Maryland Department of General Services to Display POW/MIA Flag on State Building Grounds

BALTIMORE, MD – Effective today, the Department of General Services will be raising the POW/MIA flag at 26 different buildings. House Bill 664/Senate Bill 579, which was signed into law this past session, requires the Secretary of the Maryland Department of General Services and the Secretary of Transportation to fly the POW/MIA flag on the grounds of all state buildings whenever the U.S. flag is flown.

“We must always remember those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces,” said DGS Secretary Ellington Churchill. “Flying the POW/MIA flag with the U.S. flag honors service members who were prisoners of war (POW), service members missing in action (MIA), and their families and reminds us of the American values for which they fought.”

There are seven buildings located in Annapolis including: the Hall of Records (MD State Archives); the Lowe House Office Building; the Robert F. Sweeney District Court building; the J. Millard Tawes State Office building; the Louis L. Goldstein Treasury building; 100 Community Place (Crownsville); and 50 Community Place (Crownsville). There are four buildings in Baltimore area including State Center (301 W. Preston Street); 2100 Guildford Avenue State Office Building; the Jessup State Complex, and the Nancy S. Grasmick State Education building. There are also number of multi-service centers across the state in areas such as Bel Air, Catonsville, Centreville, Denton, Ellicott City, Elkton, Essex, Glen Burnie, Hagerstown, Prince Frederick, Salisbury, Silver Spring, South Baltimore, Wabash, and Westminster. The bill excludes the State House or a state building that is historic or has a flagpole attached to the building and is determined to be structurally unable to withstand additional flags being flown from the flagpole.

Previously the Defense Authorization Act, Public Law 105-85, section 1082, signed by President Clinton on November 18, 1997, mandated that the U.S. Postal Service, the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Departments of State, Defense and Veterans Affairs, all national cemeteries in the Federal system, the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Korean War Memorial must fly the POW/MIA flag on Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, National POW/MIA Recognition Day (third Friday in September), and Veteran’s Day.

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About DGS: The Department of General Services is responsible for essential services and programs administered on behalf of the state, including procuring goods and services; designing, building, leasing, managing and maintaining facilities; leading energy conservation efforts; and providing essential services such as fuel management, disposition of surplus property and records management. The Department of General Services Maryland Capitol Police maintains safety and security at state buildings.