ARLINGTON, Va. - A historic ceremony was held inside Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Amphitheater Chapel, March 27.
An ANC Uniformed Public Safety Division badge ceremony awarded shields and credentials to Capt. Marieo Foster, incoming UPSD chief, and Lt. Daniel Feeman, incoming deputy chief.
Foster and Feeman are the first-ever members of the cemetery's uniformed public safety division and will work in concert with Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall law enforcement, the JBM-HH Fire Department and first responders as full-authority Department of the Army security guards.
To decorate Foster and Freeman, JBM-HH Police Chief William Johnson was invited to the dais by ANC Executive Director Kathryn Condon who assisted in pinning the recipients.
"If it wasn't for the fabulous partnership we have with Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall and your support, this wouldn't have happened," Condon said to Johnson.
After Foster and Feeman took their oaths of office, ANC Emergency Services Director David Beltz issued the new security team their credentials and commented on the significance of wearing the ANC shields. "The badge that is issued today is not just a piece of metal," Beltz said. "The badge is the symbol of authority and it's a public display of a law enforcement officer's acceptance of that responsibility."
The newly sworn-in deputy chief used an economy of words about his feelings and emotions concerning his historic position.
"This means a lot - it's Arlington," Feeman said following the ceremony. "That was my response when I got interviewed. They asked me why I wanted to be here - short and simple - it's Arlington."
Also in attendance representing JBM-HH and to witness the badge ceremony was JBM-HH Fire Department Chief Russell W. Miller, Jr.
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