“For Children of Valor: Arlington National Cemetery”

May 18, 2009 By Claire
Posted in Military News, Spouse and Family

The Arlington National Cemetery Commemorative Project, Inc. released their first book project in 2007, titled “Where Valor Rests” in honor of fallen service members buried in Arlington since 9/11/01. On the heels of that is a new book aimed specifically at the young children who have lost a parent.

Children of Valor: Arlington National Cemetaryis to assist children affected by loss of a close loved one to understand and process their grief. The book will also be a resource guide for parents.  Dr. Stephen Cozza, psychiatrist and expert in child trauma with the Uniformed Service University of Health Sciences is advising and helping author portions of the book.  Renowned Children’s author Linda Tyler is writing the main text, and the book is being illustrated by the talented artist Deborah Withey. Source

An announcement was made today by the Army that the book has been released. Below is the write up of that event:

Excerpt:

ARLINGTON, Va., May 17, 2009 – Generals, congressmen and, in many cases, presidents of the United States have attended military funerals at Arlington National Cemetery here and given their condolences to children who have lost loved ones to war.

But for many of those unfortunate children, it may still be difficult to understand the honor of their loved ones’ sacrifices and what it means for a servicemember to be buried here.

A new book titled “For Children of Valor: Arlington National Cemetery” is dedicated to helping children and families of the fallen buried here to cope with their loss. Five such families, representing the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps were presented with first-edition copies of the book during a May 15 ceremony at the cemetery’s information center.

“This small gift conveys our admiration and our respect by acknowledging the pain and the loss these sacrifices must bring,” said retired Army Maj. Gen. Carl H. McNair, Jr., president and chairman of the Arlington National Cemetery Commemorative Project. “We wanted to provide a gift that captures the honor of Arlington National Cemetery.

“May this gift bring the spirit and fond memories of your family a little closer to home, and may you gain a greater understanding and appreciation of the hallowed grounds on which we stand,” McNair said.

The Arlington National Cemetery Commemorative Project produced the book in conjunction with illustration and photography support from the Washington Post. Dr. Stephen J. Cozza, a retired Army colonel, advised and helped author portions of the book.

Cozza is a psychiatrist and expert in child trauma currently serving as a professor with the Uniformed Service University of Health Sciences, Children’s author Linda Tyler wrote the main text, and artist Deborah Withey illustrated the book.

The 52-page book is filled with somber images of children and families visiting the cemetery, as well as colorful patriotic graphics typical of an elementary school arts-and-craft project. Educational messages and information about Arlington cemetery history appear on the pages. There is also a section of artwork toward the back of the book for children to color in themselves.

During the ceremony, Army Secretary Pete Geren spoke of the sacrifices made by the more than 340,000 American military members buried here since the Revolutionary War as well as the millions of others buried elsewhere throughout the world. He credited the families of the fallen for supporting their military loved ones despite the frightening realities of war. The families are heroes, too, he said.

“Military families are the strength behind our servicemembers,” he said. “The families don’t get medals, but they’re heroes, and these heroes come in all ages and sizes.”

LINK to rest of article

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