After over a year of planning, Student Government dedicated a flag to veterans and missing in action soldiers.

SG and the FAU Military and Veterans Student Success Center commemorated the installation of a flagpole featuring the Veterans and Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Flag. The ceremony took place outside the Boca campus Student Union Tuesday afternoon.

The flagpole project, which cost around $11,000, involved putting together legislation, purchasing materials, and organizing funding, according to a July 2017 Boca House of Representatives agenda.

SG President Emily Lawless, Boca Raton campus Governor Der’Resha Bastien, and the Boca House of Representatives each contributed $3,747.70 to the project.

The FAU Color Guard, which is part of the university ROTC program, raised the veterans flag, along with the U.S. flag.  Army recruiters Paul Roderick and Ronald Fulmore were involved in the ceremony as well. 

Bastien spoke about the amount of time and effort that has gone into making the flagpole a reality.   

“Projects begin in SG and are continuous,” Bastien said, adding that the work for this project was started by her predecessor, Hamilton Ezell.

Maintenance of the flagpole, as well as any accommodations needed in the event of a natural disaster, will be handled by the veterans center, according to the agenda.

In Lawless’ opening remarks, she said, “I have always felt a need for a place on campus for those who served our nation.”

Lawless’ brother is a freshman at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. Upon his graduation, he will serve for more than five years.

In the keynote address, Retired Brigadier Army General Richard Yules spoke of the importance of respecting the flag.

It will be raised and lowered each day, once in the morning, and once before sunset.

Benjamin Paley is the distribution manager of the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected].