YMCA Receives Veterans Flag at Indianapolis Ceremony

A flag flown during deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq was presented to the Irsay Family YMCA at CityWay for Veterans Day.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Military Jobs

Single American flag hanging on a pole in front of a brick and glass civic building under a pale autumn sky. — The Irsay Family YMCA at CityWay received a flag flown during deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq at a Veterans Day ceremony in Indianapolis on Wednesday. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Retired Army National Guard Lt. Col. Hal Johnston presented a flag flown during deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq to the Irsay Family YMCA at CityWay during a Wednesday morning Veterans Day ceremony. The ceremony recognized all branches of the military and included the Pledge of Allegiance.

Why it matters

The presentation was offered as a token of appreciation for the YMCA's ongoing support of service members and their families. It also reflects the growing number of retirees who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and earlier conflicts and now live downtown.

The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis serves more than 120,000 veterans and military members each year. The figure is an organizational count, and the source does not break it down by branch, era or program.

The players

Irsay Family YMCA

A YMCA branch at CityWay in Indianapolis that hosted the Veterans Day ceremony and flag presentation.

YMCA of Greater Indianapolis

The regional YMCA organization that reports serving more than 120,000 veterans and military members each year.

The details

The ceremony was held outside the Irsay Family YMCA at CityWay, with Abigail Harlan, executive director of the Irsay Family YMCA, announcing the flag presentation and program. The YMCA also operates an overnight camp for veterans and their families at Flat Rock River YMCA Camp, and has supported service members since World War I.

Wednesday morning, Veterans Day week, 2026: Veterans Day ceremony and flag presentation held at the YMCA.

Legacy of Service

The YMCA has supported service members since World War I, and this ceremony extends that long record of service into a present-day Veterans Day event at its Indianapolis CityWay location. The shift in where veterans live, with more retirees from Iraq, Afghanistan and earlier conflicts settling downtown, helped shape where the ceremony was held.

Indianapolis veterans and military families can use the YMCA's programs, including its overnight camp for veterans and their families. The ceremony also gives downtown residents who served a local, public place to mark Veterans Day.

The takeaway

Community organizations such as the YMCA continue to serve as local points of connection for veterans, particularly as service members settle in urban neighborhoods. Residents who want to support or join veterans programs can start with their nearest YMCA branch.