able to hire security personnel to man and guard the “sacred place.” He added that the cemetery is right now vulnerable.
“It’s a shrine now. We need to protect it,” he said.
Over 200 community members and off-island visitors gathered in Marpi Saturday morning to witness the grand opening of the highly anticipated final resting place for war veterans in the CNMI.
Sablan and his deputy, Ruth Coleman, welcomed hundreds of guests to the ceremony. Sablan said during his brief speech that war veterans deserve such a beautiful resting place.
“Now the family of veterans have a resting area for their brave loved ones,” he said.
[B]Mayor’s support[/B]Sablan said the Saipan Mayor’s Office has expressed its willingness to help with activities at the Veterans Cemetery. He said Mayor Juan B. Tudela had told him that his office would help in the “opening and closing” at the cemetery whenever a veteran is interred. “The mayor is willing to help.”
He said that families of veterans have the option whether to take their loved ones to the cemetery or to keep them where they are currently interred. He earlier said the cemetery still needs some finishing touches but the 216 marked gravesites are now ready for use.
He said all that family members have to do is provide the MVAO with the documents necessary to avail of a spot in the cemetery. “Family members can call us now.”
Scott Gebhardtsbauer, Department of Veterans Affairs Cemetery Grants Program director, also spoke during Saturday’s event. Gebhardtsbauer said the $1.7 million cemetery would honor the sons and daughters “of this island that served the country” for peace, liberty, freedom and justice.
