170630Fri- Flag Ceremony

Good morning, USA!!!
Welcome to today's
Beacon of Honor - Awakens Our Flag Ceremony
for Friday, June 30, 2017

READ THE CEREMONY SCRIPT IN BIG BOLD BELOW
[Note: You're welcome to play 'Armed Forces Medley' in the background to enhance today's ceremony experience]

The 'Beacon of Honor - Awakens Our Flag' ... to Inform and Inspire Citizens

[Image credit: public domain]

TODAY'S FLAG STATUS:

The Beacon of Honor tells us that, across the USA, Our Flag flies at full staff, except in 2 states - South Carolina and Arizona.
Every Saturday, we review and provide details on this past week's half-staff honorees in every state.

Click here to learn more about today's half-staff honorees and
verify the latest flag status for every state (courtesy of FlagNotify.com)

TODAY'S REMINDER FROM OUR FLAG:
<"We the People of the United States, ... , provide for the common defence,">

[image credit: USA Military Medals on Pinterest]

Within some patriotic and military social circles, it has become a tradition to wear R.E.D on Fridays. R.E.D. Fridays are a good way to pay tribute to our military personnel on deployments around the globe. So, wear RED on Friday and take a moment to reflect upon our deployed troops keeping harm away from our homeland.

TODAY'S FALLEN COMBATANT ALERT:
Do we have any fallen combatants / fallen soldiers to honor?
No, but we do have fallen firefighters to rememeber

Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park in Yarnell, Arizona [Image: Courtesy of NBC News video]

Today, Arizona flies Our Flag at half-staff in their state to commemorate the lives of 19 firefighters lost on this date, June 30, 2013. A special forest firefighting team from Prescott, Arizona, known as the 'Granite Mountain Hotshots' was overtaken when the fire near Yarnell changed directions and trapped them. The Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park has now been erected to honor them and the sacrifice they made to protect others and their property.

Photo collage [courtesy of NBC News}

The 19 firefighters we honor are:

Andrew Ashcraft, 29
Robert Caldwell, 23
Travis Carter, 31
Dustin Deford, 24
Christopher MacKenzie, 30
Eric Marsh, 43
Grant McKee, 21
Sean Misner, 26
Scott Norris, 28
Wade Parker, 22
John Percin, 24
Anthony Rose, 23
Jesse Steed, 36
Joe Thurston, 32
Travis Turbyfill, 27
William Warneke, 25
Clayton Whitted, 28
Kevin Woyjeck, 21
Garret Zuppiger, 27

[To watch NBC News' story about these 'Granite Mountain Hotshots', click here.]

via GIPHY

Now, please, stand, place your hand upon your heart,
and make this Pledge of Allegiance (or National Anthem or flag-raising) more meaningful
by honoring Our Flag and all the inspiring stories it tells - like that of the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who died protecting their community.

[No copyright: Image found on ThingLink.com]

Only those Americans who are willing to die for their country are fit to live.
-Douglas MacArthur

Lyrics by Francis Scott Key [Image: No copyright. Found on http://www.wadeburleson.org]

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END OF CEREMONY
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Now, go be a good citizen!!!

... And, here are more music selections to use with your flag ceremony ...

[Cover of U.S. Government Publication]

The U.S. Flag Code:
provides Our Flag's Rules and Regulations

[HIGHLIGHTS OF: The U.S. Flag Code stating how citizens should conduct themselves during this ceremony is below.]

Title 36, Chapter 10 PATRIOTIC CUSTOMS
National anthem; Star-Spangled Banner, conduct during playing:
During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of the anthem and retain this position until the last note. When the flag is not displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed there.
Note: A new law was passed on October 30, 2008 that authorizes veterans and active-duty military not in uniform can now render the military-style hand salute during the playing of the national anthem. This publication is currently being updated to reflect the new law.

Pledge of Allegiance to the flag; manner of delivery:
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.", should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute.

Content Sources & Credits:
Sources: Click here to see our Sources for content research
Credits: Unless otherwise noted here, photos displayed each day are public domain images, pictures by Sean Sweeney, or used by permission.

To learn more about the Beacon of Honor nonprofit project, go to http://BeaconOfHonor.org
SF