girl scouts of the colonial coast
We’ve all seen American flags in the community waving in the sky, and our camps have started and finished each day with the raising and lowering of the flag for decades. Flag ceremonies are an iconic Girl Scout tradition and are meaningful moments for girls and adults alike. Sometimes, we see flags that are in need of repair or should be replaced and might ask ourselves, "What can I do?" When that happens, Girl Scouts can help by collecting them and doing a proper flag retirement at their next troop or at a service unit encampment.
There have been numerous troops that have done “how to” videos on flag ceremonies and demonstrations on flag etiquette for their Bronze or Silver Award projects, with videos to be found on YouTube and if you need to know how to do a general flag ceremony, refer to the Girl Scout Guide of Girl Scouting handbook available in the shop.
Let's talk about the process and reasoning behind a flag retirement ceremony. When do flags retire? When the United States flag becomes worn, torn, faded or badly soiled, it is time to replace it with a new flag. The old flag should be “retired” with dignity and respect befitting our nation’s flag. According to the U.S. Flag Code when a flag is “in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning”. This is often called a flag retirement ceremony and as always, we are to place the emphasis on respect for the flag. There is more than one appropriate way to retire a flag, but here are some general guidelines-
Examples of Etiquette - Flag Retirement Service and Ceremonies Ceremony of Final Tribute
• Only one flag should be used in the ceremony, which is representative of all the flags to be burned in the service. The remainder of the flags collected should be incinerated. A corporate, government, or military incinerator or furnace can usually be found for this purpose.
• The ceremony should be conducted out-of-doors, preferably in conjunction with a campfire program, and it should be very special.
• The ceremony involves two color guards, one for the flag currently in use and a special color guard for the flag to be retired from service. Of course, this may be adapted if conditions necessitate.
• Just before sunset the flag which has been flying all day is retired in the normal ceremonial procedure for that location or group.
• The color guard responsible for the flag receiving the final tribute moves to front and center. The leader should present this color guard with the flag that has been selected for its final tribute and subsequent destruction. The leader should instruct the color guard to "raise the colors."
• When the flag has been secured at the top of the pole, the leader says: “This flag has served its nation well and long. It has worn to a condition in which it should no longer be used to represent the nation. This flag represents all of the flags collected and being retired from service today. The honor we show here, this evening, for this one flag, we are showing for all of the flags, even those not physically here.”
• The leader should:
• Call the group to attention and order a salute.
• Lead the entire group in the Pledge of Allegiance; and order the flag retired by the color guard.
• Slowly and ceremoniously lower and then respectfully fold the flag in the customary triangle.
• Deliver the flag to the leader, and then dismiss the group. Ceremonial Burning Flag Preparation: The color guard assigned to the flag opens its tri-corner fold and then refolds the flag in a coffin-shaped rectangle.
• Assemble around the fire. The leader calls the group to attention and the color guard comes forward and places the flag on the fire.
• All briskly salute. After the salute, but while still at attention, the leader should conduct a respectful memorial service as the flag burns. The National Flag Foundation recommends singing "God Bless America," followed by an inspiring message of the flag's meaning, followed by the "Pledge of Allegiance," and then silence.
• When the flag is basically consumed, those assembled, with the exception of the leader and the color guard, should be dismissed single file and depart in silence. The leader and the color guard remain until the flag is completely consumed.
• The fire should then be safely extinguished, and the ashes buried. Fire preparation is important that the fire be sizeable preferably having burnt down to a bed of red-hot coals to avoid bits of the flag being carried off by a roaring fire-yet be sufficient enough to ensure complete burning of the flag.
