Governor Abigail Spanberger ordered the flag of the Commonwealth of Virginia to be flown at full staff on public buildings and grounds across the commonwealth and directed that the POW/MIA flag be displayed for Armed Forces Day on May 16, 2026.

The order, dated May 15, 2026, encouraged all agencies and institutions of the Commonwealth to display the POW/MIA flag at full staff on public buildings Saturday as part of flag displays around Virginia. It cited section 2.2-3310.1 of the Code of Virginia.

Spanberger said the move was meant to honor the sacrifices of members of the Armed Forces who are or were prisoners of war or reported missing in action. “We owe an immense debt of gratitude to the men and women who put on the uniform and sacrifice to keep us safe,” she said.

The directive matters because it puts the state’s tribute in place for Armed Forces Day itself, when Virginia buildings and grounds are expected to show the flag alongside the POW/MIA banner. The order ties the public display to a specific obligation: remembrance of service members whose captivity or disappearance left families and fellow troops without answers.

There is no ambiguity in what Spanberger asked for. The commonwealth’s flag is to fly at full staff, and the POW/MIA flag is to be part of the display on Saturday. The question now is not whether the tribute will be made, but whether every eligible state agency and institution carries it out as directed.