Flag flap dispatched: Jacksonville raises military flags across from City Hall

Months back, a code enforcement issue became global news, when a city of Jacksonville employee cited a local business for flying military flags.

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry overruled his employee.

“Let them fly,” he tweeted.

And so they did at the business.

And now those flags will fly, permanently, at City Hall, after a ceremonial raising of the flags of all military branches (along with a POW/MIA flag) Tuesday.

Curry noted the city’s “gratitude for members of the armed forces” factoring into the decision to fly the flags as a “daily reminder of all that served and all that have served.”

Curry noted after July 4 that he realized that he needed to do something to honor the military, as he wrote at the time.

“A week ago, as I sat on the south bank of the St. Johns, my family and I enjoyed the fireworks and celebrations with our downtown as a backdrop. As the fun of the evening faded and we returned home, I spent some time reflecting about our city and our nation. My grandfathers and my father came to mind as I thought of the many men, women and families who have sacrificed by serving in our military to defend our way of life,” Curry asserted.

“With these reflections in mind,” the Mayor added, “I have decided that in addition to flying the United States flag, we should add the five military branch flags in an array around the National Colors in front of City Hall.”

“To honor that long tradition,” Curry added, “I want everyone who works in or visits City Hall to be reminded of the dedication of our Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard. Therefore, today I have asked my staff to install the necessary hardware next to the National Colors in Hemming Park to let our military flags fly.”

Worth noting: discussion of proper flag order was held before Independence Day, per an email from Chief of Staff Brian Hughes to Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa.

“There are five branches of the United States military; the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy. While each branch of the military dedicates their time to certain aspects of protection and service, the five military branches work together to some extent in their role of security for the country. Each branch of the military has a separate flag, represented by emblems and insignia specific to the different branches. When displaying military branch flags together, the order of precedence should be the National Colors, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard,” Hughes wrote on July 3.

We asked Curry about this Tuesday, and he reiterated his contention that “reflecting and going into the holiday and the holiday is what today’s about.”