[url]http://www.rockportpilot.com/articles/2009/10/07/news/doc4acbb7424714d455065684.txt[/URL]
Organization pushing for universally-recognized flag
Patti McLead, mother of Army Sgt. Garrett Ian McLead, wants everyone to get behind a Congressional Bill to support a universally-recognized flag in honor of those who served but did not return. Photo by NORMA MARTINEZ
By: NORMA MARTINEZ, Managing Editor
Published: Wednesday, October 7, 2009 12:25 AM CDT
The Honor and Remember organization has launched a national campaign to establish a universally-recognized flag to acknowledge the military service of those who never made it home. One local mom has joined that drive, and has already acquired an Honor and Remember flag personalized with the name of her son - Sgt. Garrett Ian McLead.
The young man was a Rockport-Fulton High School 2002 graduate and one of 14 U.S. soldiers killed Aug. 22, 2007 when a Black Hawk helicopter crashed in northern Iraq. His parents are Patrick and Patti McLead of Aransas Pass.
Patti proudly displayed her flag, personalized with Garrett’s name and the date he was killed.
She is urging everyone to sign the petition by the Honor and Remember organization and urge the passing of Congressional Bill H.R. 1034.
The petition states, “In the more than 200 years of our nation’s history there has never been an officially recognized symbol that reminds us daily of the sacrifices made by members of our military and the lives lost in service to our country. We propose the Honor and Remember Flag as a national emblem for that purpose.
“To: The Department of Defense, The United States Congress, Office of the President of the United States of America
“We, the undersigned, representing military institutions and associations, civic and service organizations, businesses and individual citizens, are in favor of the drafting and adoption of a bill that establishes the ‘Honor and Remember Flag’ as an official flag of the United States of America. The flag shall recognize ALL military individuals from all wars or conflicts involving the United States who died while serving since our nation’s inception. Not only killed in action, but also killed while serving. This flag will stand as a symbol of national gratitude for the hundreds of thousands of American men and women who bravely made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the freedoms we enjoy. The flag will also help to bring closure for the thousands of families crying out for remembrance of a lost loved one and it will be a nationally recognized reminder to all Americans of the importance of each individual life lost.
The flag would be congressionally and militarily sanctioned as a permanent symbol to fly continuously in eternal honor and remembrance of all fallen military service men and women. We Support the current Congressional Bill H.R. 1034.”
The idea of the flag originated from a man whose son was killed in Iraq. On Dec. 29, 2005, George Anthony Lutz II (Tony) was killed by a sniper’s bullet while he was on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq. In the months that followed Tony’s funeral, his father, George, visited other families who had lost loved ones in the Iraq war. He began to sense he had joined the ranks of a unique fellowship. These families were only the latest additions to a group which originated with the American Revolution, when the first soldiers to shed their blood for freedom gave their lives.
George found another commonality among the families of fallen soldiers. After their grief had transitioned to numbness and finally to acceptance, many families wanted to know two things: their sacrifice was not in vain and the nation would never forget. These concerns led George on a quest to discover if there was a universally-recognized symbol that specifically acknowledges the American service men and women who never made it home. To his surprise, he found nothing. Thus the Honor and Remember Flag was conceived.
The Honor and Remember Flag’s design is distinctive, yet simple. Each detail on the flag symbolizes an important part of the overall meaning of the flag’s message.
The Red Field represents the blood spilled by brave men and women in America’s military throughout our history, who willingly gave their lives so we all would remain free.
The Blue Star represents active service in military conflict. This symbol originated with World War I, but on this flag it signifies service in all wars from the American Revolution to present day.
The White Border surrounding the gold star recognizes the purity of sacrifice. There is no greater price an American can pay than to give his or her life in service to our country.
The Gold Star signifies the ultimate sacrifice of a warrior in active service who will not return home. Gold reflects the value of the life that was given.
The Folded Flag signifies the final tribute to an individual life a family sacrificed and gave to the nation.
The Flame is an eternal reminder of the spirit that has departed this life yet burns on in the memory of all who knew and loved the fallen hero.
Anyone who wishes to help “get the flag flying” should visit [url]www.honorandremember.org[/URL] and sign the petition, contact your two U.S. senators and your U.S. representative and ask for their support of Bill H.R. 1034, fly the Honor and Remember flag as part of your family’s tradition, and any support you can provide to help with the many expenses involved is also appreciated.
In addition, a unique feature of the Flag design is the option to personalize it, to actually carry the name of a friend or loved one as part of its structure.
It is an essential goal of the organization to place a personalized flag in the hands of the immediate families of every man or woman who died in military service to America.
Anyone wishing to contribute may send donations to Honor and Remember Inc., P.O. Box 16834, Chesapeake, VA 23328-6834.
Over the years, many soldiers from Aransas County have been killed in conflicts, but those which have occurred in recent years are:
Navy Fireman Gary G. Swenchonis, 26, Oct. 12, 2000.
USMC Lcpl. Matthew W. Holloway, 21, Jan. 13, 2005.
Army Cpl. Jason Brent Daniel, 21, April 23, 2006.
USMC Sgt. Jonathan J. Simpson, 25, Oct. 14, 2006.
U.S. Army Sgt. Garrett Ian McLead, 23, Aug. 22, 2007.
