Throughout our nation’s history, the American flag has stood as a powerful symbol of freedom, sacrifice, unity, and hope.

In this series, we invite respected military leaders to share their personal thoughts through four simple questions:

• What does the American flag mean to you?
• Was there a moment when it took on special meaning?
• What would you say to today’s young Scouts and JROTC cadets?
• What one message would you pass on to the next generation about honoring the flag?

We begin with powerful words from two historic American voices, followed by the thoughtful reflections of today’s military leaders.

Calvin Coolidge 30th President of the United States

“The flag of the United States is the emblem of our unity, our power, our thought and purpose as a nation.”

Henry Ward Beecher Prominent American clergyman and social reformer

“Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.”

We are proud to feature General Gary M. Brito, U.S. Army (Retired), whose distinguished career includes serving as Commanding General of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, where he led the development and training of nearly one million soldiers.

General Gary M. Brito U.S. Army (Retired) – Former Commanding General, TRADOC

1. What does the American flag personally mean to you? As a veteran of over 38 years of active service, the American Flag holds great meaning. It represents the unity of our great states, and by extension, U.S territories. It represents all that we, as a country, fought for and continue to fight for. While serving, I often said that of all that brings soldiers together, the flag on their shoulder is common to all.

2. Is there a particular moment in your career when the flag took on special meaning for you? Many, many years ago, as a young Lieutenant, I served as a Scout Platoon Leader in Germany. We were conducting a vehicle movement in our HMMVs, and we affixed a small US Flag on the driver’s side mirror. I recall how cool it looked and how proud I was as we drove through Germany.

3. What would you say to the young Scouts and JROTC cadets who are just starting to understand the flag’s importance? Understand the history behind the US flag and use it as your “why” as a cadet and potentially a future service member. My words: Respect, Patriotism, Strong Character.

4. If you could share one message with the next generation about honoring our flag, what would it be? Always respect it! Full stop period.

We are proud to feature RDML Bret Grabbe, a U.S. Navy Rear Admiral with over 28 years of service, including submarine command and senior leadership roles across the Pacific and NATO.

RDML Bret Grabbe, U.S. Navy
Commander, Submarines NATO Deputy Commander, COMSUBGRU 8

1. What does the American flag personally mean to you?
Having lived and sailed U.S. Navy ships all over the world, the American flag represents freedom, democracy, and home. No other nation has the freedoms and opportunities available as the United States, so when I see the flag, I think of those things.

2. Is there a particular moment in your career when the flag took on special meaning for you?
I always remember my father getting goosebumps whenever he heard the national anthem at school or sporting events. I didn’t fully understand why until I returned from my first deployment on a submarine and saw the American flag flying on the pier.

3. What would you say to the young Scouts and JROTC cadets who are just starting to understand the flag’s importance?
I was in Navy JROTC in high school. My Commander and Senior Chief had served in the Cold War and were both so proud of their nation. While they were heroes in my mind, they never talked about their own achievements; they always spoke about how good it felt to be part of a great team…and the flag represents that team.

4. If you could share one message with the next generation about honoring our flag, what would it be?
Some think the flag itself is just material sewn into a pattern. They don’t respect it. That’s the irony of it all, the flag represents freedom that no other nation has in the same way as our nation. While it is disheartening to me to see these acts, I know many have given their lives to defend this freedom, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Not everyone serves in the military, but we can all serve our nation in some capacity. I hope you all get a chance to feel like I do about our American flag.

We are proud to feature Karl H. Gingrich, U.S. Army (Retired), whose distinguished career includes service as a three-star general, leading complex operations and advancing critical capabilities across cyber, space, and combat systems in support of our nation’s defense.

Karl H. Gingrich
Lieutenant General, U.S. Army (Retired) – Defense Leader, Board Advisor, and Strategic Innovator

1. What does the American flag personally mean to you?
  The flag symbolizes our great nation; the ideal our founders envisioned for us all that we strive to achieve and preserve every day. It symbolizes the greater purpose that I have served my entire life, placing it above myself.

