Linda, I hope you can get the marker changed. Here's my experience with the VA and a government headstone: In early 2001 a headstone was placed in our city cemetery with this information: Col. William H. Righter, 15th MO Cav., CSA. I queried VA by e-mail asking them to verify they provided the stone, who applied for it, when was it authorized and what would have to be provided for the stone to be authorized.

The VA replied that they had authorized it based on an application submitted by Jerry Ponder of Mason,TX and shipped it on ll/14/97. They also said "The applicant would have furnished a copy of the decedent's military record which would have shown his company and organization." I replied that we had no information confirming Righter's service and that his three obituaries only indicated that he was a southern sympathizer. Therefore we would like a copy of his service record.

The response from program specialist Don Murphy said in part: "We made the best determination we could at that time based on the application form and statement submitted to our office by Mr. Ponder. It is difficult for me to determine what supporting documentation, if any, was provided at that time. Our archived records only include the application form. Although this response does not provide an answer to your inquiry, I have no reason to doubt the decision we made in 1997 to approve this request."