Flags at Half Staff

[Jeff Janda]

The Berwyn Park District has received numerous inquiries as to why the flags are being flown at half staff.  The Illinois Flag Display Act which covers municipalities requires under directive of the Governor of Illinois that all U.S. and State of Illinois flags are to be flown at half staff upon the death of a resident soldier killed by hostile fire, and the line of duty deaths of Illinois police officers and fireman.

The Berwyn Park District receives an email based notice from the State of Illinois when this occurs.

It is sad that there have been a number of official notices lately honoring our fallen heroes.  I have included a copy of the applicable statute for reference.


Respectfully,

Jeff Janda, CPRP
Executive Director




GENERAL PROVISIONS
(5 ILCS 465/) Flag Display Act.

    (5 ILCS 465/0.01) (from Ch. 1, par. 3300)
    Sec. 0.01. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Flag Display Act.
(Source: P.A. 86‑1324.) 


    (
 

    (5 ILCS 465/3b) (from Ch. 1, par. 3305)
    Sec. 3b. In addition to the buildings and grounds described in this Act in and upon which the United States national flag shall be displayed, a flag shall also be displayed and flown each day of the week from each city or village hall and village square, and at the principal entrance to all supervised public parks.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 2052.) 



    (5 ILCS 465/10)
    Sec. 10. Death of resident military member, law enforcement officer, or firefighter.
    (a) The Governor shall issue an official notice to fly the following flags at half‑staff upon the death of a resident of this State killed (i) by hostile fire as a member of the United States armed forces, (ii) in the line of duty as a law enforcement officer, or (iii) in the line of duty as a firefighter: the United States national flag, the State flag of Illinois, and, in the case of the death of the member of the United States armed forces, the appropriate military flag as defined in subsection (b) of Section 18.6 of the Condominium Property Act. Upon the Governor's notice, each person or entity required by this Act to ensure the display of the United States national flag on a flagstaff shall ensure that the flags described in the notice are displayed at half‑staff on the day designated for the resident's funeral and the 2 days preceding that day.
    (b) The Department of Veterans' Affairs shall notify the Governor of the death by hostile fire of an Illinois resident member of the United States armed forces. The Department of State Police shall notify the Governor of the death in the line of duty of an Illinois resident law enforcement officer. The Office of the State Fire Marshal shall notify the Governor of the death in the line of duty of an Illinois resident firefighter. Notice to the Governor shall include at least the resident's name and Illinois address, the date designated for the funeral, and the circumstances of the death.
    (c) For the purpose of this Section, the United States armed forces includes: (i) the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard; (ii) any reserve component of each of the forces listed in item (i); and (iii) the National Guard.
    (d) Nothing in this Section requires the removal or relocation of any existing flags currently displayed in the State. This Section does not apply to a State facility if the requirements of this Section cannot be satisfied without a physical modification to that facility.
(Source: P.A. 95‑596, eff. 9‑11‑07; 96‑436, eff. 8‑14‑09.)

[OakParkSpartan]

Who are the notices for?  That would be good to know, considering we are supposed to be honoring them.   

[watcher]

Who are the notices for?  That would be good to know, considering we are supposed to be honoring them.   

Spc. Canon J. Fodder
and
Ens. Hugo B. Expendable

[dukesdad]

Watcher:

Not funny. Anything that even smacks of making fun of our war dead is out of line. Disagree all you want about the war and what's going on, but once these kids have given their life, honor them, or shut the fuck up about it.

[Vic0218]

Jeff - if you or someone on your staff can post here the names of the resident soldiers when you receive the notice to fly at half staff, it would be greatly appreciated. It is just one more way to keep these soldiers and their sacrifices front of mind.

It would help us honor them. Thank you - Vicki

[pkd50]

what Duke said times 100. 

[Jeff Janda]

For the benefit of all I have cut and pasted the notices.  I will endeavor to enter their names here, one can also sign up to be notified at the web address listed in the release below. 

These fallen heroes haven given all for us. Let us not forget that.

