A reminder that Sept. 19 is National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Take the time on that day to reflect on the fact that there are still over 81,000 service members unaccounted for, 472 from Maine. Behind each number is a family still waiting for answers, still living with the ache of uncertainty. This day asks us all to pause, reflect, and remember that those who served - and never came home - are not forgotten. 

The POW/MIA flag, officially approved by Congress in 1998, has become one of our most recognized symbols of remembrance. Federal law requires it to be flown on Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, National POW/MIA Recognition Day, and Veterans Day. The National POW/MIA Flag Act of 2019, requires it to be displayed whenever the American flag is flown at prominent federal properties. 

When displayed from a single flagpole, the POW/MIA flag flies directly below the U.S. flag and must not be larger. On separate poles, the U.S. flag is always placed to the right (left when facing them), with the POW/MIA flag immediately beside it, second in precedence. 

I’ve always been careful about the proper order of flags at ceremonies: U.S. flag, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, and the POW/MIA flag. This order reflects the sequence in which the services were last established by Congress - though history gives it some twists. The Navy, for example, was created before the Marine Corps but later disbanded after the Revolution, only to be reestablished a decade later, placing Marines ahead of the Navy in precedence.  In preparing this article, I discovered something I hadn’t known: the POW/MIA flag should actually come immediately after the U.S. flag, before all the service flags. So, if you own one, Sept. 19 is the perfect opportunity to display it with the honor and placement it deserves. 

Still, the heart of this day is not flag etiquette but remembrance. Take a quiet moment to think of those who never came home, and of the families who still carry the weight of their absence. The promise our nation makes to them remains clear: You are not forgotten. 

Just a reminder, the VA and many of the organizations that support veterans will be at Post 20 in Brunswick on the 19th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you have any questions about filing a claim, or questions about claims you already have filed, the VA will have the ability to answer them. If you filed a claim, or want to file a claim with a VA approved service organization, the four located at Togus (DAV, American Legion, VFW, and PVA) will be there as well. Want to sign up for Honor Flight, they will be there to help with that process. If you are looking for options for long term residential care, the Maine Veterans Home representative will be there too. So, just 45 minutes away, on Friday, all the experts associated with Veterans benefits and healthcare will be there.