One year ago today, US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)-issued veteran
grave markers with Pentacles were dedicated in a public ceremony at Circle
Cemetery, a national Pagan cemetery, located in the heart of Circle
Sanctuary Nature Preserve near Barneveld, Wisconsin.

In observance of Memorial Day this year, we are releasing information
about Pentacle veteran grave markers the VA has issued in the past year
since the Veteran Pentacle Quest victory.

This news was compiled from Freedom of Information Act documents obtained
from the VA by Selena Fox of Circle Sanctuary just prior to Beltane, May
1, 2008. The following is excerpted and adapted from her report, which
will be published in the next issue of CIRCLE magazine, which goes to
press in early June.

VETERAN PENTACLE GRAVE MARKERS ACROSS THE USA

In the year since adding the Pentacle to its list of emblems, the VA has
issued 26 veteran grave markers with Pentacles. Two dozen are for
deceased veterans, and of these, one is for a veteran and his wife. The
other two markers are interfaith with the Pentacle signifying the Wiccan
faith of wives buried with their veteran husbands in federal cemeteries.

SERVICE: Wiccan and Pagan veterans honored by Pentacle grave markers
include those who served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
Their combined range of service has spanned seven decades. The majority
of the markers are for war veterans, including two who served in World War
II, three who served in the Korean War, and seven who served in the
Vietnam War.

WAR DEATHS: Some of the markers are for those who have died in 21st
century wars. In addition to Sgt. Stewart, a Desert Storm veteran who was
killed in action in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and whose
widow, Roberta Stewart, spoke out publicly as part of the Veteran Pentacle
Quest, there are markers for six troops who were killed in Iraq as part of
Operation Iraqi Freedom, and another for a soldier who had served both in
the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and who died of war-related injuries after
returning home.

CEMETERIES: The 26 Pentacle markers are in 17 cemeteries across the United
States. 16 of the markers are in national cemeteries, five of which are
in Arlington National Cemetery. One is in a state veterans cemetery. Nine
are in private cemeteries, four of which are at Circle Cemetery in
Wisconsin.

STATES: There are VA-issued Pentacle markers in 14 states: California,
Colorado, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York,
North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

On this Memorial Day, we honor the lives and service of Wiccan and other
Pagan veterans who have died.

We give thanks for the Pentacle markers that have been issued by the VA
thus far.

And, we send out the wish that the VA will finally finish revising its
protocols and procedures for adding additional emblems of belief to its
list of those it will include on the veteran grave markers it issues so
that symbols of other branches of Paganism can be included as well as
symbols of other religions.

Liberty and Justice for All.

Circle Times: Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, 2008