Commissioners Offer Complimentary KIA Honor Flags To Municipalities
In recognition of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation, a refreshed Killed in Action (KIA) Honor Flag will soon fly outside the Historic Courthouse in Flemington, and refreshed flags will also be made available to the County’s municipalities, as recommended by Commissioner Zachary T. Rich and approved by the Hunterdon County Board of Commissioners, at the August 3rd Board meeting.
Commissioner Rich, the Board’s Veterans liaison, said, “I noticed that the County’s official Killed In Action, KIA, honor flag, raised in 2018, has become tattered and should be refreshed with a new flag. Authorizing a refreshing of the KIA Honor Flag is a fitting acknowledgement of the sacrifices made by the brave men and women in our military, in defense of freedom, and, I believe, is important.”
Rich added, “Additionally, the KIA Honor Flags distributed to municipalities three years ago
may be suffering the same fate and I recommend refreshed flags be offered to our municipal governments.
“As a governing body member in West Amwell in 2018, I can report we were honored to be able to accept the flag from the County and raise the KIA Honor Flag in front of the West Amwell municipal building.
Being able to provide these KIA flags to our municipalities is an honor. The flag reminds us of nearly two million American service members who perished in the defense of our nation,” Rich said.
In 1993 the KIA Honor Flag was developed by an anonymous Veteran and is a symbol to let Gold Star Families and Veterans know their loved ones would always be honored and never forgotten.
During 2017, Veteran and New Jersey native Don Klieger, led an effort to recognize the nearly two million service members who lost their lives defending freedom, and petitioned his legislators to make displaying the KIA Honor Flag a New Jersey state law.
The county purchases the KIA Honor Flag from an organization which donates a portion of its proceeds to help families of Veterans who have been killed in action.
Arrangements will be made for Hunterdon County municipalities to receive a complimentary KIA Honor Flags during the month of September. Please contact Ruthi Cass at 908-788-1104, or rcass@co.hunterdon.nj.us, with any questions.
Comments