Tribal flags removed from Phoenix VA hospital moved to Arizona State Capitol Executive Tower

PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs announced on Tuesday she has found a new home for 22 Tribal flags removed from the Carl T. Hayden Veterans’ Administration Medical Center.

The flags were removed to comply with a new policy the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced last month. It established that only specific flags could be publicly displayed at VA facilities.

Phoenix Veterans Affairs staff dropped off the 22 flags at the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community’s Office last week, according to the office.

Tribal leaders then entrusted Hobbs to care for the removed flags, which she set up in the rotunda of the Arizona State Capitol Executive Tower.

“My office is now displaying Tribal flags that the Trump administration removed from the Phoenix VA Hospital,” Hobbs said in a Tuesday social media post. “Arizona is proud of the Tribal veterans who sacrificed for their country. We should recognize their service, not disrespect their heritage.”

Hobbs hopes to return the 22 Tribal flags removed from VA center in Phoenix

Although Hobbs considers it an honor to be entrusted with their care, she hopes the rotunda won’t be their final home.

“I will always support our Veterans, and vow to keep these flags safe until they can be returned to their rightful place at the VA hospital,” Hobbs said.

The decision to remove the flags came after the alarm was sounded about the removal of Navajo Code Talkers’ and other Native Americans veterans’ wartime contributions.

However, widespread outcry spurred the Pentagon to restore some webpages that described the roles Native American veterans played throughout the country’s martial history.

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