LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO KICK OFF VETERANS DAY ACTIVITIES WITH DEDICATION OF BRAILLE FLAG AND PURPLE HEART PLAQUE IN VETERANS PARK
Posted at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 30, 2022
BATON ROUGE, The.— Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Joey Strickland, COL (Retired, USA) invites the public to attend the dedication of a Braille flag and Purple Heart plaque at Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park in Baton Rouge on Wednesday, November 2 at 10 a.m. The braille flag was donated by the Blinded Veterans Association and the Purple Heart plaque was donated by the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
“We are honored to have both the braille flag and the Purple Heart plaque as permanent features of Louisiana Veterans Memorial Park,” Secretary Strickland said. “The braille flag will not only be used by blind or visually impaired veterans, but also by members of the public. And the Purple Heart plaque details the history of the award which is a solemn honor signifying his service in the line of duty.
Members of the Blind Veterans Association serve as ambassadors and mentors for all veterans and their families dealing with sight loss. The organization was founded in 1945 after a group of men who lost their sight during World War II wanted to help fellow veterans recover and reintegrate into civilian life. In 1946, General Omar Bradley of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs appointed BVA as the first official representative of blind veterans. The braille flag is displayed on the state directory information column in Veterans Park near the Never Forget Garden in front of the Old Armory Museum.
The mission of the Military Order of the Purple Heart is to foster an environment of goodwill and camaraderie among combat injured veterans and to provide service to all veterans and their families. The Purple Heart is often described as the oldest military medal. General George Washington created it in 1782 to recognize meritorious service and called it the Military Merit Badge. The plaque will be located under the bust of General Washington which is also in Veterans Park near the Never Forget Garden.
For more information on dedication or LDVA, visit vetaffairs.la.govemail Veteran@la.gov, call 225.219.5000, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
