Six flags representing each branch of the Armed Forces, to include the United States Space Force formed in 2019, now adorn the hallways of Smithfield Middle School — courtesy of Smithfield’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8545.

According to VFW Post Commander Bruce Fischer, the gifting of the flags to the school was the result of a collaboration between SMS Assistant Principal Natalie Street and Marie Arinello, chaplain of the VFW Auxiliary. Street, he said, had reached out to the VFW about placing the service flags inside the school.

“We went about and we bought the flags for them,” Arinello said.

The school hosted a brief ceremony to celebrate the new flags the morning of Aug. 30.

“VFW’s proud to support this, we thank you for your service to our students, you put them in the right direction when they leave here,” said VFW Chaplain John Edwards.

“This is all about Americanism,” Arinello added. “How to be patriotic, how to help our country, help children to grow and to learn and to know, you know, what our country is all about … we have so many military here in our, you know, community it makes them feel good to know that we are thinking about them and that they are respected.”