VFW Posts provide the means to officially retire U.S. flags that are worn or damaged across the nation per the U.S. Flag Code, approved by a joint resolution of the U.S, Congress in 1942.
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The VFW's Wheatland Post 3558 and Guernsey Post 4471 joined forces last week to hold a flag retirement ceremony in Wheatland.
Members asked the public to turn in any flags they wished to retire and received several hundred flags for the ceremony.
The U.S. Flag Code, approved and adopted through a joint resolution by Congress in 1942 proposes that flags determined no longer serviceable due to wear or damage should be burned.
All of the flags to be retired are to be folded in the customary tri-fold configuration prior to burning.
The Guernsey Post has conducted several flag retirement ceremonies over the past 10 years and it includes actually burning the flags in a narrow horizontal cauldron during the ceremony. The Wheatland Post places all flags to be retired in a wooden coffin, then transports them to a Cheyenne funeral home where they are burned in their crematory.
The idea that any flag that touches the ground must be burned is a common myth and untrue. While care should be taken to keep a flag from touching the ground out of respect, it is perfectly acceptable to clean a U.S, flag and use it again for display.
Likewise, there is no specific group that can hold a flag burning ceremony. As long as it is carried out in a respectful manner and done per the U.S. Flag Code, anyone can conduct a flag retirement burning.
