Photo courtesy of Staff Sgt. Mike Getten
CARSON CITY — The Nevada National Guard held a Flag Day ceremony for the 15th straight year at the Capitol building to commemorate the 236th anniversary of the U.S. flag and the U.S. Army’s 238th birthday on Friday. The ceremony was held inside the Nevada Capitol Assembly Chambers.
Master Sgt. Harry Schroeder of the 757th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion gave the Flag Day address. He spoke about the history of Old Glory and its meaning to him.
“On days like this we should all reflect on what the flag means to us and take a moment to reflect on the freedom we enjoy,” Schroeder said. “As you leave here today pay close attention to each and every American flag you see. Appreciate each for their beauty and strength as they wave through the air representing our incredible nation. Remember what matters most to you and what this vision means to you. Most of all let us share our pride and patriotism that brings us here today with our fellow Americans and help to inspire the same patriotism in all of them.”
State Command Sgt. Maj. Daryl Keithley delivered the Army birthday message.
“With some 170,000 soldiers forward stationed and deployed in nearly 160 countries worldwide at any given time, we rely heavily on the enduring support of our civilians and families. They remain a significant strength of our all volunteer force,” Keithley said. “We thank our families for remaining a source of strength and resilience and we thank our civilians for their steadfast dedication to the mission. We thank our soldiers and veterans, who are soldiers for life, for their remarkable determination to defend our nation with unwavering resolve. They are truly inspiring.”
A resolution of the Continental Congress authorized 10 companies of riflemen on June 14, 1775, giving birth to the U.S. Army. Two years later, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act and adopted the stars and stripes design as our nation’s flag. It was first decreed there should be 13 stars and a stripes, one for each state.
Congress ordered the observance of the first Flag Day 100 years later in 1877. It was not until Aug. 3, 1949, when President Truman signed an act of Congress, designating that June 14 became National Flag Day.
The U.S. Flag is the second oldest continuously used national standard in the world, second only to Denmark’s Dannebrog, which is accepted as the oldest.