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Since its founding in 1974, Circle Sanctuary has provided support to Wiccan and other Pagans in the US military. Circle Sanctuary's worldwide membershp includes veterans as well as those on active duty and in reserves in all branches of the US military. For more than twenty years, through Lady Liberty League, its religious freedom networking ministry, Circle Sanctuary has been working for equal rights for Pagans in the US military as well as in society as a whole.
More about Circle Sanctuary's Military Pagan support
For decades, the US Department of Veterans Affairs has provided deceased veterans with memorial markers, plaques, and headstone grave markers that include an emblem of belief. Veterans can receive these markers regardless of whether or not they are killed in action and wherever they are buried or have their cremains interred. The Christian cross and the Jewish Star of David are the most commonly requested emblems, but the VA has also approved symbols for other religious groups, including Islam, Hindu, and Sikh, and smaller groups such as Eckankar, Baha'i, and Sufi. Even atheism has managed to meet the VA's emblem of belief standards and is permitted the symbol of an atom, with the letter A in the center. There are currently 38 emblems of belief on the VA's list.
However, unlike those of members of these other groups, the headstones, grave markers, and memorial plaques of Wiccans and Pagans on related paths do not yet display their emblem of their belief, a five-pointed star enclosed in a circle, with one point facing skyward. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs and its National Cemetery Administration (NCA) prohibit graphics on government-furnished headstones, markers, and plaques other than those they have approved as emblems of belief.
Aware of the growing need to have Pagan symbols inscribed on veteran markers, on April 8, 2005, Circle Sanctuary applied to the US Department of Veterans Affairs for the addition of the Pentacle to the NCA list of emblems of belief. In a letter from a VA official the following month, we were told that procedures for requesting the addition of an emblem of belief were being revised and that no requests would be granted until new procedures were in place. In November 2005, we received a letter from the VA indicating that new procedures were now in place and details about the new procedures were included. The new procedures required that requests for an addition to the VA's emblem of belief list be part of an application from the next of kin for a deceased veteran requesting a memorial marker, headstone, or plaque.
On November 17, 2005, a long time member of Circle Sanctuary died. He was a Korean War veteran. In December, his widow decided to request a memorial marker with a Pentacle for him. Rev. Selena Fox, senior minister of Circle Sanctuary, worked with her in completing the application for the marker and the request for the Pentacle emblem. Our 24-page application was completed on January 6, 2006 and was received by the VA on January 10, 2006.
Circle Sanctuary, with the support of the Covenant of the Goddess and Sacred Well Congregation, was the first to re-apply for the approval of the Pentacle emblem under the new procedures.
Circle Sanctuary Meets NCA Criteria for adding Pentacle as Emblem of Belief
Aquarian Tabernacle Church, which first applied in 1997, chose to append required additional material to its application, and submitted their additional information in mid January.
Both applications are now being reviewed by the National Cemetery Administration of the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
In February, Circle Sanctuary member Roberta Stewart decided to publicly speak out about her immediate need to get the Pentacle approved so that she could order a memorial plaque for her husband, Sgt. Patrick Stewart, who was killed in action in September 2005 in Afghanistan. Media coverage and other work have moved the approval process along.
On March 2, the VA called Rev. Selena Fox and told her that Circle Sanctuary's application had gone to the next step in the approval process. ATC's application also has gone to the next step.
Despite repeated requests, thus far the VA has not been willing to describe specifics about the approval process or give a timeline.
March 13, 2006 letter to VA asking for this information
March 24, 2006 letter to Secretary of VA requesting approval be expedited
April 18, 2006 reply from Deputy Secretary of VA
May 30, 2006 Letter from Rev. Robert Thompsonto Under Secretary Tuerk
June 5, 2006 Letter from Under Secretary Tuerk to Rev. Thompson indicating yet more new "procedures"
June 7, 2006 letter from AU to VA requesting approval within 30 days (.pdf)
We hope that the Pentacle will be approved soon. The grave of the Korean War veteran who died in November remains unmarked. There continues to be a blank spot on the wall of the Veterans Memorial in Nevada where Sgt. Stewart's plaque will go. And, there is another widow associated with Circle Sanctuary that wants to apply for a marker for her deceased veteran husband. Plus, there are others waiting on this approval, including Pentacles for at least three headstones in Arlington Cemetery.
Please support this quest with prayers and by spreading the word about this need to others you know who may be interested and in a position to help.
Please send blessings of healing and support to the Stewart family. Email words of encouragement to roberta@circlesanctuary.org.
In Liberty,