I'd like to ask you all to take the time to sign the following petition on change.org:
https://www.change.org/p/patrick-k-h...rlb%2BCsBKSSyI
It is to support a final decision to allow WASP's (Women Auxiliary Service Pilots) who served during WW2 to be allowed burial at Arlington. While they technically served as "civilians in service to the military" during the war, the members of the WASP were formally recognized as full-fledged veterans in 1977 and the unit received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009. This recognition came about because "Hap" Arnold had always intended for the unit to become a full military unit from its inception. However, this was blocked at the time by Congress as the use of women in this role was seen merely as a "temporary wartime need".
In 2002 the superintendent of Arlington granted WASP's the right to have their ashes interred at Arlington with full military honors and several of them have taken advantage of that. In March, 2015 then-Secretary of the Army John McHugh reversed this decision and barred WASP's from receiving the honor claiming that they were "ineligible".
Of the just over 1,100 WASP's who served, very few are alive today and almost all of those who remain are in their 90's. It is the daughter of a recently deceased WASP who wished to be interred with her fellow veterans that started the petition to help lend weight to legislation currently pending in Congress.
Some recent articles:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local...12d_story.html
Female WWII Pilots Barred From Arlington National Cemetery
96-Year-Old Fights For Women Airforce Service Pilots To Be Buried At Arlington « WCCO | CBS Minnesota
Information on the WASP's:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_...Service_Pilots
WASP Museum
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