Widow of Wiccan soldier continues fight for placement of grave symbol

Sgt. Patrick Stewart, a member of the Nevada Army National Guard, died in Afghanistan after the Chinook helicopter he was aboard was shot down in September 2005.

Since that time his widow, Roberta Stewart, has continued her fight with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs through Nevada officials, Sen. Harry Reid and letters written by Stewart and countless supporters. She flew to Washington D.C. for the July 4 holiday to plead her case in person.

Stewart along with family, friends and supporters have been on a quest for the Wiccan symbol, a pentacle, to be recognized by the VA.

Stewart has been requesting the pentacle to be recognized by the VA and placed on the memorial plaque. Currently, a blank space exists where her husband's memorial plaque is supposed to be.

The bronze memorial plaque for the hero's wall in Fernley will remain blank until Stewart's quest is complete and the plaque can have the emblem on it, she said. Sgt. Stewart was accepted to serve in the armed forces and sent to war with the Wiccan religion depicted on his legal papers and his dog tags, said Stewart.

Nearly a year later, his memorial at the Fernley Veterans Memorial Park remains unmarked.

On Father's Day, Stewart, along with her daughter, placed a picture and roses in the holes where her husband's plaque would be. She sent the picture to Reid's office with a message.

"I want you to experience what our Father's Day was like," said Stewart.

She asked Reid to continue supporting her quest and work with her to get this resolved.

Following the letter Stewart sent to Reid's office, she was given an appointment with William Tuerk, undersecretary of memorial affairs for the VA. Reid sent Steven Sidorek, a legislative correspondent, from his office to accompany Stewart during the meeting with the VA.

The meeting was held in Washington D.C. on July 5 after a religious rally on July 4 at Farragut Square, two blocks from the White House.

Stewart along with several others spoke at the rally.

"I had an opportunity to plead my case to the highest authority," said Stewart.

According to the meeting July 5, Tuerk said the rules regarding approved symbols that were revamped in October 2005 need to be changed again.

Stewart was told by Tuerk during the meeting at the VA that general counsel has reviewed the rules and regulations from 2001 and 2005 and they were passed incorrectly, said Stewart.

Stewart suggested that the last rules which were passed correctly be applied this would be from 1995, she said.

Tuerk responded that the VA could not approve it under old rules, but he would present it to general counsel, said Stewart.

The VA has repeatedly offered to place an interim plaque in place of the official plaque until the emblem is granted. However, according to the regulation, once a plaque has been issued, a second one cannot be issued, said Stewart.

"I am not dumb and won't fall for that," she said.

Stewart also served in Korea and Desert Storm. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.

Stewart was laid to rest in the way he wanted, with his ashes scattered in the hills of Reno, said his wife.

The military honored every aspect of the Wiccan faith in a ceremony for the funeral service including a military fly-by from the Nevada National Guard aviation units.

"I requested for the fly-by during the service to have no more than 11 crew members," said Stewart. "That was Patrick's number."

Currently there are 38 symbols recognized by the VA. The pentacle is not one. The Muslim religion has a similar symbol, a nearly solid five-pointed star, encompassed by a circle and is recognized by the VA. The atheist's symbol is also a recognized symbol, according to the approved list.

"This quest has brought together people from many different religions," said Stewart.

"Our family hasn't even begun to grieve," said Stewart. "I fight the quest every single day."

"He was truly a warrior," she said. "He fought for the freedoms all Americans are entitled to."

Stewart said she will continue to fight until the application for the symbol is approved by the VA and she can place the plaque over the empty hole.

"I have received support from entire countries, except my own VA," said Stewart. "I have the support of Nevada officials, the Army National Guard, Sen. Reid's office and countless others," said Stewart.

"The VA has elected not to hold themselves to the same standards they hold the soldiers to," said retired Sgt. First Class Jim McNeill, a soldier who served in Stewart's unit.

"It's shameful when a government agency can disregard the Constitution that every soldier is fighting for," said McNeill.

No one has received response from the VA on the issue, including Reid's office, said Stewart.

Nevada VA officials declined comment, directing the LVN to call the representative in Washington. The VA representative there was unavailable for comment.

Stewart said many supporters, including Sgt. Stewart's, mother have written letters to President Bush.

"Those letters have been unanswered as well," said Stewart.

Stewart has urged anyone interested in helping her cause to call, write or e-mail the VA and their legislators.

Stewart said the next step to consider would be litigation for Patrick's constitutional right for freedom of religion.

"No decision has been made at this time," she said.

Viktoria Pearson can be contacted at vpearson@lahontanvalleynews.com