The VA in Knoxville has decided to remove a silhouette of a soldier kneeling by a cross after one similar to it was demanded be removed because it was on city property.

The silhouette is commonly used as a memorial to represent fallen soldiers, but recently a person complained about the silhouette at the Freedom Rock Memorial, stating the cross was a religious symbol on public property and therefore violated the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause.

Knoxville Veteran’s Committee organizer Don Zoutte was disappointed with the VA’s decision. He says the cross represents a grave marker for members of the Armed Forces and is not a religious symbol in this context.

While the VA is not on city property, it is on federal property. The silhouette was one of at least three in the Knoxville-area. Aside from the VA and the Freedom Rock Memorial, one is located outside the VFW.

Zoutte says the VA plans to replace the silhouette with one that has a tombstone instead of a cross.

Bart Quick, Chief of Voluntary Service and Community Outreach at the VA in Des Moines tells KNIA/KRLS News that when media attention was drawn to the nearby Freedom Rock silhouette memorial in Knoxville, the VA in Des Moines was made aware of the silhouette memorial on VA property. As they learned more about the memorial, they were told that it was a gift, placed on the grounds around Memorial Day by an anonymous artist. The VA welcomes such gifts, but Quick says protocols must be followed, and the artist must be contacted regarding their wishes for the gift. Given that protocols were not followed in this case, the memorial has been removed until the gift may be given proper attention. Quick says the memorial may be eventually placed back where it was until removed, or it may be placed at a location yet to be determined. The memorial was removed because protocol was not followed, not because of the cross imagery.