Girl Scout flag retirement ceremony

[ruthietoothie]

I am looking for any info on how the girl scouts can retire old US flags. Such as a script that is less than 7 pages long. If anyone can help me I would be information would help me so much.

Thank you,
Ruthann Blank

Mother of a Cadette Girl Scout.

[Robin Hickman]

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Greetings, RuthieToothie !!!


Welcome to the USA-Flag-Site Forums !!!


As you probably already know by now, this entire forum, "American Flag Disposal", is about the proper way (or ways) of "retiring" an American Flag that has come to the end of its useful service life.

While some of the retirement ceremonies listed and detailed in some of the threads in this forum seem to be a bit "dramatic" and "over-done", there are some very simple and respectful ones as well.

As you read through the different threads you'll find that while most all of us here might have different ideas as to what constitutes a "proper" retirement ceremony, we are pretty much ALL opposed to the idea of cutting up the Flag and separating out the Stripes and the Unions before committing the Flags to the flames.

I hope you find a short, respectful, and meaningful Flag Retirement Ceremony that your Scout Troop can conduct with pride !!!

Let us know if you have any additional questions or concerns. If you happen to take any pictures during the ceremony, would you be willing to post three or four of them here and let us know how it went?

THANK YOU !!!


Thank You for bringing your Flag-related question to our Forums !!!


Robin Hickman
Eugene, Oregon, USA
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[NAVA1974]

I am looking for any info on how the girl scouts can retire old US flags. Such as a script that is less than 7 pages long.

Hello Ms. Blank,
I know there are many patriotic organizations who turn flag disposal into quite a production, perhaps because that is one of the few occations they spend much time actually talking about the flag. Personally I favor a private process with no "ceremony" whatsoever. The flag code originally said that worn flags should be disposed of privately, and I think that is still good guidance. By all means, there should be lessons on flag history and etiquette presented to your scouts, but those should be part of routine scout meetings, not worked into a "consigning flags to the flames" production.

At most I would prepare a fire of modest size with enough wood to keep it burning long enough to completely consume the flags, thank the scouts for their efforts in collecting the flags, reminding them that the United States Flag Code recommends disposing of flags by burning, and then place each worn flag in the fire. I'd also keep a hose or fire extinguisher handy.

Nick

[Robin Hickman]

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Hi, RuthieToothie !


Just a quick follow-up!


Not to scare you or anything like that, but as a mild precaution when your Troop conducts the Flag "Retirement Ceremony", do it outside and have everybody stay upwind from the fire when the Flags are burning.

Since the late 1940's a LOT of Flags (perhaps a majority of them) are made of nylon. As is mentioned elsewhere in various threads in this Forum, when nylon burns it gives off a form of cyanide gas.

I don't think it would pose that big of a hazard. With the fire's smoke and the smell of the burning Flags, most people will probably stay upwind of the fire anyway.

Let us know how it goes and post some pictures of the ceremony !


Robin Hickman
Eugene, Oregon, USA
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[NAVA1974]

"Let us know how it goes and post some pictures of the ceremony !"

Yea, not the recording of the 911 call.

[ruthietoothie]

Dear Robin,

Thank you for informing me about the nylon causing cyanide gas I will inform the scouts about this. I will also see if the leader of my daughters troop will be willing to take pictures to post. I am not the leader as that my daughter is earning a badge for leadership. She is also helping younger girl scouts with this also the is like 5 or 6 troops doing this with her.

Again thank you for all the information that you gave me.

Ruthann Blank (Proud to be an American)

[Robin Hickman]

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Hi, Ruthie !


Glad we could be of some assistance!


I don't think that the form of cyanide gas given off by burning nylon is all that dangerous, especially if the fire is outdoors where the wind can thin it out and quickly disperse it. I just mentioned it as a simple precaution.

I'm looking forward to hearing how it all went and maybe even getting to see some pictures too !!!


Robin Hickman
Eugene, Oregon, USA
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