january

January 2012 Thank You…

I cannot begin in a short message to adequately touch all of the amazing accomplishments of last year. In 2011 Honor and Remember, with your help, significantly advanced its mission to perpetually recognize the sacrifice of our military fallen heroes and their families.

The year began with my personal visit to all 541 legislative offices on Capitol Hill. It was my unprecedented goal to share the vision of our national remembrance flag to every representative and gain congressional approval. This visit initiated substantial support from over 152 members of congress for the national vision. Although HR546 did not see significant movement during the year, I am much more confident that awareness has grown among our legislative leaders. Please continue to reach out to your representatives for support.We will continue to focus on state-by-state adoptions of the Honor and Remember Flag.

Nine state adoptions of the flag are in place and based on phone calls I have received from many of you, a minimum of fifteen additional states should adopt this year. Thank you to all who continue to champion our cause in their state!

Last year was also the beginning of our inclusion into the CFC Combined Federal Campaign, where we are now able to take our message to military and federal employees. I sincerely thank all of the volunteers who represented Honor and Remember at a variety of benefit fairs in states across the country. We could not have made an impact without your help! Continuing our benevolent goal of presenting personalized flags to every Gold Star Family, over 400 families were honored.

We could not make such significant impact without the dedicated men and women who volunteer to manage each state chapter.  The impact they have on their state and those Gold Star Families is enormous. There are currently eleven official Honor and Remember  chapters; Virginia, North Carolina, Alaska, Ohio, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Florida, Texas, Kentucky, Connecticut and Arizona. It is our national goal to add fifteen additional chapters this year, on our way to fifty. This is a serious commitment and welcome qualified patriots in joining our team. Contact Chapters@honorandremember.org

Personalized flags were presented to Gold Star Families across the U.S. at chapter and key events, including a Louisiana Blue Star mother event, the Maupin, Ohio scholarship event, America Supports You Texas annual weekend, Rolling Thunder Memorial Weekend Banquet, New Jersey Run for the Fallen, the AmVets convention, Arizona Diamondbacks 9/11 and Veteran’s day Presentations and the Navajo reservation presentation to five Vietnam era families.

There are tremendous projects in the works for this year, including plans for many flag presentations and amazing partnerships that will enable us to honor more families than ever before. As 2012 goes into full swing I ask for your continued support for our national effort to change the mindset of this nation. To bring national awareness of and appreciation to the sacrifices of our brave military fallen heroes and their families. The ways to help are simple.

1. Sign the Petition and be sure to encourage your family, friends and coworkers to do the same;
2. Fly the Flag – show your appreciation for our fallen and their families by displaying Honor and Remember as a way to say thank you. Remember to replace faded or worn out flags.
3. Support the Cause – Please consider helping us in our ongoing effort to publicly recognize the sacrifice of our military fallen heroes and their families. Consider a one-time or monthly donation.

Thank you for continuing to support this national symbol of remembrance.  Let’s get this flag flying everywhere!

Blessings,
George

  Founder’s Message  – Historic Year Ahead

I start this month’s message a bit late due to several positive events in January that I wanted to share. One was the national endorsement of political strategist Dick Morris, who encouraged his newsletter readers to support Honor and Remember. The response on our web site from this has been overwhelming and we thank him for sharing our mission with his audience. The second newsworthy occurrence was a bold move by the Virginia House of Delegates, which voted to adopt the Honor and Remember Flag as an official state symbol recognizing the commonwealth’s fallen heroes. Delegate John Cosgrove passionately introduced HJR137 and it passed with a vote of 97-0.

In the next few weeks, the Virginia Senate will vote on the bill and we pray it will be accepted with equal enthusiasm. If it is, Virginia will become the first state to officially adopt the flag. I believe the historic significance of state adoption not only merits national media attention but also deserves to be shared with every other state in our land.

