Steeleville firm observes POW/MIA Day

<p class="p1">EDITOR'S NOTE: See a video of Steeleville's observance of National POW/MIA Day at www.randolphcountyheraldtribune.com.

<p class="p1">STEELEVILLE -- As the country observed National Prisoner of War/Missing In Action Day on Sept. 16, one event was a little closer to home.

<p class="p1">Steeleville-based United Ironworkers raised its 45x70-foot POW/MIA flag during a small ceremony on the facility grounds on Sept. 17.

<p class="p1">"I'm just thankful for the veterans that lived and died for our country and still fight for our country," said United Ironworkers President Kim Rasnick. "We just never want to forget. They are not forgotten."

<p class="p1">The flag, said to be the world's largest, weighs 230 pounds and is made of nylon. In comparison to the large American flag that usually flies on United Ironworkers' flagpole, the POW/MIA flag is about 30 pounds lighter.

<p class="p1">The POW/MIA flag was first raised in November 2015 in observance of Veterans' Day. Veterans' Day and POW/MIA Day are two of the six days the flag can be flown.

<p class="p1">The others are Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day and Independence Day.

<p class="p1">"I checked it online and it's still the biggest POW/MIA flag in the world," Rasnick said.

<p class="p1">Rasnick said that while it's an honor to have the flag at his firm, the honor is more to the veterans it represents.

<p class="p1">"It's more of an honor to the POW veterans and the emails and messages I get after putting it up," Rasnick said. "That's the honor I get from it."

<p class="p1">National POW/MIA Day takes place the third Friday in September. It was established by an act of Congress as part of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act.

<p class="p1">"It's just an honor to be an American," Rasnick said.

<p class="p1">The event was attended by the Patriot Guard Riders, with a military salute from Sparta VFW Post 2698 Color Guard.