Questions about the American flag and the American Flag's flag diposal ceremony?

Question

what do they mean when they say- put the flag in strip/cut flag into strips?

---Can you show me good/okay pics!

i'm a boy scout and i was told to do the flag disposal ceremony and have the flags in strips. What does that mean?

Answer 1

You don't cut the flag into strips, you ceremoniously burn it. If you have one, you can turn it over to any of the Veterans organizations, AMVETS, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, or the Boy Scouts and they will take care of every thing.

Answer 2

Different ceremonies call for various means of disposal. There is no set right way to do it. The flag code merely states that the flag is to be disposed in a fittingly respectful manner, preferably by burning.

SOME ceremonies call for the union (the Blue Field with the stars on it) to be cut from the rest of the Flag and burned first, then each stripe, starting at the top, to be cut off and burned individually. Generally a portion of reading is done with each part burned and taps played as the final stripe is placed in the fire. I personally don't like this ceremony, i've always prefered ones where the entire reading was done with the flag displayed and then the entire flag burned (to taps) whole, to symbolize our unity as a nation until our end.

Answer 3

Hi Erik.

Great of you to ask the proper procedures for retiring the American Flag. Cutting is not an acceptable method of honoring and retiring a flag.

Note I said "retiring" it, because that is what you are doing. That particular flag has served it's serviceable period and it now being retired.

Now the proper way to retire it that honors our great flag.

I was fortunate to be associated with the Young Marines program and these super young men and women accompanied me to retire flags brought to our Veterans of Foreign Wars Post by people in the community. What we did was have each member line up. One end of the line had the flags to be retired and the other end had a burn barrel with a fire in it. Each flag was passed down to the end of the line with each person making sure the flag never touches the ground. I saluted it, and then the last person in line placed the flag in the barrel fire. Once all flags had been retired, the Young Marines departed and I stayed behind to monitor the fire and to ensure all flags were completely retired before the fire was extinguished.

Talk to your scoutmaster about this procedure and make sure he agrees with it and will supervise the fire. An adult must always be present.

Finally, remember you MUST honor the retired flags. At the very moment you are reading this men and women are fighting, being wounded and possibly dying for freedom under the America Flag. It is your responsibility to make sure their flag is honored.

Again, thanks for being so concerned about our flag. I, too, was a boy scout and that experience pretty much led to my many, many years in the military. The Boy Scouts are simply super!!!

Answer 4

Please see the procedure provided by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Please note that cutting the Flag would be an assault (desecration). According to US Code the Flag is the symbol of a living country and is there alive itself.

As burning is the preferred means of disposal, I'm guessing now, that is why the Supreme Court allows burning the Flag as a protest. Other actions are considered desecration.