News

AMVETS hold a flag retirement ceremony

By Scott Wagar

08/06/2013

Bottineau’s AMVETS Post 25 hosted a flag retirement/disposal ceremony on Friday evening at the construction site of its new future home, the Bottineau County Memorial Building, which is located on the north side of town.

Numerous town residents attended the ceremony and were able to witness the proper manner in retiring an American Flag from its service to our country.

The U.S. Flag Code states that, “the flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably burning.”

Bottineau AMVETS Post 25 retired 240 flags during the special ceremony.

The colors were presented by Dennis Haakenson and Todd Hart while the American Anthem was played. Those in attendance, along with the veterans gave the Pledge of Alliance.

Ron Martin, the commander of flag ceremony and the keynote speaker at the event, spoke on how the flags they were getting to retire had served our nation well. He went on to state, while holding an unserviceable flag in his hand, that the one American flag represents all the nation’s flags.

“This flag represents all the flags collectively that are being retired from service today,” Martin said. “The honor we show here this evening for this one flag we are showing for all flags.”

At that time, the flags were retired, which in the United States is through burning the flags. In American culture, the burning of the flag is considered to be the most dignified way in disposing of a flag. There are a number of different methods of burning the flag. The local veterans on Friday evening followed the VFW process of retiring the flag, that of formally folding the flag and then burning them.

Prior to Friday’s evening ceremony, the AMVETS held a private ceremony where they folded the 240 flags. During the event, the flags were placed into a fire and were burned at a high temperature to dissipate the flags in quick and proper manner.

Children, who attended the evening’s event, assisted the veterans by handing the flags over to the vets who placed them in the fire.

The ashes that were left over, were collected, placed in a container and buried honorably.
Larry Brandvold was in charge of creating the device which burned the flags. Brandvold created the furnace in such a manner that it burn the flags in a dignified manner with grace and honor to the flags. Brandvold was also responsible in burying the ashes of the flags after the ceremony.  

At the ending of the ceremony, while the colors were retired, the AMVETS held a 21-Gun Salute, which was followed by TAPS.        

The American flags came from both the local veteran associations in town and the community.