The Birth of Old Glory from Painting by Moran. Percy Moran, artist; photo-mechanical print, [Red Oak, Iowa]: Thomas D. Murphy, Co., c1917. Prints & Photograph Division. Print shows an interior view of a room with Betsy Ross and two young girls on the left, showing an American flag to George Washington standing at center, and three other men standing on the right, possibly the Hon. George Ross and Robert Morris, and an unidentified military officer.

On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress approved the design of a national flag. 

Since 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation establishing a national Flag Day on June 14, Americans have commemorated the adoption of the Stars and Stripes in many ways–displaying the flag in the front of their homes, parades, and other patriotic observances. Prior to 1916, many localities and a few states had been celebrating the day for years. Congressional legislation designating that date as the national Flag Day was signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1949; the legislation also called upon the president to issue a Flag Day proclamation every year.

"Resolved, that the Flag of the thirteen United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation."
(Saturday, June 14, 1777. In Journals of the Continental Congress. v. 8 (1777) p.464. A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875)

According to legend, in 1776, George Washington commissioned Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross to create a flag for the new nation. Scholars, however, credit the flag’s design to Francis Hopkinson, who also designed the Great Seal and first coin of the United States. Even so, Ross most likely met Washington and certainly sewed early American flags in her family’s Philadelphia upholstery shop. To date, there have been twenty-seven official versions of the flag, but the arrangement of the stars varied according to the flag-makers’ preferences until 1912 when President Taft standardized the then-new flag’s forty-eight stars into six rows of eight. The forty-nine-star flag (1959-60), as well as the fifty-star flag, also have standardized star patterns. The current version of the flag dates to July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became the fiftieth state on August 21, 1959.

Source: Library of Congress

In November 2024, VA’s National Cemetery Administration (NCA) officially opened Green Burial sections at the Pikes Peak National Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado; the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix, Arizona, and Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida. The number of green burial sites at each cemetery are 152, 155 and 222, respectively.

Green burials are a way of caring for the dead with minimal environmental impact, which aids in the conservation of natural resources, reduction of carbon emissions, protection of worker health and the restoration and/or preservation of habitat.

Read the whole story at:
https://news.va.gov/136850/va-green-burials-three-national-cemeteries/?utm_source=middle&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=VetResources&utm_id=04DEC2024

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, referred to as the “Burn Pit Registry” or “the registry”, is a critical tool that is advancing research through combining Veteran and service member data. The registry enables VA to identify and research health challenges of Veterans and service members who were exposed to airborne hazards and burn pits during their military service. Over time, the knowledge gained through this research will be used to fuel advancements in treatments, more precise predictive medicine, inform decisions related to presumptive conditions, and deliver targeted  proactive and preventative care.

For more information, click 0n the link below:
https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/registry.asp

Fisher House Foundation builds comfort homes where military and Veteran families can stay free of charge while a loved one is in the hospital. These homes are strategically located at military and VA medical centers around the world, ensuring that families can be close to their loved ones during challenging times. With up to 21 suites in each Fisher House, families enjoy private bedrooms, baths and shared common spaces like kitchens, laundry facilities, dining rooms and living rooms.

Fisher House Foundation recently announced it is on the road to 100 Fisher Houses that, when completed, will serve more than 1,400 military and Veteran families on a given night.

Since its inception, the Fisher House program has saved military and Veterans’ families an estimated $610 million in out-of-pocket costs for lodging and transportation. This significant financial relief allows families to focus on supporting their loved ones without the added burden of accommodation expenses.

Fisher House Foundation operates the Hero Miles program, which uses donated frequent flyer miles to bring family members to the bedside of injured service members. This initiative ensures that families can be together during critical recovery periods, regardless of the distance.

Similarly, the Hotels for Heroes program uses donated hotel points to provide family members with free stays at hotels near medical centers. This program ensures that families have a comfortable place to stay close to their loved ones without any financial strain.

Beyond housing, Fisher House Foundation manages the Fisher Service Award, a grant program that supports other charities and scholarship funds for military children, spouses, and children of fallen and disabled Veterans. To date, 15,000 students have received $27,000,000 in scholarship awards, furthering the Foundation’s commitment to supporting military families in various ways.

By the numbers:

• Daily capacity: 1,300 families.
• Families served: More than 500,000 since inception.
• Number of lodging days offered: 12 million+.
• Scholarship awards: 15,000 students receiving $27,000,000.
• Hero Miles airline tickets provided: Over 70,000, worth nearly $105 million.

If you or someone you love is receiving care at a VA or military medical center, check the list of current Fisher Houses to see if there is a location that can help. The criteria to stay are established locally by the hospital or installation command, so please contact the location with any questions. There is never a charge to stay at a Fisher House.

Watch this video to discover more about staying at a Fisher House.

Fisher Houses are designed to foster a sense of community while providing private respite for families. Families can prepare their favorite meals in the gourmet kitchen before enjoying a good night’s sleep in their private suite. The common areas, such as the dining room, family room and outdoor patio, offer spaces for families to connect and support each other.

Private suite amenities

• Beds accommodating family needs (multiple twins, full, roll away crib, etc.).
  
• Private, wheelchair-accessible bathroom with ample counter space.
• Towels and high-quality bedding provided.
• Large closet with hangers.
• TV and internet access.

Common areas

• Dining room.
• Gourmet kitchen with a coffee maker, pots, pans, utensils, pantry compartments, and state-of-the-art refrigerators.
• Family room with large TV and seating.
• Living room with seating and a library.
• Laundry room with multiple washers and dryers.
• Outdoor patio.