National Flag Movements Takes its Message to the Halls of Congress
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
January 28, 2011
NATIONAL FLAG MOVEMENT TAKES ITS MESSAGE TO THE HALLS OF CONGRESS
Honor and Remember Founder Will Visit Every Member of
Congress to Rally Support for Establishing a New National Symbol
WASHINGTON, DC – After traveling over 25,000 miles through 50 states, one would think it would be time to rest. For George Lutz, this is not at all the case. Following a five-month, cross-country campaign to promote the Honor and Remember Flag as a new national symbol, Lutz, is on his way to Capitol Hill. As the father of a beloved fallen soldier and the flag’s creator, Lutz plans to meet with every member of the United States House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to enlist each legislator’s support for a bill that will make the flag, which honors individuals who died in military service to America, an official emblem of the United States.
“After traveling to every state in our nation and meeting with governors and other elected officials, representatives from a broad spectrum of military veteran’s organizations, active duty service members and hundreds of Gold Star families, I am amazed at the enthusiastic support the Honor and Remember Flag has received,” said Lutz. “In the coming weeks, I plan to stay in the nation’s capital and ask every Washington politician I meet to pledge his or her support for The Honor and Remember Flag Recognition Bill, which calls for the Honor and Remember Flag to be adopted as a national symbol.”
Honor and Remember, Inc. was founded on Memorial Day 2008 to promote the flag and deliver personalized versions of it to families who have lost a loved one in military service, regardless of generation. Each personalized flag is emblazoned with the family member’s name, date of death and place of death. Lutz has presented flags to families of service members from World War II to Afghanistan.
“America needs a tangible symbol that specifically honors the sacrifice of men and women in the United States Armed Forces who have given their lives for their country,” said Lutz. “The Honor and Remember Flag was created to fly at federal, state and municipal buildings, schools, businesses and homes as a continuous reminder of the price our nation has paid over two centuries for the freedoms we cherish as Americans.”
While in Washington DC, Lutz will ask each legislator he meets to sign a pledge that reads:
In the more than 200 years of our nation’s history there has never been an officially recognized symbol that reminds us daily of the ultimate sacrifice made by members of our military who lost their lives in service to America and that affords us a means to express our gratitude to the families who endure that sacrifice. The Honor and Remember Flag is intended to serve as a national emblem for that purpose. The flag recognizes all military individuals from all wars or conflicts involving the United States who died while serving, or as a result of serving, since our nation’s inception.
It is my desire to see the Honor and Remember Flag adopted as a nationally recognized symbol of remembrance. And I promise to support the federal legislation that will make the Honor and Remember Flag an official emblem of the United States of America “Perpetually Recognizing the Sacrifice of Our Military Fallen Heroes and Their Families”
On December 29, 2005, George Anthony Lutz II (Tony) was killed by a sniper’s bullet while he was on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq. His family and friends endured the shock, emotional agony and overwhelming loss that accompanied the news of Tony’s death, just like the many families who have suffered the same tragedy. In the months that followed Tony’s funeral, his father, George, visited other families who had lost loved ones in the Iraq war. He began to sense that he had joined the ranks of a unique fellowship. These families were only the latest additions to a group that originated with the American Revolution, when the first soldiers to shed their blood for our freedom gave their lives.
George found another commonality among the families of fallen soldiers. After their grief had transitioned to numbness and finally to acceptance, many families wanted to know two things: that their sacrifice was not in vain and that the nation would never forget. These concerns led George on a quest to discover if there was a universally recognized symbol that specifically acknowledges the American service men and women who never made it home. To his surprise, he found nothing. Thus the Honor and Remember Flag was conceived. Honor and Remember, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
The Honor and Remember Flag has been endorsed by the American Gold Star Mothers, Inc., The Gold Star Wives of America, the Blue Star Mothers of America, the Vietnam Veterans of America, the Fleet Reserve Association, the Military Officers Association of America, the Associations of the US Army, Navy and Air Force, the Air Force Security Forces Association and the Naval Reserve Association among many other organizations. The flag has already been adopted as an official state symbol by Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina and Oklahoma; legislation is also pending in many others. More information can be found at www.HonorandRemember.org
Mr. Lutz goes to Washington
Feb – March 2011
Goal: Meetings with all 535 elected officials. U.S. Congress and U.S. Senate.
Please contact your Representatives and help us arrange meetings in DC.
This will be the year for Honor and Remember federal adoption
Disabled Vet Makes Bike Trip to Promote New Flag
| Ride Will Cover 2400 Miles and Go Through Washington, D.C.