Respectfully,

Jeff Janda


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2010
   

Honoring Illinois' Fallen
United States and Illinois flags at half-staff from Sunrise, Sunday, October 10, 2010 until Sunset, Tuesday, October 12, 2010.

The Department of Central Management Services has received notice from Governor Quinn's Office that all persons or entities covered by the Illinois Flag Display Act are to fly the flags at half-staff on behalf of:

Sergeant Mark A. Simpson
United States Army
Hometown:  Peoria, Illinois

Please lower the United States flags and the State flags at all buildings occupied by your agency's personnel from:

Sunrise, Sunday, October 10, 2010 until
Sunset, Tuesday, October 12, 2010


If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Mike Claffey at (312) 814-3957 or via email at mike.claffey@illinois.gov. 

More information is available at http://www.illinois.gov/news/flaghonors.cfm.



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 6, 2010
   

Honoring Illinois' Fallen
United States and Illinois flags at half-staff immediately until Sunset, Friday, October 8, 2010.

The Department of Central Management Services has received notice from Governor Quinn's Office that all persons or entities covered by the Illinois Flag Display Act are to fly the flags at half-staff on behalf of:

Assistant Fire Chief Thomas Innes
Hindsboro Community Fire District

Please immediately lower the United States flags and the State flags at all buildings occupied by your agency's personnel until:

Sunset, Friday, October 8, 2010


If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Mike Claffey at (312) 814-3957 or via email at mike.claffey@illinois.gov. 

More information is available at http://www.illinois.gov/news/flaghonors.cfm.



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2010
   

Honoring Illinois' Fallen
United States and Illinois flags at half-staff immediately until Sunset, Thursday, October 7, 2010.

The Department of Central Management Services has received notice from Governor Quinn's Office that all persons or entities covered by the Illinois Flag Display Act are to fly the flags at half-staff on behalf of:

Officer Samuel Vargas
Cicero Police Department

Please immediately lower the United States flags and the State flags at all buildings occupied by your agency's personnel until:

Sunset, Thursday, October 7, 2010


If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Mike Claffey at (312) 814-3957 or via email at mike.claffey@illinois.gov. 

More information is available at http://www.illinois.gov/news/flaghonors.cfm.

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

Who are the notices for?  That would be good to know, considering we are supposed to be honoring them.   

Spc. Canon J. Fodder
and
Ens. Hugo B. Expendable

Wow - it's nice to know your true feelings about our soldiers.  Whether or not you agree with our government and their mission the soldiers who fight and put their lives on the line each and every day deserve much more than that - especially the dead ones.

[Berwyn Patsy]

I'm with Mrs. N., on this one too!  Watcher, what in the world possessed you?

[HKay]

Spc. Canon J. Fodder
and
Ens. Hugo B. Expendable

Hey scum bag, on behalf of myself, my fellow vets and the entire United States military why don't you go f__k yourself...

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

Staff Seargent Robert J. Miller of Wheaton just received the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously so I would think that especially now we should be thinking of all the veterans who layed down their life for this country.  My dad, who served in WWII, always kept a picture of him and "the guys" who served with him in the war.  As he got older we asked him why he still hung onto that picture.  Even when he was in his last years and moved here in Berwyn he made sure we put up that picture.  He said there were so many young guys his age (18 and 19) who were killed and they probably never married or had any kids.  He said it was because he wanted to make sure they were not forgotten.  On his deathbed when he suffered greatly, he thought of them and said how lucky he was to have lived such a long life.  He died at 72.

[~LL~]

These notifications are (as you see) also regarding fallen police officers and fire fighters - most recently is Sam Vargas, Cicero police.  Great young man - left behind a wife and three little girls.  http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Samuel-Vargas&lc=7156&mid=4399035

Thanks, Jeff, for letting us all know about the link to this information.  Let us not forget those who work to keep us safe and protect our liberty.

[watcher]

Watcher:
Not funny. Anything that even smacks of making fun of our war dead is out of line. Disagree all you want about the war and what's going on, but once these kids have given their life, honor them, or shut the fuck up about it.

Any other Gold Star relatives in the general vicinity?

If not, then be extremely careful who you tell to shut up.

