Welcome to the 
​​​Flag Steward
Interactive American Flag
relaying today's informative 'Reminders from Our Flag' and inspiring 'Patriot Tributes' specific to this U.S. Flag
at  ​​MSL's 'Catch a Lift' gym

[ Pic of IAF dedicated to this honoree posted at Flag Steward HQ ... Need pic of this / your IAF at its new steward's location ]

GO HERE for today's REMINDERS FROM OUR FLAG
(including daily Flag Status, Fallen Patriot alerts, Historical Reminders, & more)

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Fallen Patriot Commemoration
This Interactive American Flag is dedicated to:
US Army Reserve Corporal
Christopher J. Coffland of Baltimore, MD

Corporal Chris Coffland, 43, served as part of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)
with 323rd Military Intelligence Battalion deployed from Ft. Meade, MD
Coffland, along with 2 of his teammates, was killed by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) on November 13, 2009 in Sayed Abad district, Afghanistan
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We honor and thank US Army Corporal Coffland for defending our freedoms and fighting to liberate the lives of others.

Inspirational Quote about Corporal Coffland:
... from one of his sister's Lynn when reacting to Chris choosing to enlist in the Army at 41 years old ...
“What surprised me was that he (Chris) had never conformed, but he was choosing a life that was all about conforming.  What he said was that he lived his life as a free spirit but conformed when necessary. And this (serving his country while fighting for others' freedom) was necessary to him.”

Born January 7, 1966
Graduated from Gilman HS in 1984
Graduated from Washington & Lee University in 1988
Unbelievably, as an adult he played professional football in Finland, coached football in Australia and lacrosse at Boys' Latin School of Maryland, worked as a university counselor at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, tended bar in Baltimore, studied anthropology at Washington State University, lived with Pygmies in Africa.
Enlisted in Army Reserves as a military intel soldier a month before turning 42 (the Army's recruiting age limit)
Posthumously bestowed with Bronze Star and Purple Heart

Survived by his parents, brother, and 3 sisters

[ Buried at Arlington National Cemetery ]

​CLICK HERE to review his tribute at the Military Time's Honor the Fallen site

​​​​GO HERE to see the Fallen Heroes Project tribute to CPL Coffland

CC bio video

CLICK HERE to examine the ArlingtonCemetery.net memorial for Chris Coffland
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GO HERE to view the Find a Grave site for Chris
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CLICK HERE to check out the Lint Center scholarship in honor of CPL Coffland

GO HERE to see the most detailed story about Chris from 'Catch a Lift' - a nonprofit founded by his sister to help war veterans

PATRIOT POPPY says, I WANT YOU to help recruit more Flag Stewards.
So, copy this link, post it to your social networks, and promote your inspiring Interactive American Flag.
And, CLICK HERE to send them a link to install the Flag Steward app.

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Patriot Honor Roll
The personal Patriots remembered by this Interactive American Flag include:
U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant
Kirk Allen Straseskie of Beaver Dam, WI
[ listed as first Wisconsin resident killed in GWOT ]

[ USMC / public domain image ]

​​  Sgt Straseskie served in Operation Iraqi Freedom
Assigned to 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment deployed from Camp Pendelton, CA
Died (drowned) on May 19, 2003, while trying to rescue crew members in a Marine CH-46 helicopter that crashed in the Shatt al Hillah Canal in Iraq

CLICK HERE to read the Military Times - Honor the Fallen tribute to Sgt Straseskie

GO HERE to review the Find a Grave tribute site for him

[ THIS IS THE FLAG STEWARD FOUNDER'S EXAMPLE HONOR ROLL TRIBUTE TO HIS DAD - WHOSE MEMORIAL FLAGPOLE INSPIRED THIS NONPROFIT PROJECT ]
U.S. Army (Retired) Lieutenant Colonel
Edward J. Sweeney Jr.

Vietnam Veteran of Boston, Massachusetts
20 year Army career (1967-1987) in Aviation and Corps of Engineers
Awarded Silver Star, Bronze Star, and 45 Air Medals while serving as scout helicopter pilot ( shot down 3 times ;) in Vietnam
Died December 8, 2008, age 62, of a Vietnam War related illness 
Survived by wife, Ellen Sweeney, two children and three grandchildren
We honor and thank U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Ed Sweeney Jr. for defending our freedoms and fighting to liberate the lives of others.

​Ed Sweeney Jr. inspires us with his leadership - how he looked out for the welfare of his men:
Chief Warrant Officer Frank Glenn, a fellow Vietnam War scout helicopter pilot of Platoon Leader Ed Sweeney, repeated Captain Sweeney's directive to his 9 scout pilots, "Don't be a cowboy, don't take any unnecessary risks, no hot-dogging, and don't get your crew killed.  Your job is to return to base everyday."

GO HERE to review this Patriot's tribute site

Melissa and family -
​​[ YOU ;), HAVE THE POWER TO EDIT & CUSTOMIZE THIS PAGE!  Follow a short video tutorial, get access to this page from Flag Steward staff, and then you can showcase the Patriots that inspire you to stand proudly during Our Flag ceremonies.  You can do it!  Email Staff@FlagSteward.org for access to this/your page now.  PS - If a 49-year old, Catholic, Jarhead Marine can build this website than you can certainly handle customizing this page to your liking. ;)  ]

Are you ready to add another honoree here?

Thanks for visiting this Flag Steward Interactive American Flag and reviewing today's 'Reminders from Our Flag'.  We appreciate your support of our nonprofit program and mission to build more informed and inspired citizens.

[ Copyright (c) 2018 - Flag Steward, a GivingVue nonprofit program. 
​GivingVue is a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible, non-partisan, student-inspired, Veteran-led nonprofit based in Colorado. EIN: 46-2457373 ]