Albany American Legion Post 30 has tips on proper ways to dispose of Old Glory

ALBANY — There are a number of do’s and don’ts when it comes to properly respecting the U.S. flag.

Don’t let it touch the ground. Don’t wear it as a cape or poncho (looking at you Kid Rock) or any other article of clothing. Don’t throw it in the garbage after the Fourth of July celebrations are over. And don’t fly a faded and unraveling rag in the front yard.

On Friday, officials with American Legion Post 30 of Albany, with assistance from other area veterans groups, will present a demonstration of one of the do’s — do burn the flag as a proper method of disposing of it when it is past its prime. While the presentation will be made to the Exchange Club of Albany, Post 30 Commander Dan Brewer wants the community to know how it can treat Old Glory with proper respect.

“One of the things I’m going to do is explain U.S. flag code, the rules and regulations on flying the flag, disposing of the flag,” he said. “There are three ways to properly dispose of the flag. The preferred method is burning. The second is burial. The third is shredding. To shred the flag, you have to separate the white from red from the blue. The most crucial step is to make sure the blue section with the stars stays intact.”

“Technically, once you cut it into strips, it is no longer a flag, so you can dispose of it however you want. If you ever separate a flag, like I did for next Friday (presentation), it’s time-consuming.”

Prior to burning, the flag should be folded into a triangle shape, and flags must be buried in a proper container as it is not supposed to touch the ground, the commander said.

“When disposing of the flag, it’s customary to sing the National Anthem, say the Pledge of Allegiance, place your hand over your heart (to) do something out of respect for the flag,” Brewer said.

As for knowing when a flag has flapped its last time in the wind and is ready for proper disposal, Brewer said that’s when it has reached the point where it is no longer a representative symbol of the country.

For his presentation, Brewer had some examples stored at the Exchange Club, some of which have faded to a shade of purple and others that have unraveled. Exchange Club members will get to pick up one of those flags for burning outside the club building.

The Flag Code was approved as law by Congress in 1942 to establish a single set of regulations related to the flag that previously had been set by statutes, executive orders and rules of usage and established customs, Brewer said.

When it comes to displaying the flag, tradition is that it may be flown from dusk to dawn, he said, and at night if it is illuminated

Properly preparing the flag for burning requires folding it 13 times, in remembrance of the original 13 colonies, and a tuck.

“When the flag is completely folded and tucked in, the resulting shape appears like a tricorn hat and represents the soldiers who served under Gen. George Washington (and) the sailors who served under Naval Cmdr. John Paul Jones, as well as the many who have followed in order to preserve the rights, privileges and freedoms we enjoy today,” Brewer said.

Exchange Club member Gary Knight said he’s not aware of a club that has done a similar program and hopes it will catch on at other Exchange Club locations.

“One of our four pillar programs is Americanism,” he said. “We’re strong on the flag; we’re strong on military veterans. I just think because Americanism is so strong with us, I think this is something that will catch the attention of a lot of clubs.

“Dan’s gone a step further and gotten the youth, the Young Marines, involved. We like dealing with the youth, especially if they’re involved with Americanism.

One of Post 30s projects was repurposing an old library book drop-off box as a box for members of the community to drop old flags for proper disposal, and said Post 30 Brewer plans to convert another of the boxes for placement at the Exchange Club.

The flag drop box at the American Legion has been popular, and Brewer also fields calls from individuals who find that neighbors have tossed out old flags in garbage receptacles. In cases where flags have been dumped, Brewer picks up the flags for disposal or, in cases where the flags are in good condition, puts them to use for display.

Staff Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]
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