Have you flashed your flag? That's what we're asking individuals and groups across our nation to do as we launch a new initiative in keeping with our goal to raise awareness, publicly recognizing our military fallen heroes and their families.
This is your chance to join with thousands of other Americans and do something unique, creating a positive statement of support by displaying the flag in an "Honor and Remember Video Flag Flash."
Here's how it works:
If you are one of the over three thousand families who have received a personalized flag, a supporter who has one proudly flying or someone who is about ready to get one, please consider doing a "flag flash."
Using your smart phone or a camera with video capability, record a brief (approximately five seconds) video of you or a group holding an Honor and Remember Flag (of any size) and including the words, "I (or we) honor and remember."
If you have a personalized Honor and Remember Flag, you and your family members can hold up that flag and say something like,"We are the family of (name of fallen loved one) and we honor and remember." Please briefly say whatever you feel is appropriate and respectful, and use whatever background fits your context, such as your home, school, veteran's organization, workplace, a memorial and so forth.
Here are some additional sample phrases that we might hear in an Honor and Remember Video Flag Flash:
"We are members of (American Legion Post 280 in Chesapeake, Virginia), and we honor and remember."
"I'm mayor (name and city) and I honor and remember." (or the governor, congressman, senator, etc.)
"I serve in the (U.S. Navy) and I honor and remember." (or Army, Marines, etc.)
"I honor and remember the sacrifice of my hero, (Capt. John Smith)." (or friend, father, cousin, etc.)
"I am an American patriot and I honor and remember."
"Im a (Navy, Army, Marine, etc.) veteran and I honor and remember."
"We are the (class of 2014 Mountain View School in Boulder, Colorado), and we honor and remember."
"We are the (82nd Airborne from Ft Bragg), and we honor and remember."
You get the idea. Use your imagination. Let's create a Flag Flash!
We would like your Flag Flashes to be as professional as possible. Here are some useful techniques to create a good-looking image. Use your smart phone. That's the easiest and quickest way to get this done.
Need a little help? Here are a few suggestions:
- Hold the camera sideways (horizontal) to get the most into the image.
- Shoot in a place that has little or no outside noise (no airports, intersections, or train stations).
- Get a friend to help. It will be hard to hold a phone and a flag and get the proper distance etc.
- Lighting is important! Unless you have a brightly lit indoor area, do this outside. Be sure the lens is not facing directly into the sun.
- Try a few different "takes" and use the best one.
- Help others make Flag Flashes!
All done? Here are some thoughts on what to do with your finished Flag Flash:
- Email a copy of the video to Honor and Remember at flash@honorandremember.org (if its not too large). Also post to our Facebook Honor and Remember – Official Page.
- Post your video to all of your social networking outlets, such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, using the hashtags #flagflash or #honorandremember.
- Send your Flag Flash to others, including your local TV/radio news shows. We'd love to attract their attention for the upcoming Honor and Remember Month in May.
If you work at a TV/radio news operation, please consider doing a story on the Honor and Remember Video Flag Flash and invite your audience members to send one to you. Broadcast or share on your social sites.
We will also post and share Flag Flashes on our pages and may eventually string them together for longer tributes. We want Flag Flashes to go "viral" during the month of May, Honor and Remember Month, as a way to say "thank you" for all those individual lives that have been given for freedom's cause and to express our gratitude to all of the families that gave those heroes to us.
Let's grab America's attention with a positive statement of appreciation and remembrance that publicly acknowledges the sacrifice of our military fallen heroes and their families. Join us and create your Honor and Remember Video Flag Flash!
