Sebelius directs flags to half-staff for Staff Sgt. Mackey
Governor asks Kansans to honor fallen soldier

Governor Kathleen Sebelius has directed flags to be flown at half-staff throughout Kansas from sunup to sundown on Friday, February 29th, 2008 in honor of Eureka soldier, Staff Sergeant Bryant Mackey. Mackey was killed in action on February 20, 2008 in Mosul, Iraq.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Staff Sgt. Mackey’s family and friends,” Sebelius said. “His courage and sacrifice will be remembered as we lower our flags in honor of his life and service.”

Staff Sgt. Mackey was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment out of Fort Hood, Texas. A 1996 graduated of Hamilton High School; Mackey enlisted in the Army in the summer of 2001 and was on his second tour in Iraq. Staff Sgt. Mackey is survived by his wife and children.

In July of 2007, 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 flags will fly at half-staff will be designated by the Governor.

Since April 2003, the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have claimed the lives of nine members of the Kansas National Guard and seven Kansas servicemen.

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

To be notified of the governor's directives regarding flag lowering, please visit http://www.governor.ks.gov/flaghonors.htm

# # #