United States Flag Code Amendment Veteran Grave Flags

Should we be able to display a grave flag, like this, at a veteran’s grave?
If your answer is YES, then keep watching this video.
Someone in Fort Myers felt strongly flags were not allowed at veteran graves except during Memorial Day weekend. So:
• They removed our flags.
• They boxed them up,
• They held them hostage for two and a half months,
• And they finally gave them back to me this week.
You see this empty PVC flag holder? There are now 900 empty flag holders just like it throughout the City of Fort Myers Cemetery.
Now, it just looks sad and tired again.
I’m Trae Zipperer, Founder of By Memorial Day.
There should be no questions about displaying the flag at veteran graves.
Therefore, I propose the following Amendment to the United States Flag Code:
To Section 6 of the United States Flag Code, add a Sub-section:
(h) The flag, 8” x 12” in size, also known as a “grave flag” or “cemetery flag,” may be displayed at the grave of a veteran 24 hours a day 365 days a year with or without illumination during the hours of darkness.
I gotta tell ya, this place looked beautiful after volunteers cleaned all the veteran grave markers, installed flag holders, and placed nearly 1,000 grave flags.
Allow me to make a case for adoption of this proposed Amendment to the United States Flag Code:
1) The United States Flag Code does not address the issue of flags at veteran graves.
a. It doesn’t state you can’t display the flag at a veteran’s grave.
b. But, it doesn’t state you can display the flag at a veteran’s grave.
2) There exists a rule in the Flag Code whereby the flag displayed on buildings or flagpoles must be properly illuminated during the hours of darkness.
a. A veteran’s grave is neither a building, nor a flagpole.
3) In National Cemeteries, it is immediately obvious all headstones, identical in shape and stone type, mark the graves of veterans or spouses of veterans.
4) In private and municipal cemeteries, it’s not immediately apparent which graves contain veterans.
5) Internally published guidelines within the National Cemetery Administration establish the standard grave flag size at 8” x 12” on a 24” long stick.
6) Precedence has been established at National Cemeteries where, for countless years, individuals and groups have been allowed to display grave flags at veteran graves 24 hours a day without illumination during the hours of darkness.
7) We deliver our American military veteran heroes to their final resting places in flag-draped coffins.
From the July 12, 1951 edition of the Fort Myers News-Press:
• the first Lee County boy to lose his life in the Korean fighting. He was Private First Class James Crews, 20, of Estero, who was killed in action.
• Beneath the canopy which shaded the flag-draped grave, the soldier’s sobbing mother sat with bowed head.
• The flags of the color guard hanging limply,
• From the coffin, the flag was raised and folded.
• The sergeant presented the folded flag to the soldier’s parents.
8) Veterans stand at attention and render a military salute to the Flag during the:
a. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
b. National Anthem.
c. Hoisting the Flag up a flagpole.
d. Lowering the Flag down a flagpole.
e. Passing of the Flag. For example, in a parade or Color Guard procession.
9) The flag displayed at a veteran’s grave indicates a grateful nation.
10) The flag displayed at a veteran’s grave instills national pride and patriotism in future generations of Americans.
If someone is willing to donate a few dollars and take the time to keep a flag proudly flying at a veteran’s grave, I say give them permission in the United States Flag Code.
Let me show you the condition of veteran graves in Fort Myers Cemetery last Veterans Day.
Examples of dirty veteran headstones.
Over a 7-month period, by Memorial Day, volunteers helped me clean all the veteran grave markers here in Fort Myers.
Video of Headstone Cleaning Event at the segregated African American cemetery, Woodlawn Cemetery, in the City of Fort Myers, FL.
You can help support our efforts to display flags at veteran graves in private and municipal cemeteries by:
• SHARING this video.
o with your friends,
o your Congressman,
o your Senators,
o and the President.
To learn more about what’s happened to our veteran graves:
• visit ByMemorialDay.com,
• Like us on Facebook,
• Subscribe to us on KZbin

[@desmondriddler6780]

I am a British veteran and totally agree with you. We all should all honour our fallen, bless you, Sir, for your passion in what you do

[@cathy1523]

I'm with You Our Veterans should have a Flag Year Around.

[@theyfaceeast]

Donald Trump did not take action on my proposed Amendment to the United States Flag Code. I mailed the proposal directly to Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, but never received a response. I'm hopeful Joe Biden will agree Americans should be allowed to display the American flag at veteran graves 365 days a year.

