Press Releases

This week Representative Walter B. Jones (R-NC) introduced H. R. 6662, legislation to permit media coverage of military commemoration ceremonies and memorial services conducted by the United States Armed Forces for service members who have died on active duty, and the arrival of the remains of fallen service members at military installations in the United States.  Representatives Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD), Solomon Ortiz (D-TX), Ron Paul (R-TX), Ted Poe (R-TX), Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) and Gene Taylor (D-MS) joined Jones as original cosponsors of the bill.

“The Department of Defense (DoD) currently does not permit arrival ceremonies for – or media coverage of – deceased military personnel returning or departing from Ramstein Air Base or Dover Air Force Base,” Congressman Jones said.  “Yet, this ban on media coverage has not always been in place.  In 1985, the media covered a ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base for members of the Armed Forces killed in El Salvador; President Reagan attended the ceremony and pinned Purple Heart medals on the flag-draped caskets.  During the Vietnam War, images of arrival ceremonies and the flag-draped caskets of our service members appeared regularly on television and in newspapers.”

“Throughout the history of our Nation, members of the United States Armed Forces have selflessly given their lives to secure and protect the freedoms Americans enjoy today.  Today, our military is serving our nation in Iraq, Afghanistan and many other parts of the world,” Jones said.  “Without a loved one serving in the military, it is sometimes possible for Americans to overlook the sacrifices that have been made – and continue to be made – by members of the Armed Forces on behalf of our Nation.  By once again permitting access to accredited members of the media at military commemoration ceremonies, memorial services conducted by the Armed Forces, and the arrival of the remains of fallen service members at U.S. military installations, this legislation would honor those who have given their lives in defense of our Nation.”

Although the freedom of the press is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution, the DoD stopped permitting media coverage of the return of the remains of fallen service members in 1991, during the Persian Gulf War.  Since then, several exceptions to the ban on media coverage have been permitted.  In 1996, the media was granted access to Dover Air Force Base to photograph the arrival and transfer ceremony for the remains of Commerce Secretary Ron Brown and 32 other Americans killed when their plane crashed in Croatia.  And, in 2002, the media was permitted to photograph the transfer of flag-draped caskets at Ramstein Air Force Base that carried the remains of four U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan.  In 2003, however, the DoD expanded the no-media policy to what it is today by stating: “There will be no arrival ceremonies for, or media coverage of, deceased military personnel returning or departing from Ramstein Air Base or Dover Air Force Base.”