[Robin Hickman]

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Hi, Richard !

Welcome to the USA-Flag-Site forums !

QUOTE : "I have a number of flags to be disposed of and am looking for a method of propely burning them or is it acceptable to bury them, if so how should they be prepared before burial............Rich P."


Since you've probably read at least a few of the threads here in the "American Flag Disposal" Forum, you're probably already aware that the preferred method of "retiring" an American Flag, as per the U.S. Code, is by burning it.

While "retiring" a Flag by burning it is still the "preferred method of disposal, these days it comes with a bit of a WARNING.

You see, Rich, when the "Flag Code" was originally created in 1923 (approximately) and then officially "codified" in 1942, Flags were made of "natural" fibers such as wool, cotton, linen, silk, etc. These types of fibers burned very easily and with few "problems".

Things are different now, as most of the American Flags these days are made of "artificial" (man-made) fibers such as Nylon, Polyester, or Rayon. These man-made materials do not burn in the same way as "natural" fibers do.

In fact they can give off some pretty nasty chemical fumes when they are burned. Nylon, for example, gives off a form of CYANIDE gas when it burns!

One way of avoiding having to deal with such problems when retiring your Flag, or Flags, is to check with the LOCAL American Legion or Veterans Of Foreign Wars (VFW) to see if they conduct "Flag Retirement" ceremonies. Almost all of the threads in this forum mention that, so you probably already knew that anyway.

I hope that helps. If it doesn't, then LET US KNOW !

NOTE : Are there ANY members who have any pertinent information regarding Richard's question regarding the proper disposal of American Flags by BURYING THEM ???


Richard, Thank You for bringing your Flag-related question to our forums !


Robin Hickman
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[Robin Hickman]

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Just adding a "TrackBack" (Google) to this thread :

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=U.S.+Flag+Retirement++USA-Flag-Site&btnG=Search&aq=f&oq=&aqi=


BTW : There is already over 30 "trackbacks" attached to this thread.


Robin Hickman
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[Dan Cockburn]

Let me know what the ceremony is - I visited this site to find the scout ceremony and have been given the run around

Dan

[NAVA1974]

Originally Posted by Dan Cockburn

Let me know what the ceremony is - I visited this site to find the scout ceremony and have been given the run around

Dan

If you feel you have been given the run around it is simply because there IS NO established ceremony. Each individual or organization is quite free to set up their own way of disposing of worn flags "preferably by burning" as stated in the United States Flag Code. There is no requirement to play taps, sing the National Anthem, recite prayers, cut the canton from the stripes, say the Pledge of Allegiance, remove the grommets, etc., etc.

Just respectfully consign the complete but worn flags to the flames.

If you want some written guidance, see this site from the National Flag Foundation in Pittsburgh. They have an excellent page devoted to retiring worn out flags: National Flag Foundation

[Peter Ansoff]

It's interesting that the original 1923 version of the flag code stated that:

" . . . [the flag] should be destroyed as a whole, privately, preferably by burning or by some other method in harmony with the reverence and respect we owe to the emblem representing our country." (emphasis added)

The "privately" aspect was apparently deleted when the code was adopted by Congress in 1942. It still appears in military regulations, however. For example, AR 840-10 says:

"When a flag is no longer suitable for display, it will not be cast aside or used in any way that may be viewed as disrespectful. If not preserved as [a relic], it will be destroyed privately, preferably by burning, shredding or by some other method that does not show irreverence or disrespect to the flag."

Personally, I like the original 1923 language better. It made clear that the whole point was to treat the flag respectfully because it's a symbol of our country, not to make its destruction a macabre public spectacle. The rituals that involve cutting up the flag seem particularly weird to me (and, apparently to the original drafters of the flag code!).

Peter Ansoff

[Robin Hickman]

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Hello, Dan Cockburn !


You can find 13 different Boy Scout (BSA) "Flag Retirement" ceremonies described in one document @ DocStoc.com :

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/607752/Boy-Scouts-of-America---BSA-flag-retirement-ceremony



Robin Hickman
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[NAVA1974]

Robin,
Thanks for that link, but in my humble opinion, some of those ceremonies are BIZZARE! I can think of nothing LESS dignified than having a bunch of Boy Scouts tear the stripes of a flag apart, one by one, prior to burning them, followed by the canto of stars.
I have no problem with ceremonies that teach the history of the flag and foster respect as part of a flag retirement event, but the worn flags ought to be burned, privately and intact, by the adult leaders after the meeting is over.

[NAVA1974]

Beg pardon, but that's "canton" of stars.
Nick

[Robin Hickman]

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I was NOT endorsing ANY of the 13 "Flag Retirement" ceremonies described in that particular document that the DocStoc.com link goes to.

I merely posted the link so that "Dan Cockburn" could go straight to a source that would would give him as wide a choice as possible when it came time for him to choose a "scout ceremony" to follow & use.


Robin Hickman
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