POW-MIA FLAG AT MAIL PROCESSING CENTER BACK UP AFTER BEING REMOVED

The POW-MIA flag is flying again at the Cape Girardeau Area Mail Processing Center in Cape West Business Park.

The flag, which fits in with a special veterans memorial in front of the flag pole, was ordered removed earlier this week by Rodney Bray, temporary officer in charge of the Cape Girardeau post office and processing center.

"It was a misunderstanding," said Bray, who is filling in while Postmaster Mike Keefe is on special assignment elsewhere. "According to rules designated by the Congressional Defense Authorization, the flag may be flown six days a year," said Bray.

But Bray wasn't familiar with the situation in Cape Girardeau. "After listening to employees at the processing center, I decided to make an exception here," he said Wednesday.

Bray gave the order Wednesday morning to once again fly the flag.

Shortly after the processing center opened in Cape Girardeau, employees constructed a memorial in front of the flag pole.

"That was Just before Memorial Day 1992," said Tony Carroll, a disabled veteran who is chief steward at the center. "The flag has flown every day since then. We couldn't understand why it was ordered removed."

Carroll and other workers at the center organized a petition to Bray. "We presented the petition late Tuesday," said Carroll.

"I have listened to the concerns of the community," said Bray, "and I have agreed that with the unique situation here we will permit the flag to fly on a full-time basis."

The news was welcomed by workers at the center.

"It's great news for the Memorial Day weekend, a time to honor veterans of all wars," said Carroll. 'We have a lot of veterans working here."

Center employees are proud of the memorial placed in front of the building in which they work, said Carroll. Employers contributed to the memorial, he said.

"Needless to say we were enraged when the order came to take it down," said Carroll.

The memorial, placed in a small rock garden that includes roses, states its message simply:

"In memory of those who have died that this flag may wave.

"Military Veteran employees of Cape Girardeau Post Office.

"Memorial Day 1992."