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HFM BOCES
flag at half-staff Friday to honor fallen soldier
 SEPTEMBER
6, 2012 - Like all schools and state offices, HFM BOCES
respects the request of Governor Andrew Cuomo, who directs flags
to be flown at half-staff in honor of individual New York State
servicemen and women who are killed in action around the world.
The governor's
press release announcing the directive can be found at
www.ny.gov/governor/.
Specifically, the
flag will be flown at half-staff Friday, Sept. 7, 2011, to honor
a New York soldier who died in Jalalabad, Afghanistan on Sept.
2, 2012.
Spec. Kyle R.
Rookey of Oswego died in a non-combat related incident. He was a
member of the 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion of the 4th
Infantry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team. The division is
based at Fort Carson, Colorado.
"On behalf of all
New Yorkers, I extend my condolences to the friends, family and
fellow soldiers of Specialist Rookey," Governor Cuomo said. "We
will mourn his death, but we will remember his service to our
nation with pride."
Governor Cuomo has
directed that the flags on all state buildings be lowered to
half-staff in honor of and in tribute to our state's service
members and those stationed in New York who are killed in action
or die in a combat zone.
Flying the American
flag at half-staff is an honor that can only be ordered by the
governor of a state or the president of the United States.
There are specific
dates — Memorial Day (sunrise to noon), Pearl Harbor Day (Dec.
7), Patriots Day (Sept. 11), and Peace Officers' Memorial Day
(May 15) — when the flag is required to be flown at half-staff.
Additionally, there
are rules governing when and how long the flag should be lowered
to half-staff, such as after the death of a president or former
president, vice presidents, members of Congress and the Supreme
Court, and state governors.
A complete
explanation of flag etiquette can be found at
http://www.usflag.org/flagetiquette.html. |