Patti noted, “You really have to celebrate your freedom, because freedom is not free.”
As she urges the community to support this flag drive, she said simply, “Don’t forget them.”
Organization pushing for universally-recognized flag
By: NORMA MARTINEZ, Managing Editor
Published: Wednesday, October 7, 2009 12:25 AM CDT
The Honor and Remember organization has launched a national campaign to establish a universally-recognized flag to acknowledge the military service of those who never made it home. One local mom has joined that drive, and has already acquired an Honor and Remember flag personalized with the name of her son - Sgt. Garrett Ian McLead.
The young man was a Rockport-Fulton High School 2002 graduate and one of 14 U.S. soldiers killed Aug. 22, 2007 when a Black Hawk helicopter crashed in northern Iraq. His parents are Patrick and Patti McLead of Aransas Pass.
Patti proudly displayed her flag, personalized with Garrett’s name and the date he was killed.
She is urging everyone to sign the petition by the Honor and Remember organization and urge the passing of Congressional Bill H.R. 1034.
The petition states, “In the more than 200 years of our nation’s history there has never been an officially recognized symbol that reminds us daily of the sacrifices made by members of our military and the lives lost in service to our country. We propose the Honor and Remember Flag as a national emblem for that purpose.
“To: The Department of Defense, The United States Congress, Office of the President of the United States of America
“We, the undersigned, representing military institutions and associations, civic and service organizations, businesses and individual citizens, are in favor of the drafting and adoption of a bill that establishes the ‘Honor and Remember Flag’ as an official flag of the United States of America. The flag shall recognize ALL military individuals from all wars or conflicts involving the United States who died while serving since our nation’s inception. Not only killed in action, but also killed while serving. This flag will stand as a symbol of national gratitude for the hundreds of thousands of American men and women who bravely made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the freedoms we enjoy. The flag will also help to bring closure for the thousands of families crying out for remembrance of a lost loved one and it will be a nationally recognized reminder to all Americans of the importance of each individual life lost.
The flag would be congressionally and militarily sanctioned as a permanent symbol to fly continuously in eternal honor and remembrance of all fallen military service men and women. We Support the current Congressional Bill H.R. 1034.”
The idea of the flag originated from a man whose son was killed in Iraq. On Dec. 29, 2005, George Anthony Lutz II (Tony) was killed by a sniper’s bullet while he was on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq. In the months that followed Tony’s funeral, his father, George, visited other families who had lost loved ones in the Iraq war. He began to sense he had joined the ranks of a unique fellowship. These families were only the latest additions to a group which originated with the American Revolution, when the first soldiers to shed their blood for freedom gave their lives.
George found another commonality among the families of fallen soldiers. After their grief had transitioned to numbness and finally to acceptance, many families wanted to know two things: their sacrifice was not in vain and the nation would never forget. These concerns led George on a quest to discover if there was a universally-recognized symbol that specifically acknowledges the American service men and women who never made it home. To his surprise, he found nothing. Thus the Honor and Remember Flag was conceived.
The Honor and Remember Flag’s design is distinctive, yet simple. Each detail on the flag symbolizes an important part of the overall meaning of the flag’s message.
The Red Field represents the blood spilled by brave men and women in America’s military throughout our history, who willingly gave their lives so we all would remain free.
The Blue Star represents active service in military conflict. This symbol originated with World War I, but on this flag it signifies service in all wars from the American Revolution to present day.
The White Border surrounding the gold star recognizes the purity of sacrifice. There is no greater price an American can pay than to give his or her life in service to our country.
The Gold Star signifies the ultimate sacrifice of a warrior in active service who will not return home. Gold reflects the value of the life that was given.
The Folded Flag signifies the final tribute to an individual life a family sacrificed and gave to the nation.
The Flame is an eternal reminder of the spirit that has departed this life yet burns on in the memory of all who knew and loved the fallen hero.
Anyone who wishes to help “get the flag flying” should visit [url]www.honorandremember.org[/URL] and sign the petition, contact your two U.S. senators and your U.S. representative and ask for their support of Bill H.R. 1034, fly the Honor and Remember flag as part of your family’s tradition, and any support you can provide to help with the many expenses involved is also appreciated.
In addition, a unique feature of the Flag design is the option to personalize it, to actually carry the name of a friend or loved one as part of its structure.
It is an essential goal of the organization to place a personalized flag in the hands of the immediate families of every man or woman who died in military service to America.
Anyone wishing to contribute may send donations to Honor and Remember Inc., P.O. Box 16834, Chesapeake, VA 23328-6834.
Over the years, many soldiers from Aransas County have been killed in conflicts, but those which have occurred in recent years are:
Navy Fireman Gary G. Swenchonis, 26, Oct. 12, 2000.
USMC Lcpl. Matthew W. Holloway, 21, Jan. 13, 2005.
Army Cpl. Jason Brent Daniel, 21, April 23, 2006.
USMC Sgt. Jonathan J. Simpson, 25, Oct. 14, 2006.
U.S. Army Sgt. Garrett Ian McLead, 23, Aug. 22, 2007.
Patti noted, “You really have to celebrate your freedom, because freedom is not free.”
As she urges the community to support this flag drive, she said simply, “Don’t forget them.”
