Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Headquarters at the Office of Idaho Veterans Affairs
Today's flag story comes from the state with the best potato on the block, Idaho. But there is much more than potatoes in Idaho. Specifically, there are over 25 different veterans groups and agencies. The Idaho State Division of Veterans Services is the cornerstone for Idahoans; fighting for and establishing support for more than 130,000 veterans and their families.

Together with FlagDesk, we've been working together for years to get the most out of their flag display. As one of my favorite flag flyers, I wanted to spend a moment to share their flag story. When it comes to honoring our troops there is a great deal more to the Idaho Veterans Affairs than meets the eye.

Idaho State Division of Veterans Services Mission Statement: We are dedicated to serving Idaho’s veterans and their families by providing superior advocacy, excellent assistance with benefits and education, high quality long-term care, and respectful interment services in a dignified final resting place.

It is one thing to offer services. It is another thing to understand the role your organization has to play to be a true support structure. Idaho Veterans Services seeks to provide a quality of life as well as a remembrance and recognition in death. No matter their station or circumstance, the Idaho Division Veterans Services has worked to provide for an extensive variety of needs.

The advocacy group is constantly working to help veterans and their families find the health benefits they are entitled to by staying on top of changing laws. They also assist veterans excel in education by helping them enroll in the new post 9/11 GI bill, which can allow a veteran to get a high school diploma, graduate degree, or even a masters degree. They host seminars for entrepreneurs, classes on improving resumes, give advice for interviews and help veterans find employment. They even have programs for homeless Veterans.

The American flag (shown above) is just one small aspect of this organization's commitment to its members, but we feel particularly proud to be a part of that message. You can find it flying out front 24/7, 365 days a year. The Idaho winds keep it at an almost constant wave. While you will not find "fly a flag out front" in the mission statement, but the mission statement echoes the true meaning of our flag: compassion, responsibility, accountability, dignity and honesty.