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Petition Tag - arlington
1. Allow us to install security fencing at Arlington Soccer Fields 
Ed Austin Regional Park offers affordable recreational soccer for children. The fields are experiencing abuse, animal waste, vandalism and motor vehicles drive across them at will.
The soccer club has generously offered a gift to the City to pay for all the expenses to add fencing around the playing fields.
We need your signature to persuade the City of Jacksonville to allow the club to erect the fencing. Again, at no cost or labor to the city.
2. Allow American Flatbread Patio/Outdoor Seating
The original Retail and Attraction Plan for the Zoso mixed use project called for, "support amenities, shopping opportunities and personal services to Zoso residents and to their Clarendon neighbors."
Specifically, the plan stated that the American Flatbread space would offer,"café style outdoor seating."
3. Save Barrett Elementary Programs
Arlington Public Schools (APS) are facing severe budget cuts, and its exemplary projects are at risk of elimination. K.W. Barrett Elementary School is fortunate to have two Exemplary Projects: Project Interaction and Project Discovery.
Project Interaction includes a Family Involvement component that seeks to integrate student’s families in the educational process, particularly immigrant families who do not speak English in the home. It also includes a Communication Arts/TV Studio component that permeates throughout the school in many different ways. The results of this very successful program are that Barrett is a cohesive community with families from all backgrounds who volunteer frequently and are involved in the school and surrounding community.
Project Discovery is at the heart of our science curriculum and makes Barrett the “other” science-focused school in Arlington. The Discovery Lab is a vibrant physical space where students go to learn about a myriad of topics through videoconferences, hands-on engineering projects, and visits from experts. The Project Discovery teachers are award-winning and incredibly dedicated – they know how to make science education fun and engaging for elementary students.
4. Change Arlington Cemetery Burial Honors (Enlisted vs. Officer)
Arlington National Cemetery Burial Honors (Enlisted vs. Officer)
The difference between a Full and Standard Honor Funeral is dramatic, however, unless you have worked at Arlington, you would never know the difference. In fact, the only way an Enlisted Service Member can receive a Full Honor Funeral is to be a Medal of Honor Recipient, which are usually awarded well after burial, meaning a Enlisted Medal of Honor Recipient wouldn’t receive Full Honors at time of burial.
Basically, a Full Honors at Arlington consists of a Horse Drawn Caisson transfer from Chapel to gravesite, 8 pallbearers, Army Band, 1-2 escort marching Platoons, Cannon Salutes for General Officers, “Cap Rider-less Horse(0-6 and above), firing party, bugler and a Chaplin. A Standard Honors Funeral consists of a hearse transfer, 6 pallbearers, firing party, bugler, and a Chaplin. Another misconception is that E-9’s receive Full Honors as stated in Army Regulation 600-25, however, they don’t, in addition to the Standard Honors rendered above, they get the Caisson, 1 escort marching platoon, and a drummer, which contradicts what Army Regulation 600-25 states they will receive the band.
I might add, the above Special Officer Honors rendered at Arlington, are not offered at any other National Cemetery in the United States. I feel Arlington Honors should mirror the rest of the National Cemeteries.
For the last year, I have addressed this with the President, multiple Congressman and Senators, multiple Veteran Organizations of which I am a member of, and Army Offices in Washington D.C., but have received little to no response back. The ANC Superintendent sent me a response stating that he agreed with my position, however, he believed changes would be difficult to implement. I have talked to numerous Senior Officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers as well who support this and are addressing this in their own direction.
The bottom line is this, a 2nd Lieutenant can die in a car accident 2 days after graduating Officer Candidate School and get a Full Honor Funeral, while a Master Sergeant in the Army, Air Force, Marine Corp, or Navy with 22 years of Service can die in Combat in Afghanistan or Iraq, receive a Silver Star for Valor, and receive a Standard Honor Funeral. This is flat out disgraceful. In a place our Nation considers to be the most hallowed ground in America, a place that demands our respect, I think this issue deserves to be looked at. Honors rendered should be equal, based off actions, not just rank. A panel should decide official criteria for Honors rendered based off individual careers, and circumstances of death, not just by rank. I think the Funerals should be like the Tomb Stones in Arlington, all the same. At a minimum, all Active Duty Soldiers’ killed in Combat should receive a Full Honor Funeral.
Official criteria needs to be re-looked at is the bottom line, this disgraceful discrepancy has been passed over as “customs and courtesies” too long.
Anyone wishing to assist my efforts please sign this petition which I will be submitting to applicable parties in Washington D.C., so please forward this to all Veterans you know asap. The only way this will be changed is through legislation, so please contact your Representatives'.
SFC Robert Allen Durbin
Taji, Iraq
5. Security Patrolling for Arlington Manor parking lot
We the tenants of Arlington Manor have been victims of theft or damages to our vehicles.
We have reported these thefts and damage to the management staff, police and our insurance companies.
6. No Tougher Smoking Laws In Arlington
The city council should not toughen smoking laws.
Smokers have just as much right to eat out as non-smokers do.
7. Disagreement with Moving Taylor ES Families!
A response to the school boundary revision decided 20 January 2005.
8. Establish Parallel Parking Spots at UAHS
For many years, those students at Upper Arlington High School that lack the privilege of owning a parking spot have been faced with the plight of parking on the street. There are too many student-drivers to fit everyone within the two blocks next to the high school, especially when the vast majority of these drivers park four or five feet from the next car, wasting valuable space.
We - the students, faculty, and surrounding residents of Upper Arlington High School - wish to end this lack of organization before we start into the new-year. There would be no better way to start 2004 than by lowering the rate that students are tardy, unblocking the resident's driveways, cutting the number of parking tickets, and stopping all parking in apartment visitor spots.
With your permission, we wish to better this city's high school by painting parallel parking spots down both sides of Brandon and Mt. Holyoke Roads, similar to those flanking Northam Park on Ridgeview and Northam Roads.
9. Investigate Arlington County Police Department
Arlington County Police Chiefs Steve Holl and Rebecca Gaffney are misrepresenting the Badge of Valor Awards by using them to promote cronyism within the Department and are issuing awards based on friendship, not truth. Awards should not be issued based on retirement, rank or friendship.