Kentucky new policy on lowering of flags "ridiculous"

New Ky. policy on lowering flags raises ire

By Joe Biesk - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jul 23, 2008 20:28:53 EDT

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky has started lowering flags to half-staff only for fallen service members from the Bluegrass State, upsetting veterans and lawmakers who say the policy dishonors tens of thousands of service members from other states stationed at installations such as Fort Campbell and Fort Knox.

Gov. Steve Beshear last month changed the old policy of lowering state and U.S. flags to half-staff from the announcement of any Kentucky-based soldier’s death until his or her funeral. Now the flag will be lowered only for Kentucky natives and even then only on the day they are buried.

Maj. Gen. Edward Tonini, Kentucky’s adjutant general, said the previous policy made it impossible to tell who was being honored and led to lengthy stretches where flags were lowered for multiple people. Between April 1 and July 2, the state lowered flags for 26 soldiers, only four from Kentucky.

“At one period in time, the flag was at half-staff for about a month consecutively,” Tonini said. “And, who was that for? You just don’t know.”

Ken Hart, state adjutant for the American Legion of Kentucky, which represents 33,000 veterans, called the new policy ridiculous.
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