It is for that reason we are planning “Honor and Remember Across America,” a five-month, 17,000-mile cross-country trip, in the spirit of Kevin Baker (click to read his story) to all 50 states. Our journey will take us to state capitals, churches, veterans groups and community events. We expect to visit with governors, members of Congress, mayors and the great people who make up this country.

The trip will focus on taking the Honor and Remember message to every state with the hope that each state legislature will join Virginia’s lead in officially adopting the flag. We will be giving presentations at various venues where we have been invited to speak, including churches, veterans groups and community organizations. And most importantly, we will look forward to meeting many Gold Star families as we make personalized flag presentations around the U.S. Our goal is to spread the word about the Honor and Remember Flag everywhere possible, to see the flag flying across America and to touch the lives of many families who have lost so much.

Our plan is to leave Virginia just after Memorial Day and spend 23 weeks traveling a route from one state capital to another, heading north then moving west crossing the upper half of the United States, reaching Sacramento by late August. Then we will head south through California and east across the lower half of the U.S., arriving at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day, November 11, 2010.

The planning and execution of this enormous undertaking will require financial and other resources. To make this a successful reality we need your help. Perhaps you can assist in arranging a meeting with your state’s governor and legislators or help arrange a meeting with your local veterans groups and community organizations. On Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays, as available, we would like to have an opportunity to speak in your church or place of worship.

Our physical needs include the use of an RV (recreational vehicle) with which to make the trip. We are budgeting approximately $80,000 for the entire project, although we hope that we will receive donations of gas, food, lodging, airline tickets and incidentals to offset our costs. Of course, financial donations would be welcome as well.

Corporate sponsorships are also available and I welcome the opportunity to share our vision with companies or organizations who would like to be associated with this vision and lend their name and resources to making this mission successful. This will be an amazing journey of national awareness I hope many will join.

If you can help in any way possible or if you have suggestions for our trip, please write to me at contact@honorandremember.org
I will post an itinerary soon on our website. Thanks so much for your continued support,

God Bless
George
Sign the Petition ~ Share the Vision ~ Fly the Flag

PS: Please remember to replace your faded or worn our flags.

  Our Hero’s Story – Sharon Patterson

In the early morning of Saturday, January 15, 2005, I could not sleep. I went downstairs and these words poured out, as did many tears. I didn’t understand why I was writing a poem that morning, but God did. The poem was not completed with the last stanza until January 15, 2007. I would like to share my heart with you, my precious friends, as I approach the five-year mark of my son’s death.

Praise God that I live in a country that’s free.
I did not know how important that is to me,
Until my son went off to war,
To a far off place; my heartstrings tore.

I remember the scene on that dark night.
It’s hard to describe, it was such a sight.
To see each soldier getting ready to leave;
What was in their minds I couldn’t conceive.

I see the bags packed side by side,
Lying on the ground buckled and tied.
Preparing to go, their spirits soared.
Their families were there to kiss them goodbye, Lord.

Each soldier stood brave on that June day.
As I saw them there, I began to pray.
As God is my witness, with Him on our side.
Protect them all Lord, I cried, I cried.

For many long months the war has gone on.
The troops go bravely and fight from dusk to dawn.
They live for each moment and do what they must.
For what keeps them going is “In God They Trust.”

Did I dwell on the thought that my son might not come home?
When I heard from him in a letter or less often by phone?
No, not ever, HE was coming back
With his gun by his side and carrying his pack.

He said to me Friday that they could see the light.
Shining before them, so true and so bright.
“My guys here are marking the days ’til we leave.
We’re coming to see our loved ones, we believe.”

I remember him saying what good things they’ve done.
“We’re moving out after the elections are run.
We’re keeping our wits; we’re watching our backs,
Always aware of all enemy attacks.”

He said, “I have to go now, I love you so.”
I replied back the same and “I miss you too, you know.”
I wanted to touch him, to see his sweet face
He sounded so close, I could feel his embrace.

I didn’t once think that this was the last…
For the time that we talked went by so fast.
His voice I remember, so strong and so true.
I would see him soon is all I knew.

