The Lexington Veterans Association brings veterans and community members together in fellowship
to be informed and inspired at our monthly speaker series.
to be informed and inspired at our monthly speaker series.
Serving Those Who Served
Looking for a previous program recording? Search here.
Professor Edith Flynn
Join us on Monday, December 8, 2025
“Americans Held Hostage:
Politics, Strategies, and Tactics"
1:15 pm, Brookhaven at Lexington and by Zoom
Presented by Edith Flynn
Professor Emerita, Northeastern University
Hostage taking, particularly targeting Westerners and Americans, has become a familiar evil in our society. Journalists, aid workers, missionaries, business leaders, military personnel, diplomats and tourists have all been kidnapped by a rogue state or terror group, for a variety of motives: extracting political concessions, swapping prisoners, demanding ransom, sowing fear and terror, instilling distrust of government, or torturing and killing the victim. Hostage incidents are cataclysmic, riveting events that exert great pressure on governments. The public’s demand to save lives at all costs can affect government policies, hostage negotiations, and political careers of government leaders. What are a government’s options in dealing with hostage takers? Negotiate or follow a policy of no negotiations and no concessions? Give in to the demands including paying ransom? Pretend to give into the demands while planning an armed rescue?
Edith Flynn, an expert in international relations and terrorism, will examine certain U.S. policies and responses to hostage incidents, compared with policies and practices of other Western nations. She will illustrate different approaches and assess their effectiveness with real-life cases that have affected global policies, politics, and political careers.
Live at Brookhaven at Lexington and via Zoom
Free and open to the public.
Coffee and conversation at 12:45, program begins at 1:15 p.m.
Lexington Veterans
Proud to Participate in
Patriots' Day Parade!
The LexVets float, ready to join the Patriots' Day Parade on April 19.
Veterans of 3 wars: Bruce Jackan, left, veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, joins Korean War veteran Sal Pace, age 91, and Vietnam veteran Jim Ramsey at the Lexington Veterans float on Patriots' Day.
Celebrate Lex250!
Bulletin BoardCheck out veteran-related programs and events of interest around Lexington. Check in with timely veteran-related news articles.
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Speaker Series You’ll find our monthly presentations educational and inspiring. Listen to top-notch speakers on military-related subjects.
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Community ServiceWe are an active partner with other community organizations to honor and recognize veterans and to promote community support of the military.
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Veterans ResourcesNeed help with veterans benefits? Contact our Veterans Services Director to learn more.
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Veterans DayA Veterans Breakfast and a traditional Veterans Day ceremony marked the 2022 Veterans Day observance.
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LVA SurveyTell us about your military or non-military related service. Let us know how we’re doing, suggest future programs, and explore volunteering.
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We Are Grateful
To the following organizations and companies who have been invaluable supporters.
Please click on the logo to go to their homepage.
Please click on the logo to go to their homepage.
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Thanks to Dinesh Patel, MD, Sue Stering, and volunteers from the Lexington Town Celebrations Committee
for the beautiful photographs included on our website.
for the beautiful photographs included on our website.