Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery is where some of the men and women killed in Iraq and Afghanistan are laid to rest. I decided to visit this section not only to pay my respects but to find exactly where it is so I could take my groups there. I have been to Arlington thousands of times but I was shocked at the size of this section. It seemed to be thousands of head stones in this section alone. I felt a huge sense of loss. I always felt World War 2 and the Korean War was my parents’ war. I grew up during the Vietnam War and felt the pain of the military men and women who suffered in and out of battle. For some unexplainable reason I feel connected to these young men and women in section 60. When you visit the section the first thing you notice is how young they are. Row by row, one by one, I felt a connection. Maybe it was the stories the Washington Post writes about each military person buried in section 60. Most of the stories are heart wrenching. As I stood looking at the headstones I wondered how many kids would grow up without one of their parents, how many mothers cried when they got the news of their child’s death and how many peoples lives where changed.
Thousands of people visit Arlington National Cemetery every year. Most people visit the Changing of the Guard, President Kennedy grave site and The Lee mansion. If would be great if the same people would visit section 60. I found the experience to be very humbling.