Why God, why? I ask every day.
Why did you take my son away?
He was so young and had so much to give
We really wanted him to live.

To be here to see his child, precious Claire
She has his blue eyes and his color of hair.

NOTE: Honor and Remember is looking for positive stories about the young men and women who have died serving our country. We would like to share them in this newsletter and on a special page on our web site. The stories should be about 300-400 words in length and contain insights that capture the individual’s personality and celebrate their life and honor their experiences in service, etc. We want to present a snapshot of our young heroes … who they were and how those who loved them remember. Photos are welcome.
Please send to contact@honorandremember.org

  Why I’m on Board – Skip Geisaka 

The year 1968 was a difficult time in our nation’s history. Dr. Martin Luther King and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated. Vietnam was on everyone’s mind, with the TET Offensive dealing a deathblow to America’s hopes for victory in an unpopular war. More than 16,500 military personnel lost their lives in 1968, which happened to be the midpoint of the Vietnam War. My Lai had given the world a horrific picture of war and student unrest and protests were becoming more popular.

On a cool fall night and I was sitting on the sand of Virginia Beach with a high school friend who had recently returned from combat. We were talking about life and recent events when he started to open up about an experience that continued to haunt him. He had been on patrol in a clearing when he and the other men in his outfit were ambushed by the enemy. The fight ended quickly but many or his comrades were wounded, including my friend’s squad leader, who was also his best friend while in Vietnam. The squad leaders had been shot in the chest and my friend was holding him as he lay dying.

At this point in the story, my friend broke down and started crying, telling me that with his last words his friend kept asking for his mother. Then, still crying, my friend looked at me with anger and asked does anyone care that his friend died? Other than himself and members of his friend’s family, who would remember his friend’s sacrifice?

With the Honor and Remember Flag flying, we will never forget the price our military heroes have paid so that our Stars and Stripes can fly free and proud. To my friend I say, “I care” and “I will remember.” This is why I am on board with Honor and Remember.

  News and Upcoming Events

The 2010 calendar is now filling with ceremonies, trade shows, festivals and presentations. If you would like to consider Honor and Remember in your planning for the year please contact us at events@honorandremember.org

As part of the campaign, this summer we are planning a national awareness bus tour and would be privileged to include your event in our schedule if possible. We are planning personalized flags presentations in every state possible. Please write soon so that we can coordinate schedules.

If you know of any company or individual who would be willing to become a trip sponsor, donate the use of an RV or tour bus and/or the painting of a graphic wrap, let us know. Its time to bring this mission to the people. Thank you!

GUESTBOOK COMMENTS

It is with great pride we fly the Honor and Remember Flag as a tribute to all fallen heros. We shall do all we are able to promote Honor and Remember within out state and every where we travel. Thank you. You are a true PATRIOT. (Colville, WA)

I would like to thank all those involved with Honor and Remember. There is not a day that goes by where I don’t stop and think of all our Heroes, my nephew Sgt. Christopher Simpson being one. I continue to hand out Honor and Remember Cards and fliers where ever I go. I will continue to help as much as I can, slowly but surely your mission will be accomplished. (Ontario, NY)

I have a flag I fly on my Harley, am honored to do so as I am a Viet Nam Vet. (Elida, OH)

I am a Gold Star mom, who lost my son, Michael Patrick Pittman, on June 15, 2007 in Baghdad. Thank you for taking the time to support us and our loved ones. (Rock Island, IL)

Founder’s Message

For those of you just coming on board, let me thank you for believing enough in our mission to take the time to log on and sign the petition. You are now participating in a legacy of gratitude never before attempted in our country’s history. Our inaugural year 2008 resonated throughout the country with thousands of supporters. A few highlights come to mind, including the May 26th unveiling of the Honor and Remember Flag, the national endorsements, the introduction of Congressional Bill H.R. 7111, the television exposure from Dennis Miller and Bill O’Reilly and the dozens of interviews I gave for radio and TV. In this short column, I cannot fully recap last year’s accomplishments, so I’ll leave it up to you to explore our past newsletters and blogs for the details.

