Her Final Resting Place

by Scott Feldman

Her only child gave his life for his country. And now, Dorine Kenney wants to be buried with her son at Long Island National Cemetery in Pinelawn. Army Spc. Jacob Fletcher was killed in Iraq in 2003. He was just 11 days shy of his 29th birthday. News 12 Long Island has done numerous stories about Dorine. To honor her son's memory, she started the Jacob's Light Foundation. Using the American Legion hall in Brentwood as a base, she has shipped nearly 200,000 pounds of supplies to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world. And then, last Friday, from that same hall, she stood with Congressman Steve Israel of Huntington. He's sponsoring legislation that would enable a parent of a veteran to be buried in a national cemetery with their child if that child had no spouse or children.  Israel told me, "Why shouldn't Dorine have piece of mind knowing that when the time comes she will be with him eternally." Under current law, only a soldier's spouse or minor children can be buried with them. Dorine applied for a waiver, but was told no decision would be made before her death.

Another Gold Star mother was at that news conference. Dawn Esposito is the president of the American Gold Star Mothers North Fork Chapter. She's concerned about a diminishing number of burial plots at national cemeteries in the tri-state area. But Congressman Israel says that space has already been reserved. Esposito also says her chapter feels burying parents at national cemeteries would "detract from the honors of what national cemeteries are designed for."

It's certainly a sensitive issue. But Dorine says,"to know that I would be resting with my son, brings me a lot of comfort." We'll keep you posted how this legislation fares in Congress. In the meantime, for more information about the Jacob's Light Foundation, go to http:/www.jacobsprogram.org