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

Watcher:
Not funny. Anything that even smacks of making fun of our war dead is out of line. Disagree all you want about the war and what's going on, but once these kids have given their life, honor them, or shut the fuck up about it.

Any other Gold Star relatives in the general vicinity?

If not, then be extremely careful who you tell to shut up.

Do you have one?  If so. please let us know.

[HKay]

Any other Gold Star relatives in the general vicinity?

If not, then be extremely careful who you tell to shut up.

@ Watcher,
20th SFG (ABN), a recently returned Special Forces unit, has a few teams based here in Chicago...why don't you go tell them what you have said here. That's a meeting I'd pay to observe. I have attended multiple military funerals as a family member, veteran and Patriot Guard Rider. And you? You are the lowest form of unpatriotic despicable scum because of what you've written here. Next time you wonder about your right to spew your hate you'd better remember those that fought and died to protect your right to do so. They are our true heroes. You? You rate the title of scumbag...

[Jeff Janda]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 13, 2010
   

Honoring Illinois' Fallen
United States and Illinois flags at half-staff immediately until Sunset, Thursday, October 14, 2010.

The Department of Central Management Services has received notice from Governor Quinn's Office that all persons or entities covered by the Illinois Flag Display Act are to fly the flags at half-staff on behalf of:

Senior Airman Daniel J. Johnson
United States Air Force
Hometown: Schiller Park, Illinois

Please immediately lower the United States flags and the State flags at all buildings occupied by your agency's personnel until:

Sunset, Thursday, October 14, 2010

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Mike Claffey at (312) 814-3957 or via email at mike.claffey@illinois.gov. 

More information is available at http://www.illinois.gov/news/flaghonors.cfm.

[Vic0218]

Information from: http://militarytimes.com/valor/air-force-senior-airman-daniel-j-johnson/4863711/

Air Force Senior Airman Daniel J. Johnson
Died October 05, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

23, of Schiller Park, Ill.; assigned to 30th Civil Engineer Squadron, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.; died Oct. 5 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

EOD airman dies in Afghanistan

By Jill Laster
Staff writer

An explosive ordnance disposal airman died Tuesday after insurgents in Afghanistan attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

Senior Airman Daniel J. Johnson was conducting an explosive ordnance operation west of Kandahar when his unit was attacked. Tech. Sgt. Daniel Butler suffered injuries from the blast, according to the Defense Department.

Both men were serving as members of the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron's Explosive Ordnance Disposal team at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Lt. Ann Blodzinski, a spokeswoman at Vandenberg, declined to comment on Butler's condition.

Johnson, of Schiller Park, Ill., joined the Air Force about a year after graduating from Monona Grove High School in Wisconsin. He was on his second tour in Afghanistan and is the 30th Space Wing's first active-duty airman killed since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan began, Blodzinski said.

He had completed less than a month of a planned six-month deployment.

Johnson talked about the dangers of his job in a March interview with California television station KSBY.

"You work on an IED or something like that, and you know there's hostile forces around you, you must be crazy to do what you do," Johnson said. "I never really thought about it. It just seemed like a cool job."

A memorial service at Vandenberg remained in the planning stages Thursday. Col. Richard Boltz, commander of the 30th Space Wing commander, said in a news release that "the loss of one of our own deeply affects us all."

"Team Vandenberg is pulling together closely to be there for the Johnson and Butler families and for each other," he said.

Paul Brost, principal of Monona Grove High School, told the Wisconsin State Journal that Johnson graduated from the school in 2005 after four years as a good student and three-sport athlete.

Brost said Johnson was on the football, swimming and track teams. He also was editor of the school yearbook and worked on the student newspaper.

Friends said Johnson got married in June.

Johnson was the fifth airman to die in the war zones since Sept. 15:

* Senior Airman Mark A. Forester, 29, died Sept. 29 while conducting combat operations in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province. He was assigned to the 21st Special Tactics Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, N.C.

* Senior Airman Michael J. Buras, 23, died Sept. 21 as the result of an improvised explosive device detonation in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 99th Civil Engineer Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.

