A Small Gesture That Means So Much

Oceanside embodies every aspect of a military town and businesses continually show their support to both service members and their families.  There is a high level of gratitude felt for this amazing generosity and welcoming mentality.

Although, after our most recent military shooting, in Chattanooga, which resulted in the loss of five service members, there is one last thing I ask and encourage every business owner in Oceanside to do – and that is to fly an American Flag.

Before 1860, the flag had served mainly to mark American territory or flown solely on holidays, such as Independence Day.  Although our flag came to embody something more; those pieces of fabric sewn together have come to represent the millions of individuals who fight for our country and those who have died defending it.  So as you can see the simple act of flying a flag outside your business holds so much significance and meaning.  It symbolizes everything in which our service members fight for, as well as our freedom and the sacrifices made to keep us free.

I cannot express how much little acts of kindness, support, and appreciation for what our service members do means to a military family.   They repeatedly experience countless moves, deployments, new friends, new schools, and loss of comrades.  They rely on the support of other military families and the community in which they live to overcome these struggles.  So know, any way in which you show your appreciation is not taken for granted – but if you are currently not flying a flag outside your business take a moment to realize how much such a small gesture can mean.

Nina Fletcher
Military Spouse – Pursuing a MA in Military Psychology
Dell Military Representative – www.dell.com/CampPendleton