2. Is there a particular moment in your career when the flag took on special meaning for you?
 My grandfather gave me a small flag that I initially carried with me during airborne school, but then also during combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. It served as our legacy of service as he had served during World War II.

3. What would you say to the young Scouts and JROTC cadets who are just starting to understand the flag’s importance?
  It is important that you find a purpose in your life that is bigger than you. That can be the church, your community, or the flag. Preserving our great nation and protecting our freedom is the purpose that I found that still drives me today.

4. If you could share one message with the next generation about honoring our flag, what would it be?
This nation will only endure if young people like yourself choose to honor the flag through good citizenship, service in some form to our nation, and commitment to our greater good.

We are proud to feature Frank Siller, founder of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, whose life’s work honors the legacy of his brother, FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, who gave his life on September 11, 2001. Through his leadership, the foundation has provided mortgage-free homes to Gold Star families, fallen first responder families, and catastrophically injured veterans across the country.

Frank Siller
Founder & CEO, Tunnel to Towers Foundation

1. What does the American flag personally mean to you?
The American flag means everything to me. It is the cloth that covered my brother Stephen’s casket. It flew over the rubble at Ground Zero while we searched for him and the 342 other firefighters who never came home that day.

It is the promise my parents trusted when they raised seven children in Staten Island, that in this country, if you work hard, love God, and love your neighbor, you can build a life worth living.

To me, the flag is not a piece of cloth. It is the soul of every American who ever stepped forward when their country called and said, “Send me.” It is gratitude. It is hope. And it is the responsibility every one of us inherits to keep that promise alive.

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2. Is there a particular moment that stands out when the flag took on special meaning for you?
There are too many to count, but one stays with me. In the weeks after September 11th, every porch, every firehouse, every storefront in this country flew an American flag. We had just been attacked, but we were not broken, we were one nation under God.

I remember walking through Ground Zero and seeing the flag the firefighters had raised over the pile. Stephen’s spirit was with me that day. And in that moment, I understood that the flag wasn’t waving for photographers or for headlines. It was waving for him. For every brother and sister who ran in while everyone else ran out. I’ve carried that with me every day since.

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3. What would you say to the young Scouts and JROTC cadets who are just learning about the flag?
I would tell them this: when you fold that flag, when you salute it, when you watch it pass by in a parade, you are touching the lives of real people. You are touching my brother Stephen. You are touching the Gold Star families I speak with every week, the mothers and fathers and children who gave up the person they loved most in this world so that you and I could be free.

The flag isn’t a symbol of perfection. It’s a symbol of sacrifice. You are now part of a line of Americans that stretches back generations, and forward to whoever comes after you. Stand tall in that line. We are counting on you.

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4. If you could share one message with the next generation about honoring our flag, what would it be?
Honor it with your life, not just your hand over your heart. The greatest tribute you can give to those who died for that flag is to live the way they lived, with courage, faith, and love for your neighbor.

At the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, we say: Let us do good. That is how you honor the flag.

Do good for a veteran. Do good for a Gold Star family. Do good for the firefighter or police officer in your hometown. Be the kind of American those fifty stars and thirteen stripes deserve.

If every young person in this country lived that way, we would be unstoppable.

God bless you, and God bless America.

Would you like to be featured in this series?

We are currently collecting answers from respected military leaders and patriotic Americans. If you are a military leader, veteran, or public figure and would like to share what the American flag means to you, we would be honored to include your responses.

Simply reply with your answers to the four questions below:

1. What does the American flag personally mean to you?
2. Is there a particular moment in your career when the flag took on special meaning for you?
3. What would you say to the young Scouts and JROTC cadets who are just starting to understand the flag’s importance?
4. If you could share one message with the next generation about honoring our flag, what would it be?

We are expecting more answers from several other leaders in the coming weeks.

Thank you for helping us honor the flag and inspire the next generation.