* Senior Airman Daniel R. Sanchez, 23, died Sept. 16 while conducting combat operations in the Afghanistan's Oruzgan province. He was assigned to the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

* Senior Airman James A. Hansen, 25, died Sept. 15 of wounds suffered during a controlled detonation at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 46th Operations Support Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

———

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[Jeff Janda]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 18, 2010
   

Honoring Illinois' Fallen
United States and Illinois flags at half-staff from Sunrise, Tuesday, October 19, 2010 until Sunset, Thursday, October 21, 2010.

The Department of Central Management Services has received notice from Governor Quinn's Office that all persons or entities covered by the Illinois Flag Display Act are to fly the flags at half-staff on behalf of:

Lance Corporal John T. Sparks
United States Marine Corps
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

Please lower the United States flags and the State flags at all buildings occupied by your agency's personnel from:

Sunrise, Tuesday, October 19, 2010 until
Sunset, Thursday, October 21, 2010

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Mike Claffey at (312) 814-3957 or via email at mike.claffey@illinois.gov. 

More information is available at http://www.illinois.gov/news/flaghonors.cfm.

[Vic0218]

Information taken from: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/58267/3rd-battalion-5th-marine-regiment-memorializes-fallen-marine

3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment memorializes fallen Marine
1st Marine Division   
Story by Cpl. Daniel Blatter

Marines and sailors from 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, in Sangin, paused to honor Lance Cpl. John T. Sparks. Sparks, 23, a machine gunner with Weapons Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines was killed in action, Oct. 8.

"It is my personal and professional honor to be a part of this memorial service and to pay tribute to Lance Cpl. John Sparks' life and his sacrifice," said Lt. Col. Jason Morris, the commanding officer of 3/5. "I give thanks every day that I had the opportunity to serve with and lead a man such as John, a man that gave his last full measure defending his nation against its enemies."

Sparks attended Paul Robeson High School in Chicago, where he played football and wrestled. Upon graduation, Sparks attended Westwood College where he received an associate's degree in criminal justice. Sparks enlisted in the Marine Corps in Feb. 2008.

Sparks was assigned to India Company, 3/5 in Sept. 2008, and was currently on his second deployment.

"He was a physically tough and mentally focused Marine who never quit. He was a mentor, friend and leader within India Company," said Capt. Christopher Esrey, the company commander for India Company. "India Company is shaken by his loss, but we will carry out our mission in his name. Sparks will be greatly missed as a fellow Marine, a friend and a brother. His sacrifice will never be forgotten."

Nearly every Marine in Sangin attended the memorial and paid their respects to their fallen brother.

"My friend is gone and it seems that no matter what I do, the pain in my heart won't go away," said Cpl. Jeffery Holsey, a machine gun team leader and roommate of Sparks. "John had the best qualities a person could ask for. He was always laughing and always smiling. He never let the troubles of the world get him down."

Holsey laughed and cried as he remembered and talked of the old days with Sparks.

"Sparks loved machine guns," said Holsey. "He would always say that 'Everyone wants to be a machine gunner until it is time to be a machine gunner, because the hurt we carried separated the men from the boys.'"

The short, quiet ceremony was marked by Bible verses and prayers honoring Sparks. Final Roll was called three times for Lance Cpl. John T. Sparks only to be answered by silence. Taps followed in a final farewell.

"I would like to thank Mrs. Lenora Sparks for raising and nurturing such an extraordinary man, brother, and son," said Esrey. "Without his family at home, his second family, here in India Company, 3/5, would have never been blessed with his presence."

As the ceremony came to an end, the Marines remembered Sparks for who he was.

"He always carried his weight and when others couldn't, John would pick up their slack," said Holsey. "He was a selfless person. He always gave everything and never asked for anything in return.

"I love you and will miss you John Sparks."

Sparks awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service medal and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary medal.

Sparks leaves behind his mother, Lenora.

[EC]

Someone should tell City Hall that they have to lower the city and state flag as well. The U.S. flag along 26th Street is lowered but the others are still at the top. Can't fly any flag higher than the U.S. flag.