[@FreeTurtleboy]

@@theyfaceeast Did their office/ Trump's give a response ? Thank You

[@theyfaceeast]

@@FreeTurtleboy No, Trump's office did not respond and Biden's office has not yet responded. Seems to me a President of the United States would want their name on this Amendment to the U.S. Flag Code, so I'm scratching my head wondering why no one within the President's inner circle hasn't placed this on his desk to sign. It would send a wonderful message to the American people who defend our nation.

[@theyfaceeast]

@@FreeTurtleboy No. Trump didn't respond nor did anyone in his inner circle. I was on national tv for 6 minutes on Memorial Day 2021 and not a single government leader contacted me to help with this initiative. Well, there was one, and only one, Hunterdon County, NJ. Can you believe that?

[@lerissalam2573]

Respect for you and your endeavor.

[@theyfaceeast]

Thank you for your kind words of support.

[@lisalemponen701]

I absolutely 100% support that amendment to the flag code

[@theyfaceeast]

Thank you! Please spread the word. Eventually it will reach the President's desk.

[@letsdiscussit1]

I drive around through various cemeteries and am brought almost to tears as I witness the neglect from families, friends, coworkers of a deceased person. What is so difficult about 2 hours a year to meet up and clean the headstones of someone you knew? Many stones are so abused more by people who have forgotten the dead....than the elements destroying the stones.

[@ddeaae]

Outstanding Presentation and Education. You have my Respect & Honor Sir.

[@garthpatterson7995]

God bless you and your volunteers!

[@Zizie_sc]

Would like to see an update on this in the coming months. Love the content

[@theyfaceeast]

Thank you ZS Garage. I have attempted to reach the President and members of Congress a few times, but no response yet. Please do what you can do to help raise the alarm. Veteran headstones are not a priority until enough people voice their concern.

[@Death_From_Below]

I haven't watched all your videos.....yet. My VFW Post with the aid of Scouts put out flags on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. At our next meeting I will propose cleaning headstones on Veterans Day. Love the pvc flag holders. Our Post is small and doesn't support the budget for buying VFW/American Legion flag holders especially when they get trashed by grounds keepers. This would be a excellent option for us.

[@theyfaceeast]

I envision a day in the future when we have a patriotic volunteer assigned to each veteran grave. This will enable each volunteer to concentrate their efforts on the one or more veteran graves assigned to their care. Hopefully, this will also reduce the burden on each volunteer to the point where the volunteer can afford to pay for a fine flag holder for their assigned veteran grave. Or, the volunteer can simply ask a local business owner to donate the dollars needed to purchase a fine flag holder. In the meanwhile, 15 inch PVC flag holders at 25 cents each will have to suffice. Thank you for taking up this good needed cause in your local community!

[@marcuscook6801]

God bless our veterans and God bless the United States

[@bobblankenship3427]

Watching the cleaning of the head stones of veterans. Thank you.

[@theyfaceeast]

We are making progress, one volunteer at a time, one veteran headstone at a time.

[@DustyB]

My uncle whom I was very close with died at the end of May of this year he was a staff sergeant in the Us Army National Guard, even before there was a a marker there I made certain to put various American, Gadson, and Army flag. And after they put his marker they did leave on of his flags there, I shortly there after put various other flags there. As long as there’s air in my lungs, there will be an American flag at his headstone at all times.

[@theyfaceeast]

Love, love, love your comment. As long as there's air in an American's lungs, there should be an American flag at every veteran's headstone at all times. I have no doubt your uncle loved you as much as, or more than, you loved him. I too have a special relationship with my uncle.

[@tenngirl4trump]

This proves how far we Americans has come!!! LOVE AND RESPECT.... THAT HAS NO COLOR!!!! GOD BLESS EVERY SOLDIER BURIED THERE. I DEEPLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE & SACRIFICE!!!! GOD SPEED.....

[@bernadetteherpakglisan7498]

This makes my blood boil . You have my support sir. Some “fruitcake” got their panties in a bunch because they had nothing better to do with their time they should try getting a job or volunteering for cleaning the monuments but noooo they don’t have time for that.. Just like it’s a crime to burn a flag it should be a crime to remove a flag for absolutely no reason at all...Only the cemetery should be aloud to remove a flag for reasons that are given by the military, Congress, or higher up. Thank you for listening to my opinion God bless you and the rest of the helpers....

