No one seems to think it's a good idea for the National Park Service to bust a couple of veterans for polishing the brass on the base of the flagpole at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, based on the comments I received on an item I wrote on Monday.
Joe Davis, spokesman for the Veterans for Foreign Wars, told me, "The VFW hopes that this was just a poor judgment call by two law enforcement officers and not the beginning of a new policy to hinder the tremendous outpouring of public support for The Wall."
Sgt. David Schlosser of the National Park Police in Washington suggested that the veterans who have been polishing the brass at the Vietnam Memorial on an ad-hoc basis join in a formal program to assist the National Park Service preservation staff in the maintenance and presentation of the Wall.
"In that capacity, they would be provided with approved products and trained in artisan suggested techniques to best preserve and protect these objects," Schlosser said in an e-mail. He emphasized, "The United States Park Police is always supportive of our active duty and veteran service members. In fact, a large percentage of our force comes from military ranks."
Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense, told me that NPS should "train their staff about volunteer opportunities so our veterans and the public feel encouraged to volunteer. . . . Many veterans and family members believe it is an honor to maintain these historical monuments."
Of course, the brass polishing vets are volunteers, they are just not in a volunteer system. "Military folks tend to do what's needed when it's needed without waiting for a decision derived by committee," Davis of the VFW said.
Evidently the rub with the ad-hoc polishing effort is the fact that the vets are using Brasso in their shining mission to honor their fallen comrades. I hear that the Park Service plans to allow the ad hoc shining to continue, but with Carnauba wax, which is used to polish cars.
Craig Burnett, a chemist with Mother's Polish company said the wax would help, but only after the brass at the base of the flagpole was shined first.
Burnett suggested that the National Park Service in Washington allow the ad-hoc shining team to use his company's Billett metal polish, used in the past by the Pearl Harbor Memorial in Hawaii to polish its brass, as well as the Wyland Galleries, also in Hawaii, to polish brass sculptures.
Burnett said any polish will remove microns of brass any time it is used, but added that polishing will not reduce solid brass to the stage it needs to be replaced "in my lifetime."
I have a feeling the park service is trying to do the right thing, but maybe they should talk to Burnett or another chemist to make sure they select the right polishing stuff. Burnett is an affable guy, and I'm sure he would be delighted to share his knowledge with the park service.
COMMENTS
the goverment has once again missed the point. the "volunteers" polish the flagpole as an act of love respect and dignity. Leave it be. Let them polish. Don't complicate something simple with a bunch of bureaucratic balderdash. If this is organized and made official it will fail. Better, Let the Veterans polish and when the pole and base wear out, buy a new one with the money the NPS saves by NOT trying to control this.
I think it is so great an act that the Marines and other Veterans have taken on, on their own....shine on ... Semper Fi.
Tom Linnertz 09/10/09 10:54 am ET
The comments made by the NPS spokesman are not only lacking sense but, insignificant and disparaging. Since the NPS is not maintaining the brass and the 'volunteers' who generously donated their time and showed the proper respect of those represented by the Memorial is more prudent than the NPS and the volunteers should be lauded and not criticized for their efforts . If it is the NPS' intent to utilize the Carnauba Wax only...then the brass will not be cleaned or shined. In order to do that use of the Carnu-B Metal Shine which car enthusiasts probably use is cost prohibitive @ $12.50 for an 8-ounce bottle, while the Brasso is $20.16 per case. It's a shame that the goodness, graciousness, and self-less acts of some must be micro-managed due to a disparity in thinking. The volunteers are not seeking recognition or notoriety; they are preserving artifacts in honor of those at a site serving testament to military personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice during a war considered as one of the most unpopular of this country.
CAE 06/08/09 11:44 am ET
Marines have been polishing the brass Emblem at the base of flag pole for quite some time. This has been done in respect for those who died in Vietnam and to bust any current or past service members for paying such respect is just plain nuts. It seems that while public sentiment has changed dramatically since Vietnam, there are times I still run into people who look down their noses at us who served in Vietnam. I for one and very proud of our service and would do it again. If these service personnel want to keep the brass shined, then let them do it, I have seen it when it had been shined and it looks great. For all servicemembers past and present, "Thank You" and to my fellow Vietnam Vets,
"WELCOME HOME"!
Richard Tompkins 06/08/09 06:59 am ET
NPS should not take this good deed personal, they should be thanking these 2 men for picking up their slack, or are they(NPS) ashamed for not keeping up a most reverend place for some??
DAV Daughter 06/03/09 10:12 am ET
The military force who died in the Vietnam war should be given respect. To be so worried about a flag pole base in comparison to the Vietman vets who gave the ultimate "their life" is ridiculous. It suprises me that the National Park Service does not have someone who is responsible for polishing the flag pole base at the "Wall".
I admire the two Veterans who took it upon themselves to honor the veterens that are listed on the "Wall". At least the two veterans who polished the flag pole base was honoring those who were killed in battle.
If more people showed that type of loyality to the veterans, both living and the deceased, our country would be stronger, focused and patriotic. It seems that we, as a nation, are concerned when something happens in our country such as "9-11". We are ready to fight for our liberties, but it doesn't seem to last.
Our men and women in the military put their lives on the line daily. We should respect them for their strength, courage, and conviction. May God bless them and the United States of America.
Donna Sanders 06/03/09 06:47 am ET