This Memorial Day, many soldiers in the United States Armed Forces killed in action over the past year already have their plaques, markers, and headstones inscribed with their emblems of belief in place at their final resting places.

However, this is not the case for Sgt. Patrick Stewart whose memorial is currently a blank space on the Memorial Wall of Heroes at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

Sgt. Stewart is Wiccan and his emblem of belief is the Pentacle. Sgt. Stewart's place of honor has been denied him due to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) stonewalling the approval of the Pentacle for inscription on his plaque. The Department of Veterans Affairs has the capability of approving the emblem of Patrick's religion and expediting plaque production as it has done in the past for those of other religions.

Patrick Stewart deserves to have his emblem of belief on his plaque in time for Memorial Day 2006. His grieving widow and family have the right to expect their need for closure will be met.

We hope that the VA will finally finish approving the addition of the Pentacle to its National Cemetery Administration (NCA) list of emblems of belief that can be inscribed on VA memorial markers, plaques, and headstones for deceased veterans. We still hope that approval can come in time to actually have the plaque with Pentacle produced and installed in time for this Memorial Day.

Why the VA needs to approve the Pentacle NOW:

The US Department of Veterans Affairs has had plenty of time to research, consider, and approve the Pentacle as the Wiccan emblem of belief -- it has been nearly 9 years since various denominations of the Wiccan religion have made this request. Required material has been provided under 3 different sets of protocols and procedures.

At least 6 other emblems of belief for other religious organizations have been approved by the VA and added to the NCA list since the first request to have the Pentacle added was made in 1997.

(2) The VA can expedite approval when it wants to

In 2004, it only took 2 days between the approval of the Sikh symbol by the Director of Memorial Programs Service and the approval by the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs. However, it has been more than 2 months since Circle Sanctuary's most recent application for Pentacle approval left the Memorial Programs Service office, despite repeated appeals for the process to be expedited.

(3) There are other deceased veterans also awaiting Pentacle approval

Military service of other deceased Wiccan veterans awaiting NCA Pentacle approval spans more than 60 years. The deceased include a decorated World War II veteran from Maryland buried in Arlington National Cemetery, a Korean War veteran from Utah interred in our church cemetery, a Vietnam War veteran from Ohio soon to be interred in our church cemetery, a soldier killed in Iraq, and others.

Rosemary Kooiman, widow of Abraham Kooiman, the World War II veteran buried in Arlington National Cemetery, accepted a headstone for him without the Pentacle as an "interim" measure 3 years ago. She died in March of this year with the Pentacle still not approved. Others are buried in Arlington National Cemetery without the Pentacle, their emblem of belief. This is why Roberta Stewart will not accept an "interim" plaque without the Pentacle from the VA, despite their repeated attempts to get her to accept this.

(4) The VA has everything it needs to make a decision

VA officials have stated that they have everything they need to make a decision. Under Secretary Tuerk, head of the VA's National Cemetery Administration, has confirmed this directly with Rev. Selena Fox, Senior Minister of Circle Sanctuary, during their March 29 meeting in his office at VA headquarters in Washington, DC and in a follow-up phone meeting on April 17.

(5) The Wiccan religion is already federally recognized & accommodated

The Wiccan religion has been federally recognized and accommodated along with other world religions for over thirty years. Other branches of the federal government which have already given the Wiccan religion equal treatment with other religions include:

* US Department of Defense and all branches of the US military (Wiccan on dogtags, wearing of Pentacle as religious jewelry, religious services & groups on military installations, section in Army Chaplains Handbook)

* US Department of Treasury IRS 501(c)(3) church status (numerous Wiccan churches and denominations have been granted this status)

* US Postal Service (non-profit organization bulk mailing permits)

* US Department of Justice Bureau of Prisons (instructions to chaplains on religious accommodation of the Pentacle and the Wiccan religion and other forms of Nature religion/Paganism are included in the BOP's TRM/Technical Reference Manual)

* US Federal Courts - the Wiccan religion has been consistently upheld in various court cases as a religion that must be accommodated under the law.

There is no one head of the Wiccan religion any more than there is one person who is the head of all Christianity or of all Native American, Sikh, Muslim, or Jewish religions. Christianity has heads of its various denominations. The Wiccan religion has heads of its various denominations.

Major denominations of the Wiccan religion wish to have the Pentacle approved as the Wiccan emblem of belief.

The Wiccan religion is a world religion. Wiccans and those of other Nature/Pagan religions have participated and had representation at major international interfaith and spirituality conferences and in international interfaith organizations for more than twenty-five years.

The Pentacle is an ancient sacred symbol. It is well established in practice and in academic and popular literature as the emblem of belief of the Wiccan religion. It is time that it take its place along with the emblems of belief of other religions.

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