White House flag flying at half-staff

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla.- Six days after five service members were killed in an attack in Tennessee, President Obama ordered flags across the country to fly at half-staff.

Veterans in Southwest Florida tell WINK News they’re furious the decision took so long.

“There’s other leaders around this area, around the state that feel that they deserved it and if we have a state that feels that way, why couldn’t our country feel that way?” said Micheal Raymond, Commander of American Legion Post 110.

Before President Obama addressed a group of veterans Tuesday, he made the declaration to lower the flag.

Veterans in Punta Gorda were upset, saying it should have only taken moments to call for this sign of respect.

“You know the term ‘better late than never’ doesn’t apply here okay. That needed to be done immediately, which it was done by Governor Scott. We had our flag at half-mast yesterday, we didn’t wait for Obama to make the call,” said Raymond.

Monday, Governor Rick Scott ordered flags to be lowered despite President Obama’s silence.

The veterans describe the men who lost their lives as heroes.

“It is to honor someone who has died and usually reserved for heroes. These guys were unarmed, you have to say they were heroes. They just took it without being able to defend themselves,” said Bill Atkin, director of Southwest Florida Vietnam Memorial.

The American Legion Port 110 will hold a memorial to honor those service members who lost their lives next Sunday.