[@farlowalexify]

I’m upgrading my family cemetery to include all getting a granite stone for all of my family and 3 out of 4 are getting a special military service emblem to put on their name plate for their service And being that I’m a grandson of one of them and a great grandson of the other two it’s a honor not just for my family but for the rest of people that serve the country that we love I also want to make sure that they receive the flags on their grave marker 365 days a year

[@theyfaceeast]

Outstanding Alex! Eventually we will reach enough people like you to assign a volunteer to every veteran's grave.

[@tenngirl4trump]

Who on God's green earth would complain about American Flags at the graves of men & women who fought for & died for that flag? They came home under that flag!!! Unforgivable!!!

[@suepederson5916]

I so believe in the cause!! I want to find the flag code and keep a copy and also contact whomever to ask for an amendment to the code. Thank you for all you do. If you have an update on the progress to the code I'd like to hear from you.

[@stevenseverance3692]

That's a very "Sorry 😔 Small - Minded Un -American Person". He obviously doesn't realize what those Men & Women did so he could act the way he does. I will pray 🙏🙏 For him and for You and your Family 🙏. Sincerely Yours 🤠 Mr Severance, "The Cake 😋 🍰🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 Man", "World 🌎🌍 Cruiser"&"Succulent Collector", and"Teacup's & Saucer's Set's and Teapot's 🫖 Collector".

[@howarthe1]

Another option: one of our local cemeteries authorized the VFW to install metal flag holders at the site of every veteran. The flag holders included a VFW logo identifying the site as the site of a veteran. Flags were only placed at certain times. This had the advantage of preserving the flags.

[@billmccabe9601]

Sadly, VFW is a membership group, just like American Legion posts. Yes, Military Service is a main requirement, but Service Members are not automatically members of the VFW or Am. Legion.

[@howarthe1]

One of the things I most appreciate about the flag code is that it includes no provisions for enforcement. It’s truly the people’s flag. The cemetery has every right to establish their own guidelines for displaying flags.

[@theyfaceeast]

I agree Erin. In everything we do to honor veteran graves, we must first obtain permission from the cemetery caretaker. America has been complacent with honoring our veterans buried outside National Cemeteries, so it's going to take time to educate all stakeholders, including cemetery owners. We must work with the cemetery owner to develop an agreed plan when it comes to flags displayed at veteran graves, because the cemetery groundskeepers will have to trim around the flag sticks and deal with some flags that deteriorate over time. For example, the top staple tears loose sometimes and the flag dangles, or the wooden flag stick simply snaps. My vision is for each veteran grave to have an assigned Volunteer managed via VeteranGraves.com. The Volunteer will commit to visiting their veteran's grave a few times each year to check on it, including the flag.

[@letsdiscussit1]

That nonsense is a sin. Flags should fly every day in a cemetery for anyone who wants to place one next to a grave.

[@janetmertz1740]

Hey Trea, I looked up the memorial suggestion of yours for K9's and was shocked to see a service in August 2020 of a double first letter NNick. I know the Vet tech that adopted NNick's brother, NNolan. I was involved with the DoD pup program from 2002-2006 and 26 litters.. I have 2 retired MWD's gracing my home currently. And I still work work with the DoD/TSA kennels I look forward to your East coast search of Veteran headstones. My question is; Is there a group in San Antonio to join to clean headstones of veterans? Janet

[@theyfaceeast]

Hi Janet. Thank you for caring for retired K9's. The cemetery in Michigan is incredible. We are a new organization with limited funds, so we are in the process of implementing our vision of assigning a caring volunteer to each and every veteran grave in America. In the meantime, I'm just asking people like yourself to take the initiative in your local community and organize volunteers to clean veteran headstones. People are cleaning them here and there all across the country, one at a time for now. So we're making progress at the same time we are getting better organized. I will post all updates on this KZbin channel and Facebook. For example, I'm about to roll out a website dedicated to documenting every veteran grave and tracking routine maintenance for each headstone.

[@suepederson5916]

Trae--I'm having a hard time finding the code and sections you mention. Are you about to put a link on here?

[@letsdiscussit1]

Trae, it is sad this is the me, me, me, gimme more for me generation.

[@starrystarrynight9822]

Have you officially proposed that Amendment to the United States Flag Code? Is there a way for a regular person to do that?

