Last week, Moraine Park Technical College hosted their 5th annual Veterans Hail and Farewell Ceremony, celebrating 40 graduating veterans. The event was held in Park Terrace, Moraine Park’s student-led restaurant on the Fond du Lac campus.

The event was established to recognize graduating veterans and allow staff and faculty a chance to interact with graduates outside of the classroom. There were five graduating students in attendance accompanied by members of their families. Bonnie Baerwald, Moraine Park’s President, presented each student with the college’s challenge coin (see below) and a red, white, and blue cord to wear at Commencement.

“The Hail and Farewell Ceremony is an opportunity to recognize veterans and currently serving students who have graduated in December or will become eligible in May,” Stephen Pepper, Moraine Park’s Student Veterans Specialist, said. “It is especially significant if they cannot go to the commencement ceremony or feel uncomfortable attending the event.”

Jovan Sanders, of Sheboygan, was the guest speaker at the event. He spoke about his life growing up in Milwaukee, joining the forces, working as an Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Specialist from 2006 to 2013; to currently working as a Load-Out Manager for Amazon.

“I thank you for your service and for selecting Moraine Park as you transition or advance into your career, and I look forward to shaking your hands as you walk across the stage next Saturday,” Bonnie Baerwald, Moraine Park President, said.

Immediately following the ceremony, the guests were served an all-American style meal consisting of fruit salad, fried chicken, steak, twice-baked potato, corn, asparagus, sweet tea, and dessert. The lunch was planned, cooked, and served by culinary student, Destiny Smith, who will be graduating this May.

In honor of Veterans Day, now is an excellent opportunity to learn about our American Flag and the rules and recommendations to display our nation’s symbol of freedom appropriately.

Moraine Park is committed to our military-connected individuals, and this year we would like to honor its employees who have served by exchanging or providing an initial 3×5 outdoor flag of their own.

Design

The United States American flag has 13 alternating horizontal stripes—7 red and 6 white, and a union (the blue field) that consists of white 5-pointed stars equaling the number of states in the Union. According to custom and tradition, white signifies purity and innocence; red, hardiness and valor; and blue signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice.

Public Law 94-344, known as the Federal Flag Code, contains rules for handling and displaying the U.S. flag and the language within the federal code clarifies that the flag is a living symbol, so the following are some guidelines to displaying, folding, and disposing of our nation’s flag.

Occasions and Display Basics

The universal custom is to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, a flag may be displayed twenty-four hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness. When possible, the flag should not be displayed on days when the weather is inclement unless an all-weather flag is used.
If you choose not to display your flag regularly, here is a list of some of the occasions considered appropriate to fly the U.S. flag –

New Year’s Day, Lincoln’s Birthday, Washington’s Birthday, Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day (half-staff until noon), Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and any other days which may be proclaimed by the President of the United States.

When the flag is displayed from a staff projecting horizontally or at an angle from a window sill, balcony, or front porch, the Union or stars should be placed at the staff’s peak, unless the flag is at half-staff. If the flag is hung over the middle of the street, it should be suspended vertically with the Union to the north in an east and west street or to the east in a north and south street.

When displayed on a speaker’s platform, the flag, if displayed flat, should be displayed above and behind the speaker; when displayed from a staff, the flag should be at a position of honor at the speaker’s right as they face the audience with no other flags. Finally, if the flag is displayed on a wall, either horizontally or vertically, the Union should be uppermost and to the flag’s right, or that is, to the observer’s left. The same is appropriate when the flag is displayed in a window, with the blue field to an observer’s left in the street.

Things NOT to do with the American flag:

• The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally but always aloft and free.
• The flag should never be used as clothing, bedding, or drapery.
• The flag should never be part of a uniform, but a flag patch or lapel pin can be part of a police or other uniform.
• The flag should not be used to cover a statue or monument.
• The flag should not be used to cover a ceiling.
• Advertising banners should not be hung from the same staff as a flag.
• The flag should never be used as a decoration. Instead, bunting with blue on top, white, and red is the appropriate patriotic display option.

Flag Disposal

You may often contact your local VFW or American Legion Post, the Girl Scouts, or Boy Scouts of America if you would like assistance with proper flag disposal. Otherwise, a fire must be relatively large and of sufficient intensity to ensure the complete burning of the flag. Note: Make sure you are conforming to local/state fire codes or ordinances.

1. Place the flag on the fire.
2. Individual(s) can come to attention, salute the flag, recite the Pledge of Allegiance and have a brief period of silent reflection.
3. After the flag is completely consumed and the fire has been safely extinguished, the ashes should be buried.

Correct Method of Folding the U.S. Flag

Caring for your flag

The life of your flag depends on your care. Dirt can cut fabrics, dull colors, and cause wear, but damaged flags can be repaired and utilized as long as the overall dimensions are not noticeably altered. Most outdoor flags can be washed in mild detergent and thoroughly rinsed, and indoor and parade flags should be dry-cleaned only, and many dry cleaners offer free cleaning of U.S. flags during June and July. Store your flags in a well-ventilated area away from any harsh chemicals or cleaning compounds, and if your flag gets wet, never store it until it is completely dry. Wet folds cause permanent creases, and dampness ruins fabric and causes mildew.

To obtain more details about our nation’s flag, or receive a pdf copy of “Our Flag,” the complete guide to the U.S. Flag, please send your request to spepper1@morainepark.edu

Moraine Park Technical College has earned the eighth spot on the Military Times Best for Vets college rankings as a Midwest, 2-year College. This honor recognizes colleges across the country for their commitment to educating and providing opportunities to America’s veterans.

Moraine Park has made this list for more than six years and serves as one of two technical colleges in Wisconsin to earn a place on this list. The Military Times surveys colleges and universities annually, and more than 350 schools participated in the latest Military Times Best for Vets: Colleges survey, which seeks details about the school’s costs, programs, policies, and services that impact military-connected students. Federal data from the U.S. Departments of Education, Veterans Affairs and Defense, were also considered.

“The College is committed to making sure every veteran who steps onto our campuses are provided everything they need to be successful,” Steve Pepper, student veteran specialist said. “I truly believe having someone our veteran students can turn to who can speak their language or understand some of their frustrations is important to their college experience and overall success.”

Moraine Park offers many programs that qualify under Veteran Administration (VA) benefits, with flexible scheduling options. The College is continuously working to maintain a culture that supports the challenges that veterans may encounter.

“This nationwide recognition confirms the proactive work Moraine Park has been doing,” Lt. Col. Scott Lieburn, U.S. Air Force, and dean of students at Moraine Park said. “As both a veteran and current active-duty service member, I am thankful to be part of a team of staff at the college that truly cares about creating and preserving a supportive campus culture for our student veterans.”

The College also ranked 31 among all public colleges and universities in the Midwest and 38 among all colleges and universities in the Midwest.

The “Military Times Best” ranking is published in the Military Times magazine and is available to subscribers, as well as online at MilitaryTimes.com and other affiliated websites.

Moraine Park Technical College, in partnership with the Vietnam Veterans Association Chapter 351 of Appleton, will host their annual event, Reflections of Vietnam, virtually on Monday, March 29.

The presentation is free and consist of a panel discussion with Vietnam veterans who will focus on the history, politics, and legacies that were part of the Vietnam experience, as well as their personal recollections. The event will also include a video of the traveling 80-foot display of artifacts, equipment, and memorabilia.

Over the last several years, this educational event, typically offered in-person, has traveled to many high schools, colleges, and local events.  As a result, over 25,000 students, faculty, and community members have been educated on what took place during the Vietnam War.

The virtual session will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m, and interested individuals can obtain the virtual link by contacting Steve Pepper, veterans specialist, at spepper1@morainepark.edu or 920-924-3489.

For more information, visit blog.morianepark.edu.

Veteran’s Day was a very special experience for twenty-one Veterans residing at the St. Francis Home campus in Fond du Lac this year.

Steve Pepper, Moraine Park’s Student Veteran Specialist, and one of the Student Veteran’s Club advisors arranged and participated in a Zoom video call with the veterans and several students and staff from Moraine Park. Nathan Evrad, one of Moraine Park’s academic advisors, even created personalized video greetings thanking the Veterans for their service.  He stated, “As a fellow military veteran, I want to thank you for your service and let you know that you are not forgotten.” During the call, the veterans reminisced about basic training, their jobs while serving, flying overseas for duty, and even pesky chiggers.

Due to COVID restriction, some residents had not seen each other in a while, so it was great to see some veterans talk among themselves during the call. Before the event, donations of chocolates, snacks, puzzles, and other goodies were collected. Staff at St. Francis home filled patriotic bags that morning and handed them out after the call.

Which included a surprise of a specially designed “I Served” pin and Moraine Park’s military challenge coin.

Anne Lemke, Student Community Impact Coordinator, had this to say about the event: Thank you so much for this wonderful extra special effort! My Dad loved his “interview” with Steve Pepper… and the goodie bags, especially the black licorice.

“When it was over, Steve remarked, “What a great day, and thanked all of the staff at the St. Francis Home who made this Day possible. Hopefully, things will get back to normal next year, and the college will be able to visit with the veterans in person.””

For additional information regarding veterans’ events and benefits, please contact Steve Pepper at 920-924-3489 or spepper1@morainepark.edu

Veterans Day is a U.S. legal holiday dedicated to American veterans of all wars, and Veterans Day 2020 occurs on Wednesday, November 11. In 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in World War I, then known as “the Great War.” Commemorated in many countries as Armistice Day the following year, November 11th became a federal holiday in the United States in 1938. In the aftermath of World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became known as Veterans Day.

The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, marking the official end of World War I. Nonetheless, the armistice date of November 11, 1918, remained in the public imagination as the date that marked the end of the conflict. One year later, in November 1919, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day. The day’s observation included parades and public gatherings, as well as a brief pause in business and school activities at 11 a.m.

On June 4, 1926, Congress passed a resolution that the “recurring anniversary of [November 11, 1918] should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through goodwill and mutual understanding between nations,” and that the president should issue an annual proclamation calling for the observance of Armistice Day. By that time, 27 state legislatures had made November 11 a legal holiday. An act approved May 13, 1938 made November 11 a legal Federal holiday, “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day.’”

American effort during World War II saw the greatest mobilization of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force in the nation’s history (more than 16 million people); some 5.7 million more served in the Korean War. In 1954, after lobbying efforts by veterans’ service organizations, the 83rd U.S. Congress amended the 1938 act that had made Armistice Day a holiday, striking the word “Armistice” in favor of “Veterans.” President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the legislation on June 1, 1954. From then on, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

The next development in the story of Veterans Day unfolded in 1968, when Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which sought to ensure three-day weekends for federal employees—and encourage tourism and travel—by celebrating four national holidays (Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Columbus Day) on Mondays. The observation of Veterans Day was set as the fourth Monday in October. The first Veterans Day under the new law was Monday, October 25, 1971; confusion ensued, as many states disapproved of this change, and continued to observe the holiday on its original date.

In 1975, after it became evident that the actual date of Veterans Day carried historical and patriotic significance to many Americans, President Gerald Ford signed a new law returning the observation of Veterans Day to November 11th beginning in 1978. If November 11 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the federal government observes the holiday on the previous Friday or following Monday, respectively. Government offices are closed on Veterans Day.

Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day—a common misunderstanding, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Memorial Day (the fourth Monday in May) honors American service members who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle, while Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans—living or dead—but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.

History.com Editors. (2020, October 9). Veterans Day 2020. In History. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/history-of-veterans-day#:~:text=The%20first%20Veterans%20Day%20under,holiday%20on%20its%20original%20date.

POW/MIA Recognition Day September 18, 2020

National POW/MIA (Prisoner of War/Missing in Action) Recognition Day is September 21 (annually the third Friday in September) and I thought this would be a great opportunity to provide some of the history on the flag you may have seen, featuring a silhouette of an individual before a guard tower and barbed wire in white on a black field with the words “You Are Not Forgotten”. 

In 1970, Mrs. Michael Hoff, the wife of a service member who was missing in action (MIA) and a member of the National League of POW/MIA Families, recognized the need for a symbol of our POW/MIAs. Mrs. Hoff contacted Norman Rivkees, Vice President of Annin & Company which had made a banner for the newest member of the United Nations, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), as part of their policy to provide flags of all United Nations member states. Mrs. Hoff found Mr. Rivkees very sympathetic to the POW/MIA issue and together with graphic artist Newton F. Heisley, a World War II Veteran, designed the flag choosing the image of a gaunt man in profile, with a guard tower and a strand of barbed wire in the background. Heisely, a pilot, said, “I used to fly within range of the Japanese and wondered how I would hold-up if I ever got captured. When I did the design, I thought how easy it would be to forget those guys.” The slogan “You are not forgotten” came from that reflection and the flag you see today still represents our missing service members.

Following approval by the League’s Board of Directors at a meeting held January 22-23, 1972, POW/MIA flags were manufactured for distribution.  Wanting the widest possible dissemination and use of this symbol to advocate for improved treatment for and answers on American POW/MIAs, no trademark or copyright was sought.  As a result, widespread use of the League’s POW/MIA flag is not restricted legally.

In 1979, Congress proclaimed the first National POW/MIA Recognition Day to acknowledge those families’ concerns and to never forget those who gave up their freedom protecting ours.

On March 9, 1989, an official League flag – flown over the White House on National POW/MIA Recognition Day 1988 – was installed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda as a result of legislation passed overwhelmingly during the 100th Congress.  In a demonstration of bipartisan Congressional support, the leadership of both Houses hosted the installation ceremony, at which League Executive Director Ann Mills-Griffiths delivered remarks representing the POW/MIA families.

The League’s POW/MIA flag is the only flag ever displayed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda where it stands as a powerful symbol of America’s determination to account for U.S. personnel still missing and unaccounted-for. 

In 1990, Congress passed U.S. Public Law 101-355 designating the POW/MIA flag as, “the symbol of our Nation’s concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still held prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia.” As of June 20, 2018, and reported by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency we still have 82,334 missing and unaccounted for from WWII forward, the most being from WWII at 72,906. We may never know what happened to all of them but we can continue to remind our citizens that their freedom comes at a very dear price.

The importance of the POW/MIA flag lies in its continued visibility, a constant reminder of the plight of America’s unreturned veterans.  Other than “Old Glory,” the League’s POW/MIA flag is the only flag ever to fly over the White House, displayed since 1982 in this place of honor on National POW/MIA Recognition Day.

Passage by the 105th Congress of Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act required that the League’s POW/MIA flag fly six days each year: Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, National POW/MIA Recognition Day and Veterans Day.  It must be displayed at the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Departments of State, Defense and Veterans Affairs, the headquarters of the Selective Service System, major military installations as designated by the Secretary of Defense, all Federal cemeteries and all offices of the U.S. Postal Service.  In addition to the specific dates stipulated, the Department of Veterans Affairs voluntarily displays our POW/MIA flag 24/7.  The National Vietnam Veterans, Korean War Veterans, and World War II Memorials are now also required by law to display the POW/MIA flag daily. 

For some time, there had been debate over when the POW/MIA flag should be flown, whether daily or on the specific six days noted in federal law. While not addressing the question of posting the flag at the national/federal level, League members at the 32nd Annual Meeting in June 2001, voted overwhelmingly in favor of the following resolution: “Be it RESOLVED that the National League of POW/MIA Families strongly recommends that state and municipal entities fly the POW/MIA flag daily to demonstrate continuing commitment to the goal of the fullest possible accounting of all personnel not yet returned to American soil.”

If you would like to learn more about the protocols on how to properly display the POW/MIA Flag of The National League of Families please e-mail your requests to veterans@morainepark.edu.

Reference

National League of Families. (n.d.). ​Protocol for the POW/MIA Flag of The National League of Families. In National League of POW/MIA Families. Retrieved July 31, 2018, from http://www.pow-miafamilies.org/protocol-for-the-powmia-flag-of-the-national-league-of-families.html

The History of the Vietnam War POW/MIA Flag. (n.d.). In US Flag. Retrieved August 2, 2018, from http://www.usflag.org/pow.mia.html

Top: SVA President Brad Resler

Right: American Legion Post 36 Member

Members of the Student Veterans of America (SVA) Club teamed up with the West Bend area Sons of Veterans Club and completed a lighting upgrade project for the West Bend American Legion Post 36.

The American Legion Post 36 was in need of upgrading their lighting to save hundreds of dollars in energy each year. At the same time, the SVA Club was searching for ways to help community veterans. That’s when SVA President Brad Resler reached out to an American Legion member and the two clubs teamed up. The upgrade included replacing 75 old, energy consuming florescent fixtures with new, energy efficient LED fixtures.

The project was expected to take about 2 full days to complete. However, with the teamwork of both the SVA and Sons of Veterans, the entire project was completed in one 9-hour day. It was amazing teamwork to benefit a very deserving group of veterans.

The Student Veterans of America Club is open to veterans, and those currently serving, as well as students, faculty, staff, family members and supporters of individuals who have served or currently serving.

SVA members also shown below are: Vice President Jeff Shurpit, Secretary Alex Arendt, Tommy Lee, Joel Schoeneck, Collin Shurpit and Matt Tillman.

The Beaver Dam Welding Club donated their time and club resources for the Christmas in a Shoe Box event coming up on November 13th for our troops overseas.

Thanks Beaver Dam Welding Club for your support!