Residents are invited to visit the Flags of Valor display at Margaret Stoecker Park on Friday, June 26, in recognition of PTSD Awareness Day and to honor those impacted by post-traumatic stress disorder.
The display serves as a powerful reminder that the wounds of service are not always visible. PTSD Awareness Day is observed nationally each year on June 27 as part of PTSD Awareness Month, dedicated to increasing understanding, reducing stigma, and encouraging those struggling with trauma-related conditions to seek support and treatment. The day was first officially recognized in 2010 in honor of Staff Sgt. Joe Biel, a National Guard member whose family advocated for greater awareness after his death from suicide following his military service. In 2014, the recognition expanded to include all of June as PTSD Awareness Month.
Manchester’s Flags of Valor collection carries a unique history of remembrance. The city’s collection is displayed at the Veterans Memorial within Stoecker Park on select commemorative dates throughout the year. The collection includes 26 American flags from the “America’s Heartland Remembers” memorial displays on Art Hill in 2016 and 2021, where thousands of flags honored military heroes lost during the War on Terror. Each flag represents an individual service member and includes personal tributes recognizing their sacrifice.
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