Chaplains honor, remember the fallen at 'Flags-In'

Photo By Cory Hancock | Sgt. 1st Class Bernardo Escarcega, from Temple City, Calif., inserts a flag in front of a grave during the Flags-In ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., May 22, 2014. (Photo by Cory Hancock, JFHQ-NCR/MDW Public Affairs)  

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES

05.22.2014

Story by Cory Hancock 

Joint Task Force-National Capital Region

ARLINGTON, Va. - U.S. Army chaplains from across the National Capital Region participated in the annual Flags-In ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in preparation for Memorial Day.

"So much of our work takes place with funerals here at Arlington National Cemetery," said Chaplain (Col.) Michael E. Brainerd, U.S. Army Military District of Washington command chaplain. "The whole family sacrifices, not just the Service Member."

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day and is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service.

"The Chaplain Corps is the only branch, other than the Old Guard, that participates in Flags-In, it is a tremendous honor," said Sgt. Maj. Stephen Stott, regimental sergeant major, U.S. Army Chaplain Corps. "I retire next month after 34 and half years of service, so it is a great last event for me to honor the fallen as the regimental sergeant major of the Chaplain Corps.

Flags-In has been conducted annually by the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) since 1948. The Old Guard places an American flag at each one of the more than 260,000 graves at Arlington National Cemetery. The flags are placed at each grave just before Memorial Day weekend and are removed after Memorial Day before the cemetery is open to the public.

"This is at the core of what we do," said Brainerd. "We nurture the living, care for the wounded and honor the fallen."

• Date Taken: 05.22.2014
• Date Posted: 05.29.2014 08:11
• Story ID: 131421
• Location: ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, VIRGINIA, US