Pets Banned at Arlington Cemetery

Following on the heels of tightening automobile traffic and banning bicycles, pets are no longer permitted to accompany visitors to Arlington National Cemetery. Some neighboring dog owners had used the cemetery grounds for exercise outings. Pets have “impacted the decorum” of funerals services and ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, according to an Army spokesman. “It has been deemed necessary to alleviate these impacts and continue to provide the type of respect and contemplative space” sought for all visitors. The policy does not pertain to service animals or military working dogs.

New VA Legacy Program

Veterans Affairs has established a legacy program to memorialize veterans’ service and sacrifice through public educational programming. It uses resources found in VA national cemeteries, soldiers’ lots and monument sites. VA national cemeteries at Beaufort, S.C. and Riverside, Calif., were the first to open the program. Plans call for online educational products and programs to be developed for all VA cemeteries. VA also formed a partnership with the American Battle Monuments Commission to co-sponsor a workshop for educators to conduct research at its overseas cemeteries. More than four million Americans, including veterans of every war and conflict, are buried in the VA’s 133 national cemeteries. For more information about the history of VA national cemeteries, visit www.cem.va.gov/history.

TRICARE Addresses Care for Bullying

Keep lines of communication open if your child feels comfortable talking about troubles with other children during lunch, recess or on the bus. Sometimes your child may not feel comfortable talking to you and may feel more at ease talking to a therapist. When children are bullied, they may feel hopeless or could engage in self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves or becoming suicidal. If your child is having trouble with bullies, there are resources available to help. TRICARE has reduced outpatient co-payments it previously had on mental health care to reduce barriers for needed care. Some of the covered treatments include individual and family therapies. Learn more at www.tricare.mil/mentalhealthcare.

The Retiree Activities Office is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please consider joining the volunteer staff. Visit the office in Building 1604 at California and Colorado Avenues or call 301 981-2726. Call to ensure a volunteer is on duty. The RAO website is www.andrews.af.mil.