Flag Retirement Ceremony

[Road Guy]

Last Friday our cub scout pack (9/11 anniversary) we did a flag retirement ceremony, I had never actually been to one but it was pretty moving. We have several active duty dad's in our pack who wore their dress blues and conducted most of the ceremony (its normally done by Boy Scouts so we didnt think the younger scouts could pull it off)

I was really impressed by how the boys (we have about 90 in our pack this year) acted during the cermony, I dont think the younger ones really understood completely, but they were all speechless during the ceremony (which I can attest because its hard to keep them quiet for 15 minutes if you know....)

It was a pretty touching ceremony, and I didnt have any kids come up and ask me "why are we burning a flag"? which I expected.

So next time you are replacing your american flag dont throw away the old one, find a local boy scout troop and ask them to retire it correctly..

 

[Wolverine]

I witnessed a funeral at Arlington a few years back - the precision and reverence of the flag folding detail was unforgettable.

 

[ROBIAMEIT]

HEY ROAD GUY AND WOLVERINE!

I have been in Scouting for almost 40 years . . . . i was active as a Packmaster a few years back after my boy had gone onto Boy Scouts and the Pack needed help.

The Pack had always done a Family Camping trip to Gettysburg each summer and hiked the Historical Trail (Johny Reb or the Billy Yank . . . depending on how many needed which patch) and one summer we planned a Flag Retirement ceremony at the Campground Commons . . . The camp made an announcement to invite anyone in the camp to come and witness/join in the ceremony over the loud speaker.

to our surprise there were about 50 "gen pop" campers showed up along with our Pack. . . . about 80 people over all.

the ceremony went VERY well . . all the boys in Class A and we had one talented young man play taps on his Bugle . . . we cut up about 10 flags. . . so there was alot of red and white stripes to burn. . . . and we invited anyone in the crowd who wanted to lay a section of the flag onto the campfire to join us . . . a WHOLE BUNCH of older dudes came up and participated. Turns out there was a reunion of Vietnam Vets that used the campground every summer to meet and they all were there . . along with a few old WW II guys . . .

As the sun set over the Battlefield we layed sections of the flag onto the campfire and the Bugler played Taps untill we were all done.

Believe it or not a bunch of those older folks stuck around and many had tears in their eyes as they told us how moving the ceremony was and how great it was to see such young people honoring the Flag properly . . .

we all sat around the campfire untill late at night and a few of us older Scouts put on an impromptu "Scout Campfire" for the folks, campfire songs and a few short skits and jokes . . . . everyone loved it.

The next day when we went to check out the Camp Director gave the whole Pack all of our money back . . and said he had never seen anything like that and told us we were welcome to camp for free anytime we wanted to

GOOD TIMES

 

[Guest]

I was in Boy Scouts and since my dad was the 1st sgt of supply squadron at the air force base - they sponsored my troop. Having grown up with many military traditions - I have seen a number of flag retirments (and military funerals for that matter). It is a very moving experience and I am glad to know that there are still places and people who follow thru with these traditions.

JR

 

[Freon]

Our Boy Scout troop does two flag retirements a year. We coordinate them with the local Girl Scout troops and Cub Scout packs. It has really become a local tradition where the older scouts, of both genders, work together and teach the younger ones how to properly do the event.

Freon