All About Veterans
Flag Code
At Foothill Funeral & Cremation Services (FFC), we are extremely grateful to United States veterans for the sacrifices they have made on our behalf. To say thanks, we provide several services for veterans. One of which we are particularly proud is our commitment to help retire tired American flags.
Weather beaten, tattered, discolored after years of use, and/or otherwise in need of replacement, these flags drape over each deceased service member we cremate. For burial, a ceremonial flag drapes the casket during the committal service (at graveside). Military Honors see this flag is folded and presented to the family of the deceased veteran. In this way, the flag is honored in the same way as the veteran who defended it.
While we take donations throughout the year, they hold special significance on and around Veteran’s Day. The Flag Code calls for a flag to be retired with dignity, with a preference for burning. During the FFC Flag Drive, we drape a retired flag over a deceased veteran at the time of cremation. For families choosing not to have military honors for their deceased veteran, or perhaps those who prefer a simple cremation without services, we can arrange to secure a ceremonial flag and donate it in their veteran’s honor to a local school, church, library, or veterans organization.
We care about Veterans
- Veterans Dayis a U.S. Federal holiday observed on November 11.
- Originally known as “Remembrance Day,” the holiday began in 1919, to commemorate the signing of the armistice that ended the fighting in World War I. Similar celebrations take place in Europe.
- Later established in 1926 as Armistice Day.
- Congress officially declared the annual observance a holiday in May of 1938.
- Alvin J. King suggested renaming the observance in June of 1954, to honor veterans of later wars, including WWI, the Korean War and both Gulf Wars.
- The holiday was observed from 1971-1977 on the fourth Monday in October.
- Celebrated in a variety of ways across the country, Veteran’s Day includes the annual-laying at Arlington National Cemetery, a time-honored tradition. Another related national event includes the vice president presenting a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
- To date, there are approximately 21.8 million American Veterans. 10 percent are women.
- The state with the highest number of veteran residents is California, with two million.
- At least 970,000 veterans have some degree of officially recognized disability from the wars. Many more live with physical and emotional scars.
- The Washington Post reports that even after experiencing the personal and professional struggles of returning to civilian life, 89 percent of veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001 said they made the right choice joining the military.
- Foothill Funeral & Cremation offers several special programs for our military families.
About Foothill Funeral & Cremation Services
Funeral directing is a unique job. The reason we enjoy it is because we love helping families during their time of need. Drop by our Glendora showroom any time. In Covina, our relationship with Sacred Heart Chapel is the perfect place for mourners to host funerals and memorial services in a grandiose yet intimate setting. We proudly serve the San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles Basin, Orange County and the Inland Empire. Working in the mortuary industry since 1996, we have worked hard to build a reputation of quality, sincerity and trust. Please allow us to help you at your time of need or in the future. Call today (626) 335-0615 or drop by our showroom.