In addition to all of the historic events, the most memorable moments for me occur when tears of gratitude come to the eyes of those who receive an Honor and Remember Flag in recognition of the sacrifice made by that family, whose loved one will never come home. We are privileged to be the pioneers of a national symbol of remembrance that provides Americans a tangible way to say thank you.

Last year we were able to present flags to many family representatives, such as Mrs. Hickey and Mrs. Carter-Krell, both of whom lost their sons in Vietnam. I’ll never forget the ceremony conducted at Norfolk Naval Station in honor of the seventeen USS Cole families who lost loved ones that tragic day in 2000. And then there was that special presentation of Honor and Remember Flags by Matthew Drake, the sole survivor of a terrorist car bombing, to the three mothers who lost their sons that October day in 2006. More recently in December, one Gold Star Mother made a personal flag presentation to another mom in Washington state. While in Puerto Rico, one of our team members presented a flag to the mother of a recently fallen marine who thought she’d been forgotten. This is the essence of our mission: while working toward national adoption and public awareness, we are first and foremost tasked with presenting personalized flags to all of those parents that we can identify.Now let’s focus on the breadth of opportunities awaiting us in 2009. This year we hope to be exponential in our efforts. Hand-sewn flags are already in production for many more families, including mothers from the Korean and Vietnam wars, and we are preparing for a special U.S. Marine Corps group presentation this July 4th in Washington D.C. Major ceremonies are also being planned around Gold Star communities in several states, including California, Illinois, Texas and Virginia. This will be accomplished not through our own efforts alone, but also through local, state and national partnership opportunities.

This year, H.R. 7111 will be re-introduced in the 111th Congress and we will continue to add national organizations to our endorsement list.  Talking to your senators and representatives will help move that legislation forward. It was ei ghteen years before the POW flag was officially recognized and it is our hope that the 111th Congress will act quickly to adopt the Honor and Remember Flag. National media opportunities have already begun to surface and soon we will be seen on the Glenn Beck Show on the Fox News Channel, Living the Life on the Christian Broadcasting Network and several other programs that are in the planning stage.

Let’s take every opportunity to keep the momentum going and to continue to make an impact in every sphere of influence. There are no boundaries to remembering our heroes 365 days a year. Thank you all for your belief and support in this truly historic campaign.

God Bless
George

Latest News in Brief

12/1/08 – National endorsement received from MOAA. Military Officers Association of America.

12/13/08 – Honor and Remember 2009 Strategy Meeting – committee planning for organizing and achieving next years goals.

12/21/08 – Marine Flags – 20 Personalized flags were ordered and went into production in honor of a select group of brave Marines. A special ceremony is scheduled for later in the year. More to come.

12/27/08 – Gold Star mother Doris Kent presented a personalized Honor and Remember Flag to Mrs. St. Pierre, in Washington state, in memory of her son. LCpl Kyle Brown, kia 7 Jan 2006. (see photo)

12/28/08 – Front page article with video about Honor and Remember campaign.  READ ARTICLE HERE

Why I’m on Board

Aaron Charles Mandelbaum (Presented at his Bar Mitzvah)My grandfather, Leonard Sutton, operated a corner drugstore with a lunch counter in Norfolk, Virginia.  He did a brisk business in bag lunches to go to the workers who worked in the Naval Shipyard, many of whom were high school students and young adults who sought to earn money to go to college or open a business of their own.  One such high school kid was Johnnie Eller.

Johnnie was well liked by everyone because he was an honest, hard-working guy with a warm smile and good laugh. Upon graduation from high school, Johnnie enlisted in the Marine Corps and reported for duty in Vietnam. John Arthur Eller had served just a few days more than 6 months when on August 23, 1968 he was killed in Quang Nam, South Vietnam by hostile ground small arms fire. Of course, I never met Johnnie – but I wish I had.  I have heard many stories about how well he treated my grandparents and how he was a friend to my mother and her sisters.

