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"These brave men and women are willing
to put their lives on the line for the sake of the state of Illinois
and our nation," said Blagojevich. "This gesture will show our honor
and respect for citizen soldiers and airmen who have made the
ultimate sacrifice for the cause of freedom."
Under the governor's proclamation,
all state facilities will lower flags to half-staff on the day the
funeral is conducted for an Illinois National Guard member who dies
in combat. In the past, flags at state armories were lowered when a
guardsman was killed in action. This measure expands the practice to
include every state facility.
[to top of second column in
this article]
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The recommendation for the statewide
flag-lowering policy came from Paul Vogel of suburban Barrington.
In August, Gov. Blagojevich
dedicated a state Global War on Terrorism Memorial. The names of all
fallen Illinois service members -- active, Guard and Reserve -- are
placed on this memorial in honor of their sacrifice. The memorial is
on temporary display at the Illinois State Military Museum at Camp
Lincoln in Springfield until the war on terrorism ends and a
permanent display location is designated.
[News release from the
governor's office]
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