Command Sgt. Maj. Gary W. Crisp American Legion Post 289 in Clarksville, Tenn., hosted its first annual American Flag retirement ceremony on a hot and humid Flag Day, June 14, at 6 p.m. This was the community's chance to properly dispose of American flags that have fallen into disrepair.
“Any time a flag is tattered, torn, discolored or has been mistreated, it needs to be disposed of properly,” said Post 289 Commander Marc Mathes.
Our Legion Chartered Boy Scout Troop 289 and folks from the Post 289 honor guard assisted with the ceremony. The Legion, and any other military veterans group, does this through a flag-burning ceremony. “There is an actual Legion ceremony, where you use a proper container to burn the flags,” said 2nd Vice Commander Ernest Schmidt. “We stack the flags, folded properly, and then they are dropped into a prepared fire pit. There is a full ceremony that accompanies this with presenting of arms and several other things.” Schmidt had encouraged folks who had flags to retire to please drop them by our flag retirement.
This ceremony is outlined in the commander's code book and required by the United States Flag Code. The flag code reads: "The Flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”
This event is community-based, and Mathes hoped anyone with an old flag would attend. The post, along with Sykes Funeral Home, accepts flags throughout the year and retires them all at this event.
“We love for the public to come to these events so they can see exactly how this is supposed to be done,” Mathes said. “We even feed them before” with a light snack.
The event starts with a fellowship and dinner, followed by the ceremony. Mathes urged the community not to retire flags on their own. “This is not something you can just do at home,” he said. “This is something to respectfully honor the American flag, something that isn’t being done much anymore in this country.” He thanked the Clarksville Fire Department, who was there with Engine #1.
The retirement ceremony took place at Sykes' main parking lot across from the funeral home.

Ernest A. Schmidt
2nd Vice Commander
CSM Gary W. Crisp Post 289