Last spring, I and my classmates at the Saligman Middle School took our class trip to Washington, DC.  On our agenda was a trip to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I made it a point to find Johnnie’s name engraved on a wall of the Memorial.  With the help and determination of Rabbi Shawn, a teacher at my school, we located Johnnie’s name.  I touched his engraved name and my classmates felt that we should honor Johnnie right there.  That afternoon we put on our kippot and recited the Kaddish for John Arthur Eller AND for all his comrades who had similarly fallen.

Surprisingly, in more than 200 years of our nation’s history there has never been a recognized symbol that reminds us daily of the sacrifices made by members of our military who lost their lives in service to our country. Until now. Through a visit to the Norfolk, Virginia Naval Amphibious Base – the largest of its kind in the world – I came across Honor and Remember, Inc., a nonprofit organization that has launched a national campaign to create an emblem with which every patriotic American can acknowledge the ultimate price for freedom.

As an extension of my Mitzvah Project, I have pledged some of my Bar Mitzvah money and made a commitment to spread the word about the need for a flag to honor those who have fallen in military service to our country. As a token of my pledge and commitment, I would like to present this flag for our synagogue to proudly display as a symbol of our congregation’s commitment to remember those who have honored our country and given the greatest of sacrifices to preserve its ideals and freedom.

Footnote: Aaron’s efforts and his intention to present a flag to TBI came to the attention of the Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek in Norfolk, VA.  As a token of appreciation for Aaron’s support of troops who have fallen, Base Commander Michael T. DeWitt II made arrangements for Aaron to receive a surprise presentation of a U.S.flag that was the only flag flown on the central flag stand at the naval base on the morning of September 11, 2008 – when a memorial service was conducted before 3,500 officers and men.  Rabbi Kalev made the presentation on behalf of the U.S. Navy to Aaron on the Bimah the morning of Aaron’s Bar Mitzvah.  The flag now is displayed outside the TBI Sanctuary as a reminder to all.

From Aaron’s mother, Gail: Mr. Lutz, you have no idea about the impact of your organization on our family. Thank you for the opportunity to deliver the message of honor and deliver it from one generation to another.

Recent Comments

I joined the U.S. Navy in 1940 and retired after 20 years. I lost many shipmates at Pearl Harbor, during WWII in the South Pacific Theater and in Korea. I bought your flag last year and will proudly fly it on my lighted flagpole. Homeland, CA

I think this is a great idea and I hope and pray the House and Senate will pass this bill. All should be proud for their efforts in making this possible. I have printed the petition and will distribute it for signatures in the Jacksonville, Florida area.

Thank you for all you are doing. My name is Dawn Spencer. My son William D. Spencer was killed on 12-28-06. Thank you. Today is the two-year mark. My oldest son leaves 01-15-09 for basic training. Thank you. Never Let ‘Em Forget. Middletown, OH

I read the article today in the newspaper and I had tears in my eyes. Very moving. I am going to fly the flag. Virginia Beach, VA

I think the flag honoring fallen heroes is wonderful. We lost our son in Mosul, Iraq on 1/15/2007. Our hearts go out to the many families who have also lost a loved one. Wisconsin Rapids, WI

I received this link from my friend that lost her husband on my last deployment. We were both in the same squad and were very close friends. I looked at this man as the brother I didn’t have. I believe that this flag may be the best design to honor our loved ones and friends. I hope to see this flag flying soon. Killeen, TX

IRAQ INJURED and THANK YOU – It gives me goose bumps and lets me offer peace to my fallen family in supporting this flag. I am broke n and medically struggling, but I am alive. With this flag, I believe OUR family too will live. HOOAH! Albany,  NY
Thanks to all who have taken the time to leave such wonderful comments in our guestbook. There are hundreds more to read at  www.honorandremember.org/guestbook.html