In 2012, Boy Scout Dylan Swenson of Troop 247 built a fire pit at the William J. “Pete” Knight Veterans’ Home in Lancaster, Calif., for his Eagle Project. The intent was to offer the High Desert community a place and means of putting to rest old and tattered American flags.
Periodically, local Antelope Valley Boy Scout Troops bring old and tattered flags that they’ve collected from community folks to the local veterans’ home, and put on a show of respect for the flags and exhibit the proper way of putting Old Glory to rest.
“It’s a beautiful ceremony,” said Assistant Scoutmaster Ramon Jones, Jr. He said tattered flags should not be flown.
Jones, along with Troop 555 Scout Master Garth Woolstenhulme and several Boy Scout members of Troop 555 brought approximately 35 flags to the veterans’ home Oct 20, where they officially retired worn out American flags, a few California state flags and three very old POW flags.
“Retiring the American flag properly is a message of respect,” Jones said. He said the practice shows respect for America, for the American flag and for the men and women who serve in the military. “It’s a message that’s not heard enough,” he said.
Scout Blake Welch opened the ceremony by welcoming those who attended the ritual and thanked community members who turned in their flags for a proper retirement. He gave a brief history of the American flag and all that it stands for.
Scout Jacob Landa reminded folks that the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies.
“The white stripe stands for purity, the red stripe stands for courage,” he explained. He went through each stripe and explained the meaning of all 13 stripes as they cut each stripe and placed it into the fire pit for its retirement and end of service.
The ceremony ended with a prayer thanking God for our country, its flag and for the liberty for which it stands.
The event was attended by several resident veterans, some community residents and a group of student nurses that volunteer their services to residents of the local veterans’ home on weekends.
The ceremony ended with the Boy Scouts of America asking all Americans to not forget the importance of their country’s most precious symbol, the United States flag.