An Alabama senator says the Army hasn't done enough to improve the conditions of the horses in the service's Old Guard Caisson Platoon following the death of two of the animals within four days and reports of mistreatment.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican, said his staff discovered during a visit last month that a lack of space and proper sanitation continues to be a problem for the horses, which escort the caskets of fallen service members and veterans to plots in Arlington National Cemetery.
The Army said it has spent almost $2.5 million since March on improvements for the 60 horses it keeps at Fort Myer-Henderson Hall and Fort Belvoir, Virginia, but is still looking to “implement solutions” for expanding the lots and pastures. CNN reported in April that the horses were living in tiny lots filled with detritus, eating low-quality hay and were inundated with parasites.
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“It's a sacred duty; it's a no-fail mission,” said Tuberville, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “We've got to do better for young men and women performing these burials. They deserve a lot better. The horses, obviously, deserve a lot better.”
Tuberville told Military.com that his staff toured the Old Guard facilities on May 20, three months after veterinarians with the Army's Public Health Command-Atlantic inspected the caisson area following the…
