ALR Post 259 Blogs

November 11th is Veterans Day, our federal holiday dedicated to honoring the service members of our military and showing our appreciation for their sacrifices. Originally called Armistice Day, this date marks the official end of the major hostilities of World War I. While we have previously expressed our deep respect and gratitude for our veterans, we find it fitting to delve into the history of the day set aside to celebrate them.

Old Glory, the Stars and Stripes, the Star Spangled Banner… whatever you call it, the flag of the United States of America is a symbol of this country’s history and its current unity. As such, there are proper ways to handle it… and many, many ways for it to be mishandled. Here, we’ve taken the liberty of outlining the proper etiquette for handling the flag, and how to properly dispose of it if necessary.

Memorial Day is the day we set aside to honor the servicemen and servicewomen who have fallen in the line of duty. While this day of remembrance has many traditions and symbols that we can easily recognize - poppies, picnics, and parades - the first was decorating soldiers' graves with flowers.

"It is fitting and proper that we devote one day each year to paying special tribute to those whose constancy and courage constitute one of the bulwarks guarding the freedom of this nation and the peace of the free world." - President Dwight D. Eisenhower

As American Legion Riders, we gladly welcome any opportunity we get to honor our veterans and current service members. That’s why we feel it is important that as many people as possible know that today is Armed Forces Day, and what that means.