Tag Archives: US Flag Code

02.07
2013

Wreaths Across America Project Honors Veterans and the American Flag

Community members join the Wreaths Across American project and combine wreaths with a flag retirement ceremony. Every year in Florence, South Carolina the Wreaths Across America project honors thousands of fallen veterans with a special ceremony. This year the group teamed up with other community members to clean up the wreaths in a unique and fitting way. The entire event was a great act of patriotism and respect to the country and those that fought to keep it safe. The wreaths dedicated to the veterans were then used as kindling for the American Flag retiring ceremony held at the National Guard VFW post in Florence. This year marked the first time the Wreaths Across American group combined their clean up with a U.S. flag retiring ceremony organized by the community. Old flags unfit to fly are respectfully burned in accordance to the U.S. Flag Code. Local boy scouts and girl scouts also participated in the event. They helped by tossing stripes from the flags into the flames. Adults involved said they believed the ceremony was a great learning experience for everyone since a lot of people do not know how to properly retire a flag. Laurie Stokes works with Wreaths …

Flag Etiquette, Flag News

Tagged: American Flags, US Flag Code, Veterans, Wreaths Across America

01.30
2013

Peace Officer Encourages Correct Flag Etiquette

One man travels his county collecting worn flags and spreading correct flag etiquette procedures. Jackie Williams proudly flies two flags from a single pole in his front yard. The stars and stripes wave highest, while exactly 10 inches below flies the POW/MIA flag, honoring any veteran that went missing or was captured during war. Proper flag protocol is an issue this Army vet feels very strongly about and wishes everyone would follow the correct procedures set forth in the U.S. Flag Code. From Kentucky, Williams travels the county of Henderson serving legal papers. While out, he continually notes the American flag conditions he comes across, too many of which are a sorry sight. “I have found flags hanging from a corner. I have found flags hanging upside down and flags in such disrepair that there was really nothing left,” recalled Williams. Flags with long rips and missing pieces are beyond repair and require a suitable retirement. Jackie will not hesitate to knock on a door and ask for the owner’s permission to remove the flag when he witnesses such terrible conditions. The majority of the time, home and business owners’ do not have a problem with him doing this. In …

Flag News

Tagged: American Flag Etiquette, American Flags, POW/MIA, US Flag Code

01.08
2013

VFW Respectfully Retires Lost Flag and Others

Annual American flag retirement ceremony coincides with Pearl Harbor Day as VFW retires lost flag From Plains, Montana, the Veterans of Foreign Wars post #3596 conducted its 9th annual flag retirement ceremony also matched up with Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. A local vet, Ben French, read a passage aloud as his other comrades silently placed their flags and pieces of flags into the fire, demonstrating their pride for the stars and stripes has never been stronger. But just how exactly does the VFW collect so many American flags each year? “A lot of people just bring them in to the club [throughout the year]. We store them until Pearl Harbor Day and every year we retire the flags that are too worn or torn to fly,” explained Joe Eisenbrandt, the posts quartermaster. According the United States flag code, out of respect an American flag must be retired when it becomes too damaged from time and weather. Flags represent America and when they can no longer best symbolize this country, retirement is necessary. Among the flags laid to rest was one extra special American flag from the previous Sanders County Fairgrounds. This flag flew its first flight in 1995 and was …

Flag News

Tagged: American Flag, US Flag Code, Veterans, VFW

12.10
2012

How to Properly Retire an American Flag

When and how to retire an American flag respectfully. The United States Flag Code outlines proper flag etiquette for everything from folding a flag to flying a flag to retiring a flag. The U.S. Flag code states that, “the flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.” In Chicago this past June, there was a televised retirement ceremony for more than 7,000 flags. The ceremony featured members of each branch of the military. And recently, Twin Falls Christian Academy principal, Brent Walker, held a ceremony to show students on how to retire American flags. However, these are just two separate events of hundreds across the nation where members are respectfully retiring American flags. When an American flag becomes worn, faded, torn or soiled, it should be retired and replaced with a new flag. There are several ways to respectfully dispose of the American flag without showing disgrace. The Veterans Department of Affairs suggests: folding the flag in a customary manner, prepare a large enough fire space to sufficiently burn the flag, place the flag in the fire, have individuals at the …

Flag Etiquette, Flag News

Tagged: American Flag, Pledge of Allegiance, US Flag Code

10.11
2012

Kalamazoo U.S. Flag Retirement Ceremony

Rotary Club shows how to properly retire an American flag. The Rotary Club of Kalamazoo, Michigan is sponsoring its annual U.S. flag retirement ceremony at a local Veterans Memorial. The group has already started to collect flags from around the county to honor in their hour-long ceremony. With the help of Boy Scout Troops and area veterans’ groups, the flags will be burned according to the U.S. Flag Code, which sets strict guidelines for both the proper use and disposal of American flags. According to Kay Maxson, coordinator of the special affair, the flags will arrive at the park via the VFW Red Arrow Post. The VFW itself has already collected hundreds of flags that need to be properly retired and their drop box is inviting anymore previously-loved flags. The ceremony will let these U.S. flags be retired in a dignified manner and also show the community the necessarily steps. In addition, the Rotary Club will give a brief history of the U.S. flag along with a showing of samples of past flags. As soon as the fire and flags are ready, the Boy Scouts will hold a vigil over the fire until all flags have withered away. After that, …

