November 29, 2007
BVA Membership alert for all regional groups and local members, thought this would be great way to draw attention to the legislation that BVA has currently in congress on placing a American Braille Flag at Arlington National Cemetery by next Memorial Day with passage of HR 4179.
Old Glory’s Journey of Remembrance
The White House Commission on Remembrance has partnered with the USS Arizona Pearl Harbor Memorial Museum in a nationwide flag raising effort. The flag will begin its journey on December 7th in Pearl Harbor during the National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
During the journey the flag will visit 25 national cemeteries and historic battlefields across the Nation. A flag-raising ceremony to honor the service and Sacrifices of America’s fallen heroes and the families they left behind will be held at each location. (List of locations attached)
Old Glory will end its journey at the U.S. Capitol on May 26, 2008, where it will become part of the National Moment of Remembrance ceremony. Members of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, elected officials, representatives from the military services, veterans and their families, and cemetery representatives are expected to be in attendance.
Please pass around and let your membership and supporters know about this great event. For more information on this event, go to the following Web site: www.remember.gov (the site is currently under construction)
Kevin Secor
Veterans Service Organizations Liaison
Office of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Washington, DC
Need congressional co-sponsors of HR 4169 today! This announcement is perfect timing to prepare for our own event in May if we can get this legislation passed in time.
Below is outline of some talking points when contacting your local congressional office, since there is going to be this special effort with Old Glory’s Journey of Remembrance this is a great time to raise our legislative initiative.
Call United States Capitol switchboard 202-224-3121 ask for your members office or search www.Thomas.Gov web site to find out your member of congress direct address and phone number.
Dear Congressman ______________________,
The Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), is the only congressionally chartered veterans service organization exclusively dedicated to serving the needs of our nation’s blinded veterans and their families for 63 years, we would like to request your office fully support the effort to pass HR 4169 “American Braille Flag Memorial Act” that would authorize a American Braille Bronze Flag that will be donated be placed at Arlington National Cemetery. This special legislation not only is in remembrance of those blinded veterans who died in service to this nation, but for those living blinded veterans, current blinded service members, and family members who visit Arlington every year would be able to have this American Braille Flag in there honor, recognition, and respect of their vision loss. This important congressional effort would ensure blinded veterans and others who have received Braille training, will be able to identify this Braille American flag, while visiting the National Cemetery. This would help them in knowing this country cares and respects there sacrifice.
The VA has approximately 47,700 blinded veterans currently enrolled in the VA system but demographic data suggest there are over 180,000 blinded veterans living in America currently there are over 1.1 million blinded Americans. With over 4 million visitors every year to Arlington National Cemetery this special “American Flag” would be great tribute. Your effort increases the ability of those blinded veterans who visit the nation’s Capitol each year to know that they and there blinded peer veterans are forever remembered in our country. The war in Iraq and Afghanistan has resulted already in 100 blinded service members and we know when they visit Arlington to pay respect to fellow service members that have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country and at this time this would be special tribute to them. BVA has with Congressman Tiahrt to introduce American Braille Flag at Arlington National Cemetery HR 4169 and we have currently 15 co-sponsors and ask for you to become a co-sponsor today.
BVA membership should contact there congressional office and ask to leave a message with the legislative director or veterans affairs legislative assistant who works for the congressional member in your district. During the next two weeks we want to get as many co-sponsors as possible for this bill.
Our goal should be to have the bill passed by early next session of congress, and have target date of May 28th for having the American Braille Flag set up at Arlington in conjunction with this Old Glory event.
Thanks,
Tom Zampieri
Director Government Relations
Blinded Veterans Association
Washington DC
End of Document