Marines assigned to the Marine Corps Barracks in Washington, D.C., reach for armsful of miniature flags to place at every grave in Arlington National Cemetery during the “Flags In” tribute, May 21, 2009. DoD photo by Donna Miles

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2009 – More than 3,000 servicemembers officially kicked off the Memorial Day commemoration last evening as they placed more than 250,000 miniature flags at every grave at Arlington National Cemetery.

The tradition, known as “Flags In,” dates back to 1948, when soldiers of 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as “The Old Guard,” began the annual Memorial Day tribute.

This year marked the sixth year company-size elements of sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen joined about 3,000 soldiers in placing a U.S. flag at the base of the gravestone and columbarium niche of every servicemember buried or injured at Arlington. (continue reading…)

“What was it like? Were you scared? Are you OK?”
For anyone who has welcomed someone home from Iraq or Afghanistan, these questions may sound familiar.
After spending months, or years, apart, being reunited at the end of a deployment is a welcome relief. It means the end of waiting for phone calls and worrying about a loved one’s safety. But millions of families and friends of veterans are finding that coming home isn’t always easy.

For them, we have one message: we can help you start the conversation.
Today, we’re launching a massive new effort, in partnership with the Ad Council, to empower the friends and family members of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and to offer support and guidance after a deployment.

Starting today, that ad will be on TV, as well as radio, online and in magazines and newspapers. Hundreds of media companies, from local television stations to national magazines, are offering to run them free of charge, by donating ad space. Because of their generosity, we’ll be able to reach friends and family members of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in every corner of the country.

With the drawdown in Iraq and a new wave of troops heading to Afghanistan, these ads are launching at a critical time. Friends and family play a crucial role in supporting their men and women in uniform, and now it’s our turn to support them.

Thank you for standing with us.
Sincerely,
Paul Rieckhoff
Iraq Veteran
Executive Director & Founder
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)