American Flags

[slonezp]

The millennial I work with and I were cleaning up the back of the store today. There's an old flag that has been sitting back there since I transferred here a year and a half ago. He asked how I feel about throwing it in the dumpster. I told him I'd take it to the American Legion and let them dispose of it. I then showed him a star off a retired flag that I keep in the truck. The American Legion packages the stars in little baggies with the following message

I am part of an American Flag which can no longer fly due to sun and wind damage. Please carry me as a reminder that you are not forgotten.

Who knows, maybe it made an impact on him. Guess what irked me is he knew there is a proper way to dispose it but really didn't care. Had I not been there it would have gone in the trash.

[Mike L]

Hopefully you taught him something you shouldn’t have had to teach!!

 

You’re the better man!

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

[Sam]

Thanks for what you did.

 

We retire flags at my American Legion Post and we have saved many old cotton flags along with the special 911 flag which I have as I took it.

 

 

[Harold Scoggins]

On 1/14/2020 at 6:11 PM, slonezp said:

Please carry me as a reminder that you are not forgotten.

To many it is just a piece of cloth with no meaning. However, if you've ever spent a night on a fire base and didn't know whether you would survive until morning, only to see the coming of the sun the next morning and your nation's flag still flying above the CP, well, it tears you up. 

In my closet there sits a small box with an American flag neatly folded along with a letter that I addressed to my children. That flag has traveled around the world with me and has been to 23 countries. I open that box every year or two to make sure it is still safe and it never fails to fill me with the same emotions it did when I first carried it. My wife once ask me why I keep it when it makes me so emotional to look at it. I tell her I keep it to remind me of those who never returned with me. I have always, and will always believe that the real heroes in this life do not walk among us, but rather they rest at Arlington and the many places like it. That flag reminds me of this every day.

 

Thank you for sharing @slonezp.

[jimmyjoe]

49 minutes ago, Harold Scoggins said:

I have always, and will always believe that the real heroes in this life do not walk among us, but rather they rest at Arlington and the many places like it.

   Amen.         jj

[Columbia Craw]

Thanks for sharing that story !

[roadwarrior]

12 hours ago, Harold Scoggins said:

To many it is just a piece of cloth with no meaning. However, if you've ever spent a night on a fire base and didn't know whether you would survive until morning, only to see the coming of the sun the next morning and your nation's flag still flying above the CP, well, it tears you up. 

In my closet there sits a small box with an American flag neatly folded along with a letter that I addressed to my children. That flag has traveled around the world with me and has been to 23 countries. I open that box every year or two to make sure it is still safe and it never fails to fill me with the same emotions it did when I first carried it. My wife once ask me why I keep it when it makes me so emotional to look at it. I tell her I keep it to remind me of those who never returned with me. I have always, and will always believe that the real heroes in this life do not walk among us, but rather they rest at Arlington and the many places like it. That flag reminds me of this every day.

 

Thank you for sharing @slonezp.

[DanielG]

I agree with the sentiment of all here. That being said...

 

Let's not 'appear' to tag all people of a certain age by saying a 'millennial'. Just like they say now, 'okay boomer'. Many, many people that are younger have a reverent view of the symbols of the sacrifices made by our country. And they're able to come to that conclusion without the experience of coming close to loosing it.  It's like if a millennial said, "A boomer I work with doesn't care anything about the environment." It seems like it's all older people. It's not true, many do. So the blanket statement isn't fair.

I'm 65 and recall that what seems like the largest, most media reported, flag disrespecting time ever, was people of my age. We're the same ones talking about millennials today. You could witness a flag burning on the steps of some federal building once a week on the news participated by hundreds or even thousands of people. Every night on the evening news, it consisted of three things 1. young (later to be boomer) war protesters, 2. race riots in various city streets. and 3. stretchers being carried to helicopters in Vietnam.

My parents talked about my generation being wasteful and spoon-fed because we didn't save the tin foil and string like they did during the depression.

What goes around comes around I guess.

 

[roadwarrior]

Great post!

I was one of them a lifetime ago. 

 

 

[slonezp]

5 hours ago, DanielG said:

I agree with the sentiment of all here. That being said...

 

Let's not 'appear' to tag all people of a certain age by saying a 'millennial'. Just like they say now, 'okay boomer'. Many, many people that are younger have a reverent view of the symbols of the sacrifices made by our country. And they're able to come to that conclusion without the experience of coming close to loosing it.  It's like if a millennial said, "A boomer I work with doesn't care anything about the environment." It seems like it's all older people. It's not true, many do. So the blanket statement isn't fair.

I'm 65 and recall that what seems like the largest, most media reported, flag disrespecting time ever, was people of my age. We're the same ones talking about millennials today. You could witness a flag burning on the steps of some federal building once a week on the news participated by hundreds or even thousands of people. Every night on the evening news, it consisted of three things 1. young (later to be boomer) war protesters, 2. race riots in various city streets. and 3. stretchers being carried to helicopters in Vietnam.

My parents talked about my generation being wasteful and spoon-fed because we didn't save the tin foil and string like they did during the depression.

What goes around comes around I guess.

 

I meant nothing derogatory about the term millennial, and he's ok with the term. I also appreciate that he asked my opinion before discarding it. He didn't have to. He is the branch manager. Maybe they no longer teach kids about the American Flag and its meaