Flags at half-staff honor fallen Guardsmen

If you drive by McAndrew Stadium and wonder why the giant American flag occasionally is at half-staff -- as well as at other campus locations -- the answer is that it is a tribute to an Illinois National Guardsman killed in the line of duty.

At the recommendation of a suburban Barrington man, Gov. Rod Blagojevich in December issued a proclamation directing all State of Illinois facilities to lower their flags to half-staff on the day of a funeral for any Illinois National Guardsman killed in combat. The flags are then raised again to full-staff the following day.