January 03, 2007
January 3, 2007
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today ordered that United States flags throughout the state of Michigan and on Michigan waters be flown half-staff in honor of Michigan servicemen who lost their lives while on active duty in Iraq. Flags will fly at half-staff:
Thursday, January 4, 2007, to honor Army National Guard Specialist Chad J. Vollmer of Grand Rapids. Specialist Vollmer, 24, died December 23 from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations in Salman Pak, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry, Big Rapids, Michigan.
Friday, January 5, 2007, to honor Army National Guard Specialist Bobby Mejia II of Saginaw. Specialist Mejia, 20, died December 23 from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations in Salman Pak, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry, Big Rapids, Michigan.
Saturday, January 6, 2007, to honor Army Private First Class Andrew H. Nelson of Saint Johns. Private Nelson, 19, died December 25 of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 9th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.
Sunday, January 7, 2007, to honor Army Sergeant Curtis L. Norris of Dansville. Sergeant Norris, 28, died December 23 of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive devise detonated near his vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 210th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York.
Monday, January 8, 2007, to honor Marine Lance Corporal Ryan J. Burgess of Sanford. Lance Corporal Burgess, 21, died on December 21 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, California.
Tuesday, January 9, 2007, to honor Army National Guard Specialist Wilson A. Algrim of Howell. Specialist Algrim, 21, died December 23 from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations in Salman Pak, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry, Big Rapids, Michigan.
Under Section 7 of Chapter 1 of Title 4 of the United States Code, 4 USC 7, Governor Granholm, in December 2003, issued a proclamation requiring United States flags to be lowered to half-staff throughout the state of Michigan and on Michigan waters to honor Michigan servicemen and servicewomen killed in the line of duty. Procedures for flag lowering were detailed by Governor Granholm in Executive Order 2006-10.
When flown at half-staff, the United States flag should be hoisted first to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff or half-mast position. The flag should again be raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day.
When a member of the armed services from Michigan is killed in action, the governor will issue a press release with information about the individual(s) and the day that has been designated for flags to be lowered in his or her honor. The information will also be posted on Governor Granholm's website at www.michigan.gov/gov in the section titled ‘Spotlight.'
