180319M- Reminders from Our Flag

[The Beacon of Honor - Awakens Our Flag nonprofit project has been re-branded as Flag Steward]

Strengthening Our Future by Honoring & Awakening Our Flag

Reminders from Our Flag
for Monday, March 19, 2018

[We recommend you designate each Friday as #FlagDayFriday - a day to take a moment and be thankful for all America offers by performing a pre-Pledge Tribute. But, if #FlagDayFriday doesn't fit within your morning schedule, you're welcome to GO HERE to perform this week's Pre-Pledge Ceremony on any day of the week.]

Across the USA, Our Flag flies at full staff, except in New York and Kentucky.

[ Pictured from NY (left to right) are Staff Sgt. Dashan Briggs, Capt. Andreas O'Keeffe, Capt. Christopher Zanetis, and Master Sgt. Christopher Raguso ... and Fallen Police Officer picture from ODMP.org ]

In New York, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today directed that flags on all state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Monday, March 19 to honor the four New York National Guard members who were killed when a helicopter they were flying crashed in Iraq on Thursday, March 15, 2018.
The four New York Air National Guard members, assigned to the 106th Rescue Wing, were stationed at F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach. The service members were killed, along with three others, when their HH-60 Pave Hawk rescue helicopter crashed near the city of Qaim in Iraq.
Members of the New York National Guard killed in the crash were:
Capt. Christopher Zanetis, from Long Island City
Capt. Andreas O'Keeffe, from Center Moriches
Master Sgt. Christopher Raguso, from Commack
Staff Sgt. Dashan Briggs, from Port Jefferson
The 106th Rescue Wing specializes in air, land and sea rescue of pilots and other military personnel. The 106th Rescue Wing personnel were operating in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the American led coalition operation to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

In Kentucky, Gov. Matt Bevin has proclaimed that U.S. and state flags be flown at half-staff from sunrise on Sunday, March 18 until sunset on Monday, March 19, as a mark of respect for fallen Pikeville Police Department Officer Scotty Hamilton.
Officer Hamilton, a 12-year veteran of the Pikeville Police Department, was killed in the line of duty late Tuesday evening in Pike County.
To learn more about Police Officer Scotty Hamilton and line of duty death, go to his Officer Down Memorial Page - http://odmp.org
[CLICK for more half-staff honoree & states flag info (courtesy of FlagNotify.com)]

Flag Steward - Honors and Awakens Our Flag to Inform and Inspire Patriotic Citizens
with today's 'Military Monday' memory honoring the start of the War in Iraq (2003)

[ = public domain image ]

On this 'Military Monday', we recall the start of the War in Iraq (2003), AKA Operation Iraqi Freedom, on March 19, 2003. Within 21 days of the major offensive, the US-led forces liberated the capital city of Iraq, Baghdad - removing Saddam Hussein and his cruel, dictatorship government. The US-led forces included combatants from the UK, Australia, and Poland.

[ Marines invading palace in Baghdad = public domain image ]

Video about the start of the Iraq War
(could not be embedded)

And, today's quote providing #MondayMotivation ...
... recalls Colin Powell (General who led the Persian Gulf War, then served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of State during the Iraq War), talking about the basics of leadership.

[ = public domain image ]

Thanks for reviewing today's 'Reminders for Our Flag'
- a service from the Flag Steward program

Now go 'Be a good citizen' today by ...
... picking up and disposing of 2 pieces of trash that will help
keep America beautiful !!!

In God We Trust
(Official motto of the United States of America)

#########################
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 Flag Steward nonprofit project, go to http://FlagSteward.org
SF