Should the flag be half-staff for the attack in Chattanooga, Tennessee?

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 21:17:55 -0400

I just read an interesting article asking why the flag is not half-staff after five serivce members were murdered in an apparent terrorist attack. What are your thoughts? Should the flag be lowered to honor them?

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Jul 20 at 2015 9:36 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 21:36:05 -0400

I certainly think so. It sure is quiet today now that I think about it.

Response by MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P made Jul 20 at 2015 9:46 PM

MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 21:46:54 -0400

I think so, yes. It's the least we can do since the COIC (Community Organizer in Chief) ordered flags to half staff when a washed up singer OD'd.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Jul 20 at 2015 9:51 PM

SGM Matthew Quick — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 21:51:37 -0400

Absolutely!

Where is The White House's Presidential Proclamation for Chattanooga Victims? Examples of recent...

Why is it taking so long to issue a Presidential Proclamation honoring the victims of the Chattanooga, Tennessee shootings? It's past time... (Note: On July 17th, State Governors issued their Proclamations) On April 16, 2013, just one day after the Boston Marathon Bombings, the White House issued a Presidential Proclamation to honor the victims of the tragedy in Boston, Massachusetts by ordering that the flag of the United States shall be...

Response by MSgt Marvin Kinderknecht made Jul 20 at 2015 9:51 PM

MSgt Marvin Kinderknecht — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 21:51:43 -0400

Damn right. Note--no blacks were killed--just saying.

Response by SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 20 at 2015 10:17 PM

SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 22:17:51 -0400

The flags should be half staff across the country for the hero's that where gunned down by the coward hiding behind religion and ideology for his actions.

Response by SGT Robert Hawks made Jul 20 at 2015 10:23 PM

SGT Robert Hawks — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 22:23:16 -0400

I believe it should

Response by SSG James Arlington made Jul 20 at 2015 10:23 PM

SSG James Arlington — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 22:23:30 -0400

Yes. Period.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Jul 20 at 2015 11:05 PM

COL Charles Williams — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 23:05:31 -0400

I think Yes. LTC Private RallyPoint Member

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 20 at 2015 11:09 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 23:09:05 -0400

I don't think that there is any question that the answer is yes.
That the President did not right away is a bit surprising, as it makes something that would have been completely non-controversial an issue.
We have lowered the flag for far lesser reasons than this one.

On a separate note, I drove through Chattanooga on the way home from my dad's place in Maryland over the weekend. The whole town is awash in flags and people. It was really something to see. I wish we didn't have to have something awful to happen to find it OK to be proud to be an American.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 12:16 AM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 00:16:35 -0400

The answer is an unequivocal yes. These are members of the "national community" for whom the flag has always been lowered to half staff or half mast at the state or the national level. The Tennessee governor and the Whatshisname POTUS should have been all over this. BTW, my own American flag is lowered in my front yard. Mine is lowered every day that I am made aware of a service member killed in action, or a police officer, firefighter, or EMT dies in the line of duty. It is at half staff a lot.

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Jul 21 at 2015 6:21 AM

Cpl Jeff N. — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 06:21:31 -0400

I think almost all would agree the flags should have been ordered to half staff for some number of days following the shooting. Why hasn't that order been given by the president? It is inexplicable that he would not do so but the fact remains, he has not.

There are only so many conclusions you can draw. 1. He is simply too busy to get to it. 2. He doesn't think the situation warrants it 3. He hasn't read about this in the paper yet. I guess there could be others but if he is aware the shooting occurred and he has not done so then he must not think it warrants it. He made a half hearted comment about the shooting that it was being investigate fully, yippee, I think we were all expecting that.

Could his dim view of the US Military be shining through for all to see and we simply do not want to countenance the reality?

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 6:58 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 06:58:29 -0400

Governor Bullock's proclamation reads: "I hereby order all flags flown in the State of Montana to be flown at half-staff on Tuesday, July 21st, 2015 to honor the memory of the four U.S. Marines and a Navy Sailor who died in the line of duty on July 16th, 2015 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The thoughts and prayers of my family and administration are with the families and friends of these brave serviceman and with the people of Tennessee."

