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Walker Louisiana McDonald's Refuses to Half Staff Flag in Honor of National Guard Helicopter Crash Victims!
The following event took place at the McDonald's restaurant in Walker, La. located at 27951 Walker South Road, at 6 p.m. on 3/14/2015.
The governors of Florida and Louisiana ordered on Friday (3/13/15), American flags to be flown at half-staff for victims of the military helicopter crash. Governors Bobby Jindal and Rick Scott issued the executive orders, to honor the four Louisiana National Guard members and seven Marines who died or are presumed dead in Tuesday night's crash. Now it should be noted that this order does not mean that private companies have to follow suit, it is up to the ownership or management of private companies to do so, but it is ordered that all state buildings lower their flags.

As the CEO of Veterans United For Justice, and a retired service member with 4 combat tours, most that know me will testify that I am one of the most patriotic people you will ever come across. I bleed Red White and Blue. So today, as I was driving home after dinner with members of my family, we noticed the American flag flying in front of the Walker, La. McDonald's was not at half-staff.

For that reason, I placed a call to their store. I asked to speak with the manager and the girl who answered the phone identified herself as such. I told her who I was. I told her about the Governors order, and that I understood McDonald's was not obligated to follow that order, but out of respect for our fallen service members would she please lower their flag to half-staff. She then told me that this request was “above something that she could handle herself”, and to hold on while she spoke to her supervisor. She did not place me on hold, just held the phone and told my request to an unknown person whom I assumed was her supervisor, I was able to hear their conversation. This person told her to tell me to call their main office in Baton Rouge on Monday, and she relayed that message to me. I told her I would, but also that I would be happy to come to their store now and lower the flag myself if they were too busy, then I asked to speak with her supervisor. I hear her say to this person “he wants to talk with you”, and this person responds with “just hang up the phone”. She then says “good bye” and hung up on me! I made the first u-turn that I could and drove straight to the McDonald's!

I walked into the store along with my family, one of them videoed the next 20 minutes of my encounter on their cell phone, while the other took still photos with theirs. Note: when I figure out how to upload a 20 minute video to Facebook, I will, so video to come soon. Standing at the counter was a female in a white shirt with no name tag, see attached photo. When I asked if she was the person that hung up on me she said she was. I asked why, she said “because you were cursing at me”! As you could imagine being accused of something I did not do, in the company of witnesses, upset me even more than I already was. My family spoke up and backed me up that this was not true! I then asked her if she would like me to have about 200 veterans standing outside her restaurant to protest in about an hour, for accusing me of something I did not do? She then said “we do not have the authority to lower the flag, only the main office can do that”. I told her that I felt this was “one of the craziest things I had ever heard, it’s a flag on a poll, you just walk out there and lower it and your done with it, do you think McDonald's will fire you for doing that”?, and again asked to speak with her supervisor.

She walked into the back of the store for about 5 minutes, returned without saying a word to me, and angrily started filling orders for the drive up window, as evidenced by when she open the bags to fill orders she was tearing the bags. We stood at the counter for another few minutes before I spoke up and asked “where is your supervisor”? She said “when she cleans her screen she will be with you”! She then noticed that one of my family members was videotaping all of this and said “you need to turn the camera off now”, at which we all responded with “no”. She then said “turn off the video or I’m calling Walker police”, at which we all said “please do”, and she did. I asked two more times where her manager was, but she just ignored me. Over the next few minutes we hear her pretending to cry on the phone, telling the police dispatch how this “very angry man is in here yelling, cursing, disturbing the peace, and refused to leave after being told to”, this would be lie number two!

Then, Walker police arrived in force, 4 police units in all. This female manager told her story, we each told our story. The police officer that questioned me, Officer Walker, was a retired United States Marine. He said he completely understood where I was coming from. He is just as upset over this crash and the loss of our Brothers, but there was nothing he could do to make them lower the flag. Of course, I agreed with him, reminded him it was not I that called the police, I just wanted to talk to the supervisor face to face, and that on Monday they could be rest assured I would be contacting the McDonald's main office in Baton Rouge, I did, however mention how cowardly I felt the manager’s supervisor was for never showing his face to talk with me and leaving this young female manager to deal with the issue.

At no time did I curse or yell, yes I raised my voice, I was upset. Now I know some people will question why I’m making such a big deal out of this, after all “it’s just a flag”, but unless you have fought for “just a flag”, and lost Brothers and Sister’s fighting under “just a flag”, had them come home in a coffin draped in “just a flag”, then I understand how you might not get it…and that’s ok. To me, and most veterans, refusal to lower the American flag to half-staff when such a tragedy has just occurred is un-patriotic and hurtful, but to accuse a veteran of something he did not do makes it worse. McDonald's is one of the largest corporations in the United States, they are in every city in every state across America, and they make a huge impact on what America stands for. More to come after I speak with the McDonald's main office on Monday! May the crew and passengers of Task Force VOODOO rest in peace.

SSG. Douglas M. Ducote Sr.
United States Army (Ret.)
CEO Veterans United For Justice

Video of him confronting manager, being a doucher
https://youtu.be/hK6fXCCIpBo

Dude is a douche, and while I feel for the lives lost, I don't really give a shite if someone raises or lowers a flag. You think he drove to all the other private businesses and called them out, or just decided to frick with the big man, McDonalds

CEO