thedrifter
02-28-08, 08:11 AM
Welcome home banners come with rules
BY KEVIN FORSYTHE
2008-02-27 22:44:00
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Colorful and often witty, welcome home banners are a common sight around area military bases during times of unit homecomings.
But the placement of the banners — and just what they can say — does have limitations.
“We’re all for welcoming our Marines back home by family and loved ones,” said 1st Lt. Craig Thomas of the Camp Lejeune Public Affairs Office. “But there are general rules that have to be followed in placing banners.”
Thomas said that banners not meeting established guidelines run the risk of being removed.
Earlier this month, banners were reported to have been suddenly and mysteriously removed from fencing at the neighborhood of Hunter’s Creek along N.C. 24.
Brittany Boucher, who had hung a banner for her husband’s return, noticed the missing banners.
“I was driving to check on (the banner), and it came to my great dismay to find that the banner was missing,” Boucher said.
She said Camp Lejeune officials informed her the banners were not removed by the base.
“It appears it might have been an act of vandalism,” Boucher said.
The Jacksonville Police and Onslow County Sheriff’s departments reported they have not received any complaints of missing banners, and neither was investigating any missing banners.
“It would be pretty disheartening to believe someone would vandalize a patriotic symbol like a welcome home banner,” Thomas said.
Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown said the banners posted along N.C. 24 are on military property.
Generally, banners may remain in place for five days following the unit’s arrival. After that time, any banner left is to be removed by the unit or Marine named on it. Later, the base is likely to send out a contingent of Marines to collect any remaining banners.
At the New River Air Station, collected banners are held by the Building and Grounds Office for three days for families that may want them. After that, they are discarded.
The Marines have categorized a number of areas as “off limits” for placing a banner. Banners are not to be placed near base gates and are not permitted on base inside gates.
Cpl. Brandon Gale, a public information officer at New River Air Station, said banners there can only be hung on the fence and not on street signs or in trees.
“The preferred location for banners is on the fence along Highway 17 at the main gate,” Gale said.
As for Camp Lejeune, banners can be hung on base fencing along N.C. 24 from as far east as the bridge over Northeast Creek and west to Piney Green Road.
“There’s also the issue of safety in posting a banner,” Thomas said.
A banner can be considered a hazard and removed if it poses a safety hazard to pedestrians, bicyclists or those driving motorized vehicles — or even those who would later be attempting to remove the banner.
It’s also forbidden to place banners on other government property such as road signs, bridges and light poles.
Thomas explained that banners with vulgar or improper messages are likely to be removed by the Marine Corps.
“The Marines police the banners and will remove any that are visible to the public and deemed inappropriate,” Thomas said.
Banners also may be removed by the Marines if the banner’s appearance is haggard or weather beaten.
Ellie
BY KEVIN FORSYTHE
2008-02-27 22:44:00
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Colorful and often witty, welcome home banners are a common sight around area military bases during times of unit homecomings.
But the placement of the banners — and just what they can say — does have limitations.
“We’re all for welcoming our Marines back home by family and loved ones,” said 1st Lt. Craig Thomas of the Camp Lejeune Public Affairs Office. “But there are general rules that have to be followed in placing banners.”
Thomas said that banners not meeting established guidelines run the risk of being removed.
Earlier this month, banners were reported to have been suddenly and mysteriously removed from fencing at the neighborhood of Hunter’s Creek along N.C. 24.
Brittany Boucher, who had hung a banner for her husband’s return, noticed the missing banners.
“I was driving to check on (the banner), and it came to my great dismay to find that the banner was missing,” Boucher said.
She said Camp Lejeune officials informed her the banners were not removed by the base.
“It appears it might have been an act of vandalism,” Boucher said.
The Jacksonville Police and Onslow County Sheriff’s departments reported they have not received any complaints of missing banners, and neither was investigating any missing banners.
“It would be pretty disheartening to believe someone would vandalize a patriotic symbol like a welcome home banner,” Thomas said.
Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown said the banners posted along N.C. 24 are on military property.
Generally, banners may remain in place for five days following the unit’s arrival. After that time, any banner left is to be removed by the unit or Marine named on it. Later, the base is likely to send out a contingent of Marines to collect any remaining banners.
At the New River Air Station, collected banners are held by the Building and Grounds Office for three days for families that may want them. After that, they are discarded.
The Marines have categorized a number of areas as “off limits” for placing a banner. Banners are not to be placed near base gates and are not permitted on base inside gates.
Cpl. Brandon Gale, a public information officer at New River Air Station, said banners there can only be hung on the fence and not on street signs or in trees.
“The preferred location for banners is on the fence along Highway 17 at the main gate,” Gale said.
As for Camp Lejeune, banners can be hung on base fencing along N.C. 24 from as far east as the bridge over Northeast Creek and west to Piney Green Road.
“There’s also the issue of safety in posting a banner,” Thomas said.
A banner can be considered a hazard and removed if it poses a safety hazard to pedestrians, bicyclists or those driving motorized vehicles — or even those who would later be attempting to remove the banner.
It’s also forbidden to place banners on other government property such as road signs, bridges and light poles.
Thomas explained that banners with vulgar or improper messages are likely to be removed by the Marine Corps.
“The Marines police the banners and will remove any that are visible to the public and deemed inappropriate,” Thomas said.
Banners also may be removed by the Marines if the banner’s appearance is haggard or weather beaten.
Ellie