Sebelius directs flags to half-staff for Spc. Micheal Brown

In honor of Specialist Micheal D. Brown, from Williamsburg, Kansas, Governor Kathleen Sebelius has directed flags throughout the state to be flown at half-staff from sunrise until sunset on Saturday, October 27, 2007, the day of his funeral service.

“Kansans join Spc. Brown’s family in remembering his courage, sacrifice and patriotism. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and the Fort Riley community,” Sebelius said.

Spc. Brown died October 16th at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany of a non-combat related illness after being transported the day before from Tikrit, Iraq.

Brown was an aviation operations specialist assigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division.

He entered the Army in February 2005 and arrived at Fort Riley in later that year. This was his second deployment.

Since April 2003, nine members of the Kansas National Guard and ten Kansas residents have lost their lives while serving our country in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In July, Sebelius signed an executive order allowing for the flags of the United States and State of Kansas to be displayed at half-staff throughout the state when a member of the Kansas National Guard or Kansas Air National Guard is killed in the line of duty, or when a Kansas resident serving as a member of the United States Armed Forces is killed in the line of duty.  In each instance, the date the flag will fly at half-staff will be designated by the governor.

Executive orders can be found online at: http://www.governor.ks.gov/executive/Orders/default.htm

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