Field of Flags Honors Veterans, Brings Community Together in Jackson

Jackson residents and their neighbors filled the grounds of Hazard Community and Technical College Lee College campus on Veterans Day as the college and the VFW Auxiliary hosted the second annual Field of Flags ceremony. The display of American flags set on the hill created a sweeping visual tribute intended to honor men and women who have served, while programming during the event provided opportunities for community participation and remembrance.

Organizers arranged for the pledge of allegiance to be led by elementary students, and students from Breathitt County High performed the national anthem. A performance by the Kentucky School of Bluegrass and Traditional Music added a regional musical element that connected the ceremony to local cultural traditions. Active service military members and veterans were present alongside families and other community members, making the event both a civic commemoration and a neighborhood gathering.

The annual Field of Flags is more than a symbolic gesture for Perry County. Public ceremonies like this help center veterans within community life and create visible recognition of service that can counter isolation, particularly in rural areas where veterans may face geographic and logistical barriers to services. Community led events can also serve as informal points of contact where veterans and their families learn about health care options, mental health supports, and benefits administered through local VFW posts, community colleges, and regional health providers.

Health and social service advocates say rural veterans often contend with limited access to care, transportation challenges, and shortages of mental health providers. While the Field of Flags does not replace formal outreach or clinical services, it can complement those efforts by drawing attention to the needs of service members and by fostering connections among organizations that serve veterans. Partnerships between civic groups and institutions like Hazard Community and Technical College demonstrate local capacity to organize respectful, supportive events that amplify those connections.

The ceremony also underscored broader equity considerations for the county. Events that bring together students, veterans and service organizations help bridge generational divides and highlight the shared responsibility of local institutions to support well being, including health care, job training and social services. As Perry County continues to contend with the economic and health disparities common in rural regions, community recognition of veterans offers a practical starting point for conversations about resource allocation, outreach strategies and strengthening local networks of care.

The Field of Flags returned to the Lee College campus as a reminder that commemorations can carry practical consequences for community cohesion and for how Perry County supports those who served. Organizers said the visual tribute and accompanying programing were intended to provide a space for reflection on service and sacrifice, and to keep veterans visible within the fabric of local life.