City will hang banners to honor military members
As if we weren't proud to call Simi Valley home, this newest action program will bring it all to a new level. Simi Valley's City Council overwhelmingly, unanimously voted in favor for the Armed Forces Banner Program.
Soon there will soon be banners streaming from our city's light poles in honor of Simi Valley men and women who’ve served their country in the armed forces. The program will publicly thank local troops by name and branch of service. The banners will include active duty and wounded military personnel, recent veterans and those killed in action. There are 3 banner designs: one for the fallen, one for the wounded and one for active and past military personnel who are residents of Simi Valley.
The idea was initially spearheaded by the For The Troops foundation and Tony DiRaimondo, whose son Michael was the first Simi Valley resident killed in action during the recent war on terror.
As approved, the program requires that an honoree be a current or past Simi Valley resident. In addition, those eligible for recognition on a banner are active duty military personnel in any branch of the military, including active Reserve and National Guard; fallen service members in any U.S. conflict; wounded service members in any conflict since September 2001; or veterans that served in any branch of the armed forces since September 2001.
Banners honoring those on active duty will remain in place until those troops have left the military, while banners honoring the fallen would stay up until the family requests removal. The banners honoring an injured service member or veteran will be displayed for six months. when the program takes a banner down, it will be presented to the service member or their surviving family members at city council meetings or local events, such as the Veteran's Day ceremony.
The location of where the banners will be displayed is still to be determined.
We can't wait to see them proudly displayed up and down our community of Simi Valley!