The victims came from across the country, but united in Chattanooga, brought together by their service in the military.

Marines Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan of Massachusetts was a two-time Purple Heart recipient. He served three tours of duty.

Lance Cpl. Squire K. Wells, better known as "Skip," graduated from high school three years ago. The Georgia native joined the Marines in 2014 and had already earned a National Defense Service Medal.

Marines Staff Sgt. David Wyatt of Arkansas served two tours of duty in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. His wife posted about his death on Facebook. "He was such a great husband and father," one commenter wrote.

Marines Sgt. Carson Holmquist was also a husband and father and served two tours of duty in Afghanistan. Upon one of his homecomings, his family held up a sign that read, "We've waited 244 days for this moment. Welcome home Sgt. Holmquist."

Navy Petty Officer Randall Smith of Ohio was a logistics specialist. He saw the gunman in last week's attack and warned people around him, family members said, but was unable to get away.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 7:28 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 07:28:21 -0400

What is the national standard criteria? Used to be only for the deaths of very high officials or people who made a significant impact on American culture. It helped us ponder their legacy. So what is the standard today? Based on the comments before us, we have no standard. If we are going to lower the national flag every time a policeman or soldier is killed we might as well cut the flag staff in half. Why must we wait for a murder to honor people? Let the governors of the state lower the flag to honor in-state recruiters. National, no. Nor do I agree with how the flag has been lowered nationally in the recent past.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Jul 21 at 2015 8:25 AM

SGM Steve Wettstein — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 08:25:32 -0400

LTC Private RallyPoint Member yes I sure do believe that the flag should be at half staff.

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Jul 21 at 2015 8:35 AM

LTC Bink Romanick — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 08:35:09 -0400

Yes it should !

By the way the flag was ordered to be flown at half- staff for Whitney Houston by our esteemed governor Christie.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Jul 21 at 2015 8:45 AM

SGT Ben Keen — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 08:45:03 -0400

As a Veteran I feel it should, yet it is my understanding of US Code that covers how and when the flag is flown, it doesn't meet the criteria unless the President directs it to be flown in such a matter. This does bring up a follow up question, if the President was to order the flag to be flown at half mast for the 5 service members killed by one crazy idiot, what about the thousands killed while serving in any of the combat zones? Does the death of these 5 deserve higher honors because they were killed during a domestic terrorist attack rather than being killed in the terrorists' back yard?

4 U.S. Code § 7 - Position and manner of display | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute

June 22, 1942, ch. 435, §3, 56 Stat. 378; Dec. 22, 1942, ch. 806, §3, 56 Stat. 1075; July 9, 1953, ch. 183, 67 Stat. 142; July 7, 1976, Pub. L. 94–344, (6)–(11), 90 Stat. 811; Sept. 13, 1994, Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXII, §320922(b), 108 Stat. 2131.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 8:50 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 08:50:42 -0400

I think all military sacrifices should be honored. However, I don't think the flag should be lowered to half-staff. Why? I am glad you asked. We don't lower the flag for the Servicemembers that die on the battlefield. How is this different? I also don't think we should lower it for every namby pamby thing that has nothing to do with the United States either. If it were me, it would be a VERY rare event that I would lower the colors.

Response by SGT Bryon Sergent made Jul 21 at 2015 9:00 AM

SGT Bryon Sergent — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 09:00:43 -0400

Yes, But according to the reg or flag code it isn't a Government official or foreign dignitary. The Governor of each state and the state that it happened in has that right. Do I agree with this, NO. Maybe we all need to contact our respective congressmen and have it changed!

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Jul 21 at 2015 9:02 AM

SrA Edward Vong — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 09:02:17 -0400

Because this incident was made public and very well known, I would say yes, it should be flown half staff.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 11:41 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 11:41:26 -0400

Update as of 21 July 2015 Senate Majority Leader McConnell and House Speaker Boehner ordered the flags at the U.S. Capitol lowered to honor the four Marines and one Sailor who were killed last week.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 1:28 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 13:28:41 -0400

The White House is now at half-staff.