RICHMOND—Virginia has a new state symbol — the “Honor and Remember Flag,” which commemorates members of the U.S. armed forces who died in the line of duty.

Created by George Lutz of Chesapeake, the flag was adopted by the General Assembly during its recent session. “This is a very important step toward bringing awareness to the country about our national effort to publicly recognize the men and women who gave their lives in military service to our country,” said Lutz, whose son was killed in Iraq.

Virginians will slowly start seeing the flag appearing in the commonwealth. Currently, the flag is available only at www.honorandremember.org, the Web site for Lutz’s nonprofit organization.

Eventually, state buildings will fly the flag, but Lutz said that may take time because of Virginia’s budget problems.

The flag features blue and gold stars set on a red field. The blue signifies military service; the gold means the soldier wasn’t coming home. A folded flag underneath the stars represents a life lost, and the flames above are a reminder that the memory of the fallen soldier will live on.

Lutz’s 25-year-old son, Army Cpl. George “Tony” Lutz II, was killed by a sniper in Iraq in 2005.

Lutz started a national movement to establish the flag as the country’s official symbol of remembrance for all members of the U.S. military who have died while serving. He wants the flag to be presented to families of fallen soldiers so it can be displayed in memoriam.

The U.S. Congress is considering making the “Honor and Remember Flag” a national symbol.

“This is just the beginning of a nationwide campaign to get all the other states to adopt the flag as well,” Lutz said.

He is planning a trip to raise awareness about the flag in every state.