Flag News

Tagged: Flag Etiquette, US Flag, US Flag Code

07.26
2012

2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony: America Doesn’t Dip the Flag

Insight into the controversial act during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics. Holding the flag for your country in the opening ceremony of the Olympics is an honor that many athletes wish to be granted. With the honor, however, comes a swirl of instructions and protocol to follow. However, when Americans select an athlete to carry the flag, they will likely be asked to uphold a tradition that has taken place for more than 100 years. As teams enter the venue for the Parade of Nations in the Opening Ceremony, most Olympic teams briefly lower their flag (as if bowing) as a sign of respect when marching past the host nation’s box where leaders generally sit. The United States does not dip their flag. According to legend, at the 1908 Summer Games, shot putter Ralph Rose stated, “this flag dips for no earthly king.” While some athletes chose to dip or not dip the flag, the tradition flip-flopped for several more years until 1936 when both the Summer and Winter Olympic games were held in Germany, controlled at the time under Adolph Hitler and Nazis rule. There was talk of a United States boycott, but athletes did participate in events …

Flag History, Flag News

Tagged: American Flag, London Olympics 2012, Opening Ceremony, US Flag Code

07.19
2012

Florida Flag Dispute Ends

The Seminole maintenance department is now making specially designed clamps to secure flags to the front right fender of fire trucks. This form of display complies with the U.S. Flag Code. The dispute between firefighters and the city escalated over the weekend when around 20 protesters waved flags on a street corner near the fire station. They protested an order from the city to remove flags from Seminole fire trucks, which they claim was a heated dispute that started months ago. Seminole City Manager Frank Edmunds disagrees the argument started months prior and commented with, “I’m not even sure that (the flag) was ever an issue.” He takes the position the flag was not the issue, but the true root was employees taking liberties with city property without receiving departmental approval. Edmunds asserts employees were asked to submit requests for permission to display flags on vehicles, but no one complied. Instead, one firefighter displayed a flag in the window of a truck, forcing Fire Chief George Bessler to remove it. Following the removal, an employee posted a social media comment that drastically escalated the event. However, since then both sides came to an agreement, and the flags will be allowed …

Flag News

Tagged: American Flag, Flag Etiquette, Florida Flag Dispute, U.S. Flag, US Flag Code

06.29
2012

Groups Host Proper Flag Retiring Ceremony

Organizers collect 150 flags from community for ceremony before properly disposing of it. In honor of Flag Day on June 14, Boy Scout Troop 555 and cadets from the Nellis Air Force Base Civil Air Patrol did their due diligence in honoring the flag. The team organized and collected about 150 American Flags that had been worn, torn, faded and badly soiled to retire properly. The flags were flown at buildings all throughout the community, from government buildings to cemeteries to local businesses. As the U.S. Flag Code states, “The Flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.” Each Boy Scouts of America troop has their own way of properly retiring a flag. Some troops prefer to shred or cut the flag up before burning; others choose to leave the flag in one piece before properly dispose of it. The Boy Scouts of Troop 555 prefer to leave the flag intact before disposing of it. The Palm Northwest Mortuary held the ceremony, the establishment’s first time hosting a commemoration and flag-retirement service. Kelly Browder, general manager at the Palm Northwest Mortuary, …

Flag News

Tagged: American Flag, American Flags, Boy scouts, Flag Day, flag retiring ceremony, US Flag Code

06.14
2012

Veterans Upset About Tattered American Flags Flying Over Memorial Weekend

Retired Soldiers Dismayed By Frayed US Flags Flying On Memorial Day Reports of disgruntled Veterans in Phoenix and Rhode Island surfaced over Memorial weekend due to American flags that were flown in an unacceptable condition. Retired Colonel U.S. Army Veteran, Lonnie Barham, decided to take action when at the Public Park in Providence, RI. He saw an American flag in appalling condition. Barham served in Iraq and his son is currently serving in Afghanistan has a lot of pride in the American flag and seeing it in such poor condition is heart breaking. “It is in absolute tatters,” he told reporters. “I have never seen a flag flown, period, private or public in such deplorable condition. It’s a travesty.” Barham called the city’s Parks and Recreation Department last week and was told the flag would be fixed. However, on Memorial Day the tattered flag remained on top the flag pole. “Someone in the city is falling down on their responsibility even after being notified they still didn’t take the right course of action, so it’s bothersome,” said Barham. With no luck, Lonnie Barham turned to NBC 10 News. After watching their story Providence’s Mayor, Angel Taveras, responded in a tweet …

Flag News

Tagged: American Flag, Flag News, Memorial Weekend, Old Glory, Tattered Flags, US Flag, US Flag Code, Veterans, Vets