Author Topic: Retiring the flag (Read 682 times)

mechanic · « **on:** May 09, 2011, 02:54:29 PM »

Took my scouts out this evening to retire a flag. It was sorta' make do as we meet downtown, but I brought a drum and some charcoal. We lined them up, said the pledge of allegiance, explained the parts of the flag and what they mean. I tried to tell them a little of the men and women who scrificed so they could be there in their uniforms at a scout meeting. As we started to burn, I cut the flag, stripes first, so that all the uniformed scouts could burn a little piece. Just across the road, a car stopped, and an old gentleman got out, stood at attention with his hand over his heart until the entire event was over.

I talked to him, and found he had been at Normandy, and he was kind enough to come over and talk to my scouts a bit.

Not many of these old guys left. Be sure to tell them thank you when you meet one.

Ben

Spirithawk · « **Reply #1 on:** May 09, 2011, 03:06:40 PM »

I always do.

As a Vet myself I know perfectly well what those two little words mean to both vets and active service. Few words have the power of the simple combination of a heart felt "Thank you." Thank you to those who went before me. Thank you to those who fought beside me. And thank you for those who currently serve.

Conan The Librarian · « **Reply #2 on:** May 09, 2011, 04:38:07 PM »

I used to thank servicemen for their service until about three years ago when I realized that they weren't really doing anything valuable. Now I just see them as suckers drawing a paycheck in a high risk occupation. When the wars matter, I'll start thanking them again.

Hooker · « **Reply #3 on:** May 09, 2011, 04:50:54 PM »

Thank you Spirithawk
Some people just don't understand that those who serve whether in piece time or in times of war , it's our military that is the thin line between us and those that would take our liberty and make us their subjects.
My daddy served in the Pacific in WWII ,and every occasion I can find I fly the same the flag that draped his coffin from my front porch.
Then I fold it and put it back in it's case on my dresser so that every morning I see it so I never forget to be thankful.

Pat

quasne.inc · « **Reply #4 on:** May 09, 2011, 06:27:13 PM »

I dont comment too much on here, but I just wanted to thank Mechanic, SpiritHawk, and Hooker for their comments. I appreciate those that serve this country protecting our freedoms that werent just given to us. We had to fight to gain those freedoms and we have to fight to keep them. It upsets me to read such unsupport for those risking their lives for this country. Whether we think the war is important or not does not take away from the sacrifice those men and women are willing to make for the idea of freedom, for ourselves and for others.

Pat/Rick · « **Reply #5 on:** May 09, 2011, 10:15:50 PM »

Good points Quasne, Though at times our wars may seem unpopular/unjust we need to save that scrutiny for the politicos, and not our service members. Our proud military members have stepped forward. To be ready at a moments notice. To sacrifice all they have for our defense. Even those who serve during peacetime, are away from families during special events and holidays, pulling duty when they'd rather be somewhere else. Again, to all my fellow veterans and those currently serveing, Thankyou, and Welcome Home!

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #6 on:** May 10, 2011, 02:48:18 AM »

Quote from: Conan The Librarian on May 09, 2011, 04:38:07 PM

I used to thank servicemen for their service until about three years ago when I realized that they weren't really doing anything valuable. Now I just see them as suckers drawing a paycheck in a high risk occupation. When the wars matter, I'll start thanking them again.

maybe you should learn the difference in politics and military dedication. Our military stands ready for any war they are sent to fight that's dedication. Where our politicans send them to fight is not the choice of the fighting men. If it were but a job I'm sure many would have gone home years ago. The fighting men uphold a tradition that keeps us free inspite of what we elect to run the country.

no guns here · « **Reply #7 on:** May 10, 2011, 02:59:55 AM »

Quote

I used to thank servicemen for their service until about three years ago when I realized that they weren't really doing anything valuable. Now I just see them as suckers drawing a paycheck in a high risk occupation. When the wars matter, I'll start thanking them again.

You gotta be kidding? Just trolling right? You're really just trying to get a rise out of folks to make yourself feel good in some small insignificant way right?

Come on, some guys are on four or five deployments. We have the highest percentage of amputees since the civil war. Thousands dead. And yet they aren't doing anything valuable. The value of what they are doing may not be apparent to you, but I damn sure bet it is apparent to everyone with TBI or missing limbs, or 70% burns from IED's. The value is pretty apparent to the families whose father, brother, sister, mother or daughter never comes home.

NGH
MSgt, USAF

LONGTOM · « **Reply #8 on:** May 10, 2011, 03:01:10 AM »

"THE TREE OF LIBERTY FROM TIME TO TIME MUST BE REFRESHED WITH THE BLOOD OF PATRIOTS AND TYRANTS".
THOMAS JEFFERSON

That my two young sons may never have to know the horrors of war.
I will stand for your rights as my forefathers did before me!
My thanks to those who have, are and will stand for mine!
To those in the military, I salute you!

LONGTOM 9-25-07

ENOUGH SAID!!!

LONGTOM

LONGTOM · « **Reply #9 on:** May 10, 2011, 03:11:45 AM »

Sorry, seems to be getting off topic here!

mechanic :

That was a very kind thing for that gentleman to do.
I am sure the boys will have a better understanding of what OUR FLAG means and what price had to be paid for OUR FREEDOMS!

LONGTOM

Shu · « **Reply #10 on:** May 10, 2011, 03:21:01 AM »

Thanks for retiring that flag properly and taking an opportunity to teach the kids. It was kind of the old man to come and teach also. These are the things that we should be doing.

I personnaly thank each service person I run across for their service. I work on a military base so I say thanks alot. I was having lunch with some friends yesterday and several young enlisted came in. My friends and I bought their lunches and thanked them. I would like to say thanks to all you vets and active duty members. Your service is greatly appreciated. I will never apologize for thanking a service member.

Old Fart · « **Reply #11 on:** May 10, 2011, 04:03:21 AM »

Good on you Mechanic! Teach them boys right.
Thanks for volunteering your time to help bring up another generation of good citizens.

no guns here · « **Reply #12 on:** May 10, 2011, 04:21:28 AM »

If you ever want to do another flag retirement, you should advertise in your community, churches and such. Many folks have old flags stored away because they don't know what to do with them. We did one in Germany and had dozens of flags to burn. We had to cut them in strips ahead of time. The scouts took probably an hour to come and get and arm full each, and slowly deposit them in the fire. We were there all evening. It was a great ceremony.

Another flag retirement we did with the scouts was in France on the beach at Normandy. Talk about a GREAT ceremony. What better place to retire dozens of flags?

NGH

burntmuch · « **Reply #13 on:** May 10, 2011, 04:58:18 AM »

mechanic thanks for taking the time to teach them young men.

Right war wrong war . Them boys dont have any say so in the matter. They show up, Im thankfull for that & I tell them

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #14 on:** May 10, 2011, 05:02:31 AM »

btw mechanic you did a great thing !

steg · « **Reply #15 on:** May 10, 2011, 05:59:18 AM »

+1 with Longtom, I will always sat thanks to anyone in the Military, and be Proud to do it....................steg

I have only ever had to retire one flag, I had a good fire that was burned down to coals, The flag was properly folded and placed on the coals. I did my best at standing at attention while it burned. after reading some prior posts that the flag was cut up into strips, is this a part of the custom that I don't know about or what?...............................steg

no guns here · « **Reply #16 on:** May 10, 2011, 08:18:09 AM »

I never did get a good answer on cutting it up into strips. One guy said it was to make it easier to burn. One guy said it was because that way it wasn't a FLAG anymore and you were just disposing of the remains. That way you can toss it in the fire with out the whole "don't let a flag touch the ground" issue. I don't think it matters anyway but I'm sure you get a more complete burn out of the strips versus a folded flag especially if it were a base flag or an auto dealer flag. If there were dozens of folded flags, it might take a bit of burning and stirring the ashes to ensure a complete burn. Anyway, it's just the way I was shown to do it so I do it that way. I guess if I had a good fire going and wanted to burn just one or two, I might accept a folded flag from someone.

NGH

Conan The Librarian · « **Reply #17 on:** May 10, 2011, 09:00:45 AM »

Do you happen to know how the flag retirement ceremonies got started?

AtlLaw · « **Reply #18 on:** May 10, 2011, 09:31:10 AM »

My father, a WWI Vet., "retired" a flag once when I was very young. We stood there with our hands over our hearts until the flag was completely consumed by the flames. Thanks Ben, for the memory and for teaching our young.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #19 on:** May 10, 2011, 11:15:23 AM »

The US Flag site says the US flag code says if the flag is not repairable , damaged beyond repair then dispose of it in a dignified mannor preferrable by burnning.
Check out the site as I only hit high points.

mechanic · « **Reply #20 on:** May 10, 2011, 11:59:42 AM »

We try and follow proper protocol. We get several flags a year, but usually it's the boy scouts and not the cubs that do the ceremony. My guys are just turning 9, and next year will move up to Webelos. The cub scouts rarely get to see this. I think it's important to instill in these young men as early as possible a respect for the flag.

We cut ours in strips, because I wanted every scout in uniform to directly participate, and because it was a large flag. It took 6 boys to keep it off the ground. Altogether, we had over 30 people present, from small siblings, to parents. Every boy in uniform got to participate.

I had them salute and hold that salute in formation while each piece burned.

The old gentleman stood for more than 20 minutes in the hot sun with his hand over his heart. This gentleman still bore scars from wounds he recieved on D-day, and made quite an impression on some of these young men.

I am thankful he happened by as it gave flesh and blood meaning to the ceremony.

We have a flag over 20' we have to retire next time we are at camp. It's just too big for a church parking lot metal drum fire.

To those who express thanks to me....don't. Thank that old man. I enjoy working with these boys, but I doubt he enjoyed what he did for our country, but I also bet he would do it again.

Long may she wave.

Ben

powderman · « **Reply #21 on:** May 10, 2011, 05:29:55 PM »

MECHANIC. Good for you. Those scouts will never forget that experience. POWDERMAN.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #22 on:** May 11, 2011, 02:54:04 AM »

mechanic , if you have time check out the flag site . You followed what they offered . You also did a good thing with the scouts.

Pat/Rick · « **Reply #23 on:** May 11, 2011, 02:56:19 PM »

mechanic, I too got in the off topic portion, sorry. I learned alot from your post and have never had the opportunity to take part in the ceremony. A good thing teaching these young men the proper way to ceremoniously retire our nations flag. I haven't been to a "flag site" for awhile, guess its time to refresh the memory. Good on ya for taking an active part in scouting.

Spanky · « **Reply #24 on:** May 11, 2011, 03:48:51 PM »

Quote from: Conan The Librarian on May 09, 2011, 04:38:07 PM

I used to thank servicemen for their service until about three years ago when I realized that they weren't really doing anything valuable. Now I just see them as suckers drawing a paycheck in a high risk occupation. When the wars matter, I'll start thanking them again.

I can't believe you said something like this. You're a no good #^!*@.
Maybe you need to get out there and put your rear on the line.

USMC and damn proud of it.
Spanky

mechanic · « **Reply #25 on:** May 11, 2011, 04:19:20 PM »

Spanky,

Don't let this guy torque you, he probably enjoys it. I've learned sometimes silence is the best response.

Ben