Army Captain Welcomed Home

There was a Northampton Patriots Flag Exchange for Army Captain Kevin Loughnane at Wednesday's Northampton Township Board of Supervisors meeting.  

Loughnane recently returned from deployment in Afghanistan but could not be there for the presentation.  His parents, Pat and Bill Loughnane, accepted the flag on his behalf.  Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick also presented a certificate and flag flown over the Capital via his Veterans liason Anthony Enck, according to Pete Paletina, coordinator of the Northampton Patriots Flag program.

The Northampton Patriots flag program began in 2003 to honor residents serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The program has since expanded to include Afghanistan and other hostile areas.

When the program first launched, 24 residents were known to be serving in the military. The flag display holds flags representing the branch of service and identifying the resident with a yellow streamer with his or her name affixed to it. When the person returns home, his or her military flag is replaced with an American flag. 

Loughnane, a Richboro resident, previously toured Iraq. His Northampton Patriots Army flag was returned to him in July 2010.  That flag was placed back in the display in February 2012 after he deployed to Afghanistan.