WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/11/2010) - The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary is urging everyone in Wisconsin to join in with other citizens of the USA to show the United States flag on Flag Day 2010. Flag Day will be observed Monday, June 14th. Flag Day started in 1916 with a presidential proclamation by President Woodrow Wilson to commemorate the date on which the Second Continental Congress voted to adopt the flag of the United States in 1777. Nicknames for the flag include the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, and The Star-Spangled Banner.

“We urge Wisconsinites to fly the flag on Monday,” said Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) Secretary Kenneth Black.

“It is a day to celebrate our national flag and all that it represents,” Veterans Affairs Secretary Black added.

The flag of the United States is one of the nation's most widely recognized symbols. Within the U.S. it is frequently displayed, not only on public buildings, but on private residences.

It is also used as a motif on decals for car windows, and clothing ornaments such as badges and lapel pins. Throughout the world it is used in public discourse to refer to the U.S., not only as a nation, state, government, and set of policies, but also as an ideology and set of ideals.

Apart from the numbers of stars and stripes representing the number of current and original states, respectively, and the union with its stars representing a constellation, there is no legally defined symbolism to the colors and shapes on the flag.

One of the things that the flag represents in the minds of many is the many sacrifices that patriotic soldiers make to protect the United States and the continued freedom to fly the red, white and blue, stars and stripes.

Black notes the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs works on behalf of the service members who protect the freedoms for which the flag stands.

United States military veterans, from those just returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan, to those who served in previous conflicts, are can learn about the overall benefits available to them, by contacting the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs office nearby.

"We're honored and humbled by our veterans' selfless dedication and unwavering commitment to freedom…to their country…and to their fellow veterans," Secretary Black points out.

"We, along with the nation’s citizens, thank you for your service and commitment and are committed to ensuring our veterans' needs and goals are met," Black continues.

"We encourage all veterans, from our newest veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan to our older veterans who served in World War II, to learn about the overall benefits to which you’re entitled," Black urges.

Whether veterans are interested in continuing their education, securing a home loan or finding out more about health assistance programs, the website (www.wisvets.com) is a one-stop guide to benefits and services offered by the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

"Whether you are a veteran, a veteran's family member, or you provide support and services to our veterans, please take a few moments to navigate our website and read about the benefits that are available," Black asks.

There are links included to additional agencies, organizations and websites to help provide as much information as possible.

"As always, please contact WDVA directly if we can be of assistance," Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Kenneth Black suggests.

The national flag of the United States of America (the American flag) consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton (referred to specifically as the "union") bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars.

The fifty stars on the flag represent the 50 states and the 13 stripes represent the original thirteen colonies that rebelled against the British monarchy and became the first states in the Union. Nicknames for the flag include the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, and The Star-Spangled Banner (also the name of the national anthem).