Lincoln American Legion hosts annual flag retirement ceremony

 

[June 14, 2023] 

On Wednesday morning members of the American Legion Post 263, Legion Auxiliary, and the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) gathered outside the post in Lincoln to observe the traditional retirement of worn and tattered flags.

Throughout the year, the Legion collects worn out flags and stores them away for an annual retirement ceremony to be held on Flag Day.

Flag Day is a time when citizens of the United States are asked to acknowledge the red, white, and blue and observe the importance of the national symbol. The Legion members feel this is the ideal day to conduct a “reverent disposal” of flags.

The ceremony is a solemn event when the Sergeant in Arms takes the flag and presents it to the First Vice-Commander who reads test questions to determine if the flag is no longer suitable for flying.

When the First Vice-Commander recommends that the flag be presented for proper disposal, the Sergeant in Arms then moves on to present the flag to the Second Vice-Commander. The Second Vice-Commander also offers a series of test questions to verify that the flag was properly utilized during its lifetime and is now entitled to proper military disposal.

With the flag approved for disposal by the First and Second Vice-Commanders, the sergeant in Arms then presents the flag to the Commander.

The commander in turn interviews two vice commanders, seeking to determine if they have done their due diligence in verifying that the flag should be retired permanently.

When both vice-commanders answer the questions, the Commander then orders that the flag be properly disposed of by fire.

At the end of the ceremony the Legion Chaplain recited a prayer for the disposal of the flag. Then the vice commanders and other Legion members assisted in the burning of the flag.

The one flag presented was representative of a large pile of flags that have been collected since the last retirement ceremony.

According to federal and military law there are only two acceptable ways to dispose of a flag, by burial or by fire. The American Legion Post 263 in Lincoln has conducted numerous flag retirement ceremonies and have always utilized disposal by fire.

Legion members brought flags to the outdoor flame one at a time and laid them carefully on the fire.

After a few had started to burn, there was a pause for the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

Then burning resumed until the many flags collected had been respectfully destroyed.

The American Legion post in Lincoln collects torn and worn flags year-round. Anyone wishing to have a flag respectfully retired can bring the flag to the legion parking lot. In the first parking row, there is a beige collection box that resembles a mail deposit box. Flags can be dropped inside and will be collected and taken in by legion members.

[Nila Smith]