WASHINGTON — The more than year-long suspension of horse-drawn caisson funerals at Arlington National Cemetery continues, and their return remains uncertain.
There were up to eight horse-drawn funeral services for senior officers at Arlington National Cemetery per day.
That is, until the Army paused the program when two of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, The Old Guard's Caisson Platoon's, horses died within days of each other, both with gravel and sand in their digestive systems.
The Army ordered an initial 45-day suspension starting in May 2023, which has now stretched to 15 months.
Army leaders offered the Senate Appropriations Committee an update in May, saying it would be "several more months" before operations resume.
"Obviously, the support we provide at Arlington National Cemetery is sacred to us and to all of our veterans, and we're trying to stand up this capability," said General Randy George, Army Chief of Staff.
But now, lawmakers are growing impatient.
Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Jerry Moran and House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost in July fired off a letter to Army Secretary Christine Wormuth.
In it, they complain about the Army's "haphazard and ineffective approach" to solving the problems and note that "over 2,000 veterans could not be buried at ANC with the full military honors they have earned."
They conclude: "Our nation's fallen service members and veterans, and their families, deserve a proper final farewell without further delays."
The lawmakers in their letter demand "full transparency and accountability."
And they call for the Army to provide a detailed plan "to sustainably resume Caisson Platoon operations."