Some Southern Army National Guard Units Delay Compliance with Confederate Streamer Order
Several Army National Guard units in Southern states have yet to comply with an order to surrender their Confederate battle streamers, as reported in a recent study. Despite the deadline passing, some units in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, and West Virginia have not adhered to the directive issued by the Army’s Human Resources Command. This order stemmed from Congress’s decision to remove references to the Confederacy from military units and installations.
In March, around 48 National Guard units were instructed to remove Confederate streamers from their guidons and submit them for preservation at the U.S. Army Center of Military History.
What Are Streamers?
Streamers are ornamental ribbons attached to the top of unit flags, symbolizing a unit’s participation in various conflicts or wars. The guidon, carrying the unit flag and streamers, is often displayed at the front of military formations.
Progress So Far
According to the report, the Army has successfully collected 438 out of 491 streamers, including those from Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. However, it remains unclear why certain units have not yet complied with the order before the September 1 deadline. Some units might already have these streamers displayed in their own museums, while others could be lost or kept by individual service members as collectibles.
No Immediate Response from Army Human Resources Command
Despite efforts to obtain a comment from the Army Human Resources Command by Fox News, no response has been received at the time of this report.
States’ Historical Ties to the Confederacy
Of the states that have yet to surrender their streamers, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi were full members of the Confederacy during the Civil War. Maryland and West Virginia, which separated from Virginia in 1863, remained in the Union but saw some of their units join the Confederate cause.
Maryland National Guard’s Response
A spokesperson for the Maryland National Guard confirmed that their units had complied with the directive.
“Contrary to recent reporting, the Maryland National Guard no longer possesses the battle streamers commemorating Confederate service formerly displayed on unit colors,” the spokesperson stated. “These streamers were returned to the U.S. Army on March 21, 2023, well in advance of the mandated deadline. As a professional military organization, we would never intentionally disregard legitimate directives from duly constituted authorities.”
Remaining Responses
Fox News has not received immediate responses from the other five states in question.
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