Pictured are some of the tattered flags that flew above the Veterans War Memorial Thursday. Officials with the Veterans Advisory Board said on Friday that they have removed the flags and will replace them in time for the Veterans Day Parade on Sunday. (Photo by Joe Bocanegra)
By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
By the time the Veteran’s Day Parade will be held on Sunday, the San Benito Veterans’ War Memorial will have hung eight clean, new flags to be displayed.
At any given time, a variety of flags fly through the sky at the memorial, but not always are the flags in immaculate condition. According to Victor Garza, chair of the Veterans’ Advisory Board, the organization tries to change out the flags every six months. Garza said, “We replace the flags when needed. If one flag is more damaged than the other, we might just replace one.”
Recently, the San Benito News has fielded numerous calls from concerned citizens who complained about the state of the flags at the memorial. Most of the flags were sun-bleached, tattered and in at least one case nearly completely shredded to less than half its original size. Garza accredited the reason for the untimely replacement of these flags to a shortage of funding.
Garza said, “One of the biggest things is the City of San Benito and Veterans’ Advisory Board pay for them.”
The organization flies the Texas and US flags at the front of their building with flags depicting the five branches of military branches and a flag in remembrance of prisoners of war, or a total of eight flags. “Just for the POW and military flags, we will spend $300 for replacements. The US and TX flags run close to $150. If we replace the flags twice each year, that is an estimated $900.”
Because the cost to replace flags is high and the budget is not, Garza said, “We go by what’s needed.”
The organization likes to keep the flags flying 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Garza explained, “The only time we take them down is when it’s windy or a hurricane is coming. If we know windstorm is coming in, we will take them down.”
Garza is doing his due diligence to find organizations or grant funding available to purchase replacement flags. He said, “Replacing the flags gets costly after a while, but it’s a need. The US flag is of course the most important one. If it’s damaged, we want it to be replaced immediately. For the others, we don’t have a protocol, but when they’re tattered I have taken them down and taken them to a seamstress to get them fixed and put back up.”
“It’s getting to the point,” said Garza, “where we have to make sure we have more replacement flags available. I’m trying to do my best.” Since winds are generally strong, Garza mentioned the flags can be subject to harsh conditions that might cause significant wear and tear, but he explained, “We don’t go out and take them down just when winds are high, and we leave them up at night. All the flags are lit.”
A Veteran’s Day parade will commence on November 11, beginning in the vicinity of City Hall at approximately 8:50 a.m. and ending at the memorial, where a ceremony will be held. Garza, who was contacted by the Calvary Trailriders Association, said there might be 20 former veterans from the organization who come out to walk with their horses. Veterans who wish to participate in the walk are welcome to join.
Read this story in the Nov. 11 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.
1 comment
Here”s an idea. Get the manufactures who make the flags donate them. I am sure they are willing to do it for the Veterans. The manufactures make thousands of dollars selling flags all over the country if not the world. The manufacture can write the cost off as a donation or an expense at the end of the year.