[@steveb6103]

THANK A VETERAN FOR YOUR FREEDOM It was a veteran, not a reporter that guaranteed freedom of the press. It was a veteran, not a poet that guaranteed freedom of speech It was a veteran not a campus organizer who guaranteed freedom to demonstrate. It was a veteran not a minister, who guaranteed freedom to worship. It was a veteran, not a salesman who guaranteed freedom to own property. It was a veteran, not a travel agent who guaranteed freedom travel. It was a veteran, not a politician who guaranteed freedom to vote. It is a veteran who salutes the Flag, Risks all for the Flag, And who is buried beneath the Flag!

[@Rickster2791]

For the second time, I have written my Congressman to ask for the flag amendment (with the first email going unanswered). Hopefully, I'll hear back this time.

[@teresarivera3647]

Wow…I wish I would’ve seen this video yesterday. I stumbled upon an old picture of some local guys a few years ago and decided to find out what I could about some of them. Turned out one of them ended up dying in World War One. I’ve visited his grave several times in the past couple of years. Today I decided to place a couple of small flags on his grave. I had no idea there was a protocol. I feel I need to remedy that and take him the proper size. ETA: I live in Missouri, by the way, if anyone happens to be interested.

[@theyfaceeast]

No problem Teresa. I'd rather have any size American flag displayed at a veteran's grave as compared to no flag at all. It took me several hundred flags before I learned about the standard size of grave flags.

[@johnathanutahzio8474]

I’m in.

[@fishbone5868]

I was wondering if you know why service flag are not presented with the American flag, at these military cemetery.

[@olexxr8503]

As a Dane I bow in respect to my fellow brothers may they rest i peace . Warrant officer ..

[@starrystarrynight9822]

Warrant officer? What do u mean?

[@farlowalexify]

I have family members that served in the army and navy both husband and wife served in Spanish American war in the army and two other members of my family also served in the navy in World War Two

[@theyfaceeast]

Sounds like you have warrior DNA in your family too.

[@marinevetoneroman7232]

I would love to know who took those flags..

[@theyfaceeast]

I know the woman who took the flags. She is a good person, very patriotic, but had it in her head that veterans could only have a flag at their graves for 5 days beginning 2 days prior to Memorial Day and ending 2 days after Memorial Day. I explained to her no such rule existed, but apparently she felt it was her duty to be the veteran grave flag police. Took the wind right out of my sails. No matter what you try to do, there's always someone in opposition. We're making steady progress with cleaning veteran headstones. Maybe one day a United States President will agree with my proposed Flag Code Amendment, so everyone will know it is okay to display the flag at a veteran's grave 24, 7, 365.

[@101egals]

Hey Trey, is that not a Confederate National Flag there behind you to your left. So how come that was not taken down.

[@autoad]

That appears to be a Georgia state flag.

[@theyfaceeast]

Good eye John Jolley. The flags you see in the background are in fact Confederate States of America National Flags also known as the "Stars and Bars." They are the original version with 7 stars representing the initial 7 Deep South states that seceded prior to Abraham Lincoln announcing his intentions to raise an army of 75,000 soldiers to invade the South. Virginia was the first state to immediately secede following Lincoln's call for volunteers. The Stars and Bars would eventually have 13 stars as Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Missouri were added. Descendants of Confederate Veterans maintain the graves of Confederate Veterans 365 days a year, including flags. I find it very interesting that Confederate Veterans are honored 365 days a year while United States Veterans are not, including Union Soldiers and Sailors from the Civil War. I personally found at least a dozen Union Soldiers in the Fort Myers Cemetery with private headstones having no mention of their military service during the Civil War. My question is this, "Why do descendants of Union Soldiers and Sailors not care about their Union Veteran grandfathers and uncles?" I find Union Civil War Soldier graves in many cemeteries with no fanfare. Quite the opposite, the Union Soldiers have nasty dirty headstones, no flag holders, and no flags. Throughout the South, I find Confederate flags of all designs displayed at Confederate Veteran graves. To autoad's point, the Georgia State Flag is identical to the Stars and Bars except the blue canton now has a historic Georgia design inside the 13 stars. Of course, the 13 stars no longer represent the 13 Confederate States, they represent the original 13 United States. Those unaware of history scream about the Mississippi State Flag, but have no clue about the Georgia State Flag's connection to American history hiding in plain sight. I trust most Americans will agree we need the President to adopt my proposed amendment to the United States Flag Code, so all veterans may have a flag displayed at their grave 24 hours a day 365 days a year, just like the Confederate Soldiers.

[@danrossell6375]

I respectfully submit that the flag should be displayed on the left side of the stone for the following reason. When the flag is posted on a stage facing the audience it is on the left side per the flag code. Why should it be different in this case?