Field ofHonor Plants MORE than JUST PATRIOTISM PATRIOTISM PATRIOTISM

There's a lot of love for the Stars and Stripes. For most, it's a reminder of those who have fought to protect our freedoms. But for others, it's more than a symbol of freedom and liberty.

Seguin has planted a patriotic sea of red, white, and blue across a large open grassy field for the last few years. This patriotic display of nearly 1,000 American Flags returns this summer during the city's annual Field of Honor hosting. Each flag flies atop a 7.5-foot flagstaff, honoring all military, veterans, and The Fallen.

Although first organized to be a display of patriotism, the field has since become a place of healing, remembrance, and simply a safe space to provide comfort to those who need it.

Just ask Connie Ramirez. After all, Ramirez introduced the Field of Honor tradition four years ago to Seguin. Although initially designed to bring patriotism, Ramirez says her initial efforts were much more personal.

"Back in 2019, we attended a Field of Honor in Nixon, and we purchased a flag for my daughter who is a Marine and at that time, I met Chris Aviles who was a city council member at that time, and we started talking and said 'Wow, if the community of Nixon can do this, why can't Seguin have this," Ramirez said. "At that time, I found out my daughter was going to be deployed and so I needed a project to keep my mind occupied and to keep me from going insane, so I told Chris, you know what? Let's do this. We can do it. We started researching it. I reached out to the Colonial Flag Foundation. They sent in the paperwork, and we just ran with it from there. We started getting sponsors and the community was very excited for it and welcoming the event."

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She worked tirelessly to host the event, all while her daughter, now Sgt. Kaylyn Ramirez was away at work. Ramirez says she couldn't help but quickly realize there was a bigger picture to what she was doing.

"It's opened my eyes to the patriotism for the military," she said. "It helped me understand how some of these families feel or what they go through when their son or daughter puts on that uniform. It's something totally different. I can't even hear the Star-Spangled Banner anymore without tearing up. Just meeting so many veterans and so many military people that have shared their stories along the way and it brings a true understanding of their real sacrifice that these people that put-on uniforms go through along with their family and it's just been very touching along the years. We have met so many people and heard so many stories."

Over these last few years, Ramirez says the Field of Honor has become a destination – a single point where in this world, like families who all understand can come together.

"There was a couple from New Braunfels that would come and sit with us every evening and he would just talk about his time in the Air Force," Ramirez said. "Then, we had a lady whose husband was in Vietnam and unfortunately never made it back so she would sit out there on her walker and would just sit there and look at his flag and cry. Then we have some funny stories of medics that would just do crazy things in the field because they had to. There are so many different stories that we've heard."

Only a few of these Field of Honors are hosted annually throughout the state. Ramirez says that's why it's even more important that, for whatever reason, folks come to Seguin, that the flags are there to welcome them.

"We encourage the people that come out to visit the field, we encourage them to get on the mic because we have a little speaker there and bring their flag to life and tell us a story behind them," she said. "We actually had a couple from Kerrville who drove in last year to help us stake the flags in honor of their son who was a Marine and we talked over Facebook, and we finally met. Her name is Jan Pieraccini. We finally met in person that day and never having met, we just embraced and just cried. She had just lost her son and when we were tagging the flags, we did an impromptu ceremony, and I had all the veterans that were there line up. They were called to attention, and we announced her son's name Ryan Pieraccini and tagged his flag first and then everyone went and offered their condolences and gave them their support. So that was so moving as well. It was just a few of us on the field that day. Like I said, it was nothing planned. We just did it."

The patriotic field will again return next door to Faith Lutheran Church located along State Highway 123 Bypass. The flags will be on display from June 10 to June 17.

Volunteers describe The Field of Honor as a gift to the community made possible through donations and sponsorships. The dedication of flags is $25 and can be made through the end of the display.

"The event itself helps the community anyway because we raise money for various organizations and the first two years, the SS American Memorial was our beneficiary and the last two years, the American Legion has been our beneficiary and the same sponsors that have been with us from the beginning, they are still with us today and we are so thankful to those sponsors who have stuck with us throughout the years," Ramirez said.

Ramirez says all these years later, who knew that her thirst for purpose was exactly what others also needed.

"It made me feel like I had some crazy purpose that my daughter was out there serving halfway around the world, and it gave me a sense of purpose," Ramirez said. "It's in my heart and that's why I love this event even though it's a lot of work but that's one reason why I love it and then I see the people's faces when they come to the event. It's more than just a flag flying in the field to a lot of people." •