Flying flag at half-mast is sign of grief, sympathy

Regarding the flag-lowering issue (“What's On Your Mind,” July 23). One responder said the flag should “absolutely not” be lowered because “ ... many of us know no one in the military.” Another reader stated there should be “ ... a law against retired military ... attempting to force their personal standards on the public.”

People have flown “Old Glory” half-mast as a sign of grief since 1612. Why not show sympathy for young people who sacrificed their lives for our country? Because we don't know them?

I served 27 years in the military before retiring in 2009. I managed all nuclear medicine clinics Air Force-wide and 20 radiology departments/clinics in the European theater. I also spent 10 years as administrator for 300 airmen assigned to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany. During my tenure, the 2,000 medics assigned to LRMC treated 50,000 warriors wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq. I saw many young military members who will bear scars of war the rest of their lives.

No one can or should make flying a flag half-staff mandatory for all civilians. However, to justify not lowering your individual flag because you didn't know the person who died for that flag is nonsense.

Rev. Victor F. Ogden

Marion