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Show Veterans Express Concerns for Tattered Flags Has a tattered flag become a symbol of our attitude towards our country? a- by Geri Taylor On a homemade flagpole made from a stripped and painted lodge pole pine, Robert Rob-ert Monson of Manila proudly proud-ly flew the American Flag year after year, making sure it was properly displayed. His patriotism was not only verbalized, but lived, thus his example touched the lives of family, friends and community. commu-nity. The flag draping his coffin cof-fin was a fitting final symbol of the service he had given to the country he loved and the constitution he revered. He was a true patriot and would have defended the flag with his life, a flag he both reverenced rever-enced and honored. Sadly, I have noticed a lack of protocol for Old Glory, Glo-ry, most obviously of tattered flags flapping in the wind. Can some of the disturbing trends in our nation be linked to a disrespect for the emblem em-blem of the greatest nation on earth? It may only be a symptom, but if we do not understand and revere what the flag means, we may one day find ourselves serving under the flag of tyranny. As Veterans Day nears, it seems appropriate to hear what those who have served in the armed forces have to say about the flag and what it means to them. Just as WWII was ending, end-ing, Paul Warner enlisted and was sent to occupied Japan to guard war criminals and while he didn't see combat, he observed what war had done to a once proud people. His many travels abroad have helped him realize the great freedoms we enjoy in America Amer-ica and that as the symbol of this country, the flag represents rep-resents not only those freedoms, free-doms, but the unity we share as one nation or one unified family. When Fred Levin immigrated immi-grated to America from Germany Ger-many in 1955, he was told he would automatically become a citizen by volunteering to serve in the American Forces for three years. One perk of enlisting was choosing where he would serve, which happily hap-pily for him was Germany. While there he met and married mar-ried Trudi, who eagerly followed fol-lowed him to their new home in the United States. It was during this tour that Fred found out he not only hadn't become an automatic au-tomatic citizen, but he was a German serving in the U.S. Armed Forces as an interpreter inter-preter on highly classified information. When the error was realized, Fred was quickly quick-ly reassigned and informed he would have to wait the five years to be naturalized. Though a disappointment, it certainly wasn't a deterrent to becoming a citizen. To Fred and Trudi Levin the flag represents freedom, the opportunity to become successful in life and the right to vote and express an opinion. Seeing the apathy toward these freedoms, they are vigilant in educating and promoting the value of having hav-ing a voice rather than someone some-one speaking for them. They are not ashamed to openly shed tears when they see the flag waving in the wind or as they pledge allegiance to the symbol of their beloved country. They are first and foremost Americans. In 1964, a sophomore at PG High entered and won A tattered US Flag flies at a local business in Pleasant Grove. Dee Jarvis did not wait to get drafted, but enlisted in the Marines as soon as he turned 18. He wanted to go for his country, not because someone told him to go, and he fought so his country coun-try and family could have the freedoms he seemed to understand at a very early age. Dee didn't live to see his next birthday, dying in combat in Vietnam on July 2, 1967, nearly 10 months after enlisting. Oveda Jarvis is one of millions of mothers throughout through-out our country's history who have born the grief of losing a child in war, but bravely carries car-ries on. Her love for country never wavered, and her love and respect for the flag is an extension of her patriotism and faith in this country. Lastly, I interviewed my brother. Colonel Robert Brant Monson, who recently "Tattered" continued on Page 3 first place in the American Legion writing contest with the theme "Through Americanism, Ameri-canism, my responsibility is": The 16-year-old had no idea the words he penned would one day become a memorial me-morial to his own ultimate sacrifice. The last words of his essay were, "I must be worthy wor-thy of the heritage that is mine, eager to pass it on, enhanced and enriched. My responsibility as a true American is loyalty to principle, prin-ciple, readiness to give of my talents to the common good and acceptance of responsibility." "Tattered" continued From Page 1 returned from his fourth and final tour of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a medic, Brant has experienced the other side of war and has a perspective that is all too often of-ten unheard and unreported. When asked what the flag means to him, he asked that I visualize a scene too often repeated on his small Base in Afghanistan. The medical staff had worked on two wounded soldiers with the tragic loss of their lives and as the bodies were prepared pre-pared for transport, the soldiers sol-diers stand on either side of the runway, forming a corridor corri-dor from the hospital to the helicopter. The flag-draped bodies are then slowly conveyed on the stretcher along the almost mile-long row of soldiers standing at attention. Just like the changing of the guard at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, each man or woman slowly raises a hand to salute as their comrades pass by. Everyone on base stops to honor the fallen heroes, those who have paid the ultimate price. With a passion born of experience, Brant heralds the service men and women as some of the most wonderful citizens the country has ever known. This is the first war not to have a draft, and nine years later, the military is still volunteer. The soldiers are there to defend our freedoms free-doms and bring freedom to other nations. They are certainly cer-tainly not there for the glory. As we display our flags this Veterans Day, may we think beyond the fabric to the men and women who have served in the armed forces, making a sacrifice and even giving their all that we might be secure and free. Respect the flag by learning the proper prop-er etiquette, then honor the flag by learning what it truly stands for. |