Top 3 donates Freedom Flags to Alamogordo schools

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Rachel Kocin
  • 49th Fighter WIng Public Affairs
ALAMOGORDO, N.M. --  The Holloman Air Force Base Top 3 donated Freedom Flags to all schools in the Alamogordo Public School District Sept. 11 with the goal of educating children about what happened on that day eight years ago.

Master Sgt. Marcus Cooper, Holloman Top 3 president, was inspired by a news story he saw about the Freedom Flag and decided to bring it to Alamogordo.

"I think it's important for our children and schools to have, so they know what happened back in 2001 because a lot of them weren't born yet or they were too young to remember what happened, " he said.

Volunteers from Holloman came together with school faculties to raise the flag for the first time during a morning ceremony at schools across the city.

"This is a special day and hopefully it will help our children honor the people that need to be honored in the correct way," said Mick Harris, Alamogordo Public Schools superintendent.

According to the Freedom Flag Foundation Web site, Richard Melito was moved to do something and quickly sketched out a symbol that he felt commemorated and honored thousands of people who lost and risked their lives on Sept. 11. Twelve months later, he created a non-profit organization to ensure children and future generations were aware of and remembered the bravery, unity and perseverance brought forth from America. He called it the Freedom Flag Project.