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Part 6: Wearing the Flag — And Those 4th of July Napkins
Part 6: Wearing the Flag — And Those 4th of July Napkins
Hey there, it’s Kevin again. Every year around the Fourth of July, the same thing happens. Stores fill up with American flag everything — T-shirts, swimsuits, paper plates, napkins, cups,... Read more...
Veterans Day: Thank You for Coming Home
Veterans Day: Thank You for Coming Home
Kevin here again to talk about Veteran’s Day! On Veterans Day, the simplest and most meaningful thing you can do is look a veteran in the eye, offer a handshake,... Read more...
From the Waters of Pearl Harbor to the Silent Service: The Name Arizona Moves Forward
From the Waters of Pearl Harbor to the Silent Service: The Name Arizona Moves Forward
At Veteran Valor Coffee we talk a lot about service that continues after the uniform comes off. Some names in the Navy never really leave the watch either. One of... Read more...
Fair Winds, Brother — An Airman Lost at the Alamodome
Fair Winds, Brother — An Airman Lost at the Alamodome
I’m Kevin Laughrin. Navy. Logistics Specialist Seaman with the Jolly Rogers. My dad is Army Airborne. Together we started Veteran Valor Coffee because we know what the uniform costs—and we... Read more...
Part 5: The Flag Code vs. the Law — And the Hard Truth About Flag Burning
Part 5: The Flag Code vs. the Law — And the Hard Truth About Flag Burning
Hey there, it’s Kevin again. This is the part that makes a lot of people uncomfortable, including me. A lot of folks talk about the “Flag Code” like it’s a... Read more...
Remembering the USS Cole: 26 Years Later
Remembering the USS Cole: 26 Years Later
Twenty-six years ago today, on October 12, 2000, the guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG-67) was refueling in the port of Aden, Yemen, when two al-Qaeda suicide bombers in a small... Read more...
Happy 251st Birthday to the United States Navy
Happy 251st Birthday to the United States Navy
On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress in Philadelphia authorized the fitting out of two armed vessels to intercept British supply ships. That vote created the Continental Navy and is... Read more...
I Am a Man Because I Asked for Help
I Am a Man Because I Asked for Help
Airborne. Tired. Still here. Tired does not mean done. Making it starts where the light still is. I’m Airborne. I’m tired. I just want to talk about making it. Sometimes... Read more...
Part 4: Half-Staff — When, Why, and How the Flag Is Lowered
Part 4: Half-Staff — When, Why, and How the Flag Is Lowered
Hey there, it’s Kevin again. You’ve seen it. You’re driving past a government building, a school, a post office, or even a neighbor’s house, and the American flag is only... Read more...
Part 3: The Flag Folding Ceremony — And Who Receives the Flag
Part 3: The Flag Folding Ceremony — And Who Receives the Flag
Hey there, it’s Kevin again. If you’ve ever been to a military funeral or a veteran’s graveside service, you’ve seen it. After Taps plays, the honor guard carefully lifts the... Read more...
25 Years Later
25 Years Later
Twenty-five years ago today, I sat in Mrs. Binder’s second-grade classroom. I was eight. The television said “New York” and “attacked.” It sounded like something from a video game. I... Read more...
Part 2: Where the “Backwards” Flag Tradition Actually Started
Part 2: Where the “Backwards” Flag Tradition Actually Started
Part 2: Where the “Backwards” Flag Tradition Actually Started Hey there, it’s Kevin again. In Part 1 we talked about why the American flag on the right shoulder looks reversed... Read more...