Congressman Tom Latham is urging Iowans to write the U.S. Department of Defense and encourage the military to adopt the design a Jefferson, Iowa man has proposed for a new flag. Sixty-nine-year-old Bill Kendall of Jefferson designed a flag for “Medal of Honor” recipients. Kendall says he was inspired by Darrell R. Lindsey, a Jefferson veteran who received the Medal of Honor in 1945 as well as a the Medal of Honor winners he served with during his service in Vietnam and during his subsequent 20 year career in the military. The Medal of Honor is the highest military award for valor in action against an enemy of the United States. “I felt that these men deserved to be recognized with more than just the pendant,” he says. Kendall says once someone receives the pendant, it’s put away and no one knows about the person’s award. Kendall hopes living recipients of the honor would be able to fly the flag, and let others know of their heroism. Kendall’s flag design looks a lot like the medal itself. The flag’s background is teal blue, which is the same color as the ribbon that holds the medal. On that background are 13 white stars in an octagon — just like what’s on the cloth that holds the medal pendant onto the ribbon that goes around a recipient’s neck. Kendall flew his flag in Jefferson on Memorial Day in 2002, and Congressman Latham then got Congress to vote to establish an official flag for the Medal of Honor two years ago. Now, the Department of Defense is creating a committee to determine the design that’ll be used on the new flag — and that’s why Iowans are being encouraged to write the Defense Department and urge them to adopt Kendall’s design. You can mail your own comments to Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel & Readiness), Attention ODUSD (MPP) (OEPM), 4000 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-4000. The deadine for submitting comments is October 22nd. You can see Kendall’s design on-line, at www.house.gov/latham/mohflag.htm