NORMAN, Oklahoma — Kevin George Baker, a disabled Navy veteran, will ride his hand-propelled bicycle from his hometown through Washington, D.C. and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to Marseilles, Illinois to support a new flag designed to honor fallen members of the military. His trip will begin at his home on Saturday, March 7 and will take 15 weeks to complete. Baker, who is unable to use his legs due to a neurological impairment, will fly the Honor and Remember Flag from his bike and encourage people along the way to sign a petition urging Congress to adopt the flag as a new national symbol by passing HR Bill 546. “I was so impressed when I saw the design for the Honor and Remember Flag and learned about its purpose,” said Baker. “I decided that I could help spread the word about it.” The Honor and Remember Flag was created by George Lutz, whose son Tony was killed by a sniper’s bullet in Iraq in 2005. Officially unveiled last Memorial Day in Norfolk, Virginia, the flag has gained national support from several veterans groups and the American Gold Star Mothers. The petition drive, which is featured on the Honor and Remember Inc. web site (www.honorandremember.org), seeks to generate one signature for every known American war casualty. Another goal is to present a personalized Honor and Remember Flag to the parents of fallen military service members. Baker was injured while serving as a firefighter in Kuwait during the Persian Gulf War when a Scud missile struck his barracks. He also intends to stop in Danville, Virginia to visit his mother and grandparents. His grandfather is a decorated WWII veteran. And he will visit Virginia Beach, Virginia to meet with Honor and Remember Inc. founder George Lutz. In Washington, D.C., Baker will join up with a bike ride to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, organized by Soldiers’ Angels, a support organization for United States military personnel. From there Baker will ride to Marseilles, Illinois to visit the Middle East Conflicts Wall Memorial dedicated to military service members who died since 1979 including the Persian Gulf War and in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Members of a Gold Star family will transport him home to Oklahoma. Kevin’s progress with pictures and journal will be chronicled on www.honorandremember.org. Kevin’s Proposed Route Leaving Norman OK on Sat the 7th around 10 am heading SE to hwy 9 thru Little Axe, Pink, Tecumseh and onto hwy 9A thru Seminole and 9W to DUSTIN, ENTERPRISE, to WHITEFIELD, to Hwy 9 WHITEFIELD TO 271/59S to PANAMA, SHADY POINT, HOWE, onto 59S to HEAVENER,TO HODGENS, then SW on hwy 59S to BIG CEDAR, into SMITHVILLE, All the way S BROKENBOW,AND 259S TO HARRIS, AND CROSSING INTO Kevin’s modified Cycle
Kevin’s shots along the way
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| 3-05-09 – Today we received our 1st images from Kevin.
3-07-09 – Kevin Begins his Ride Read the Norman Transcript story. 3-08-09 – Kevin biked south 120 miles and reached Gainesville, TX for a much needed rest. It seems his journey is already garnering stories as he has been detained by the police, partly escorted by Harleys and put up for the night by new found friends. 3-09-09 – From Kevin Day 3 was a mess, had 20-40 mile head winds. Talk about a hard ride, I came across a VFW Post 1922, they were great and helpful as well. There were Soldiers Angels that showed up and everyone loved the flag. You should start getting more signatures from alot of people here. I got pulled over again yesterday for the same thing, stopping on the shoulder and got a warning. I should make it priority to start the ride everyday getting pulled over, HA. i will send pics of the great TX trooper and some of the people I have met. I have made it to Sherman TX since Saturday. Dallas, TX channel 12 KXII News Gainesville Daily Register story 3-11-09 – From Kevin The temp has gone from raining and near 80 to raining and near 34 degrees. Honor Guard is going to come and pick me up from Sherman,TX and take me to were ever its sunny and just a bit warmer than freezing. Soldiers Angels Martha Nayman and her Husband are taking me to breakfast this morning before the Honor Guard gets here from LA. We are headed South towards the Gulf of Mexico, more later today. 3-13-09 – A tragic end Sadly this morning it was announced that Kevin Baker’s journey has ended. He passed away peacefully in his sleep last night as God had other plans for this incredible man. He passionately took hold of things he believed in and pursued life with a courage and strength many of us only dream about. I only wish we could have shaken his hand in his triumph. Here are comments from those close to him….. Keith Dixon – To all those who have loved and supported Kevin, I have some very sad news. We are just beginning to get the details, but it appears that Kevin has passed away. Again, the details are just coming in, but it appears that he went to sleep last night with a support family and they were unable to wake him this morning. …I know that everyone of you who have loved and supported Kevin would want to know as soon as possible. My name is Keith, and I am Kevin’s brother in law. Rita Bostelman – Kevin was in the loving care of Soldier Angels Martha Nayman when he called his friends from the Illinois Freedom Run Paul and Susan Moreno and they went and picked him up. He had a meal conversation watched a little tv and went to bed. He never woke in the morning. Kevin was not alone he was cradled by the love of people who cared about him. Ultimately his cancer did not wait until Kevin could finish his mission. Susan M. – Kevin Baker, the wounded soldier that was riding cross country to present President Obama with an Honor and Remember Flag was at my house in Vinton, Louisiana. He passed away this morning, I am sorry to say. He died doing what he believed in, and that was honoring our wounded and fallen soldiers. May he rest in peace now. His mission here on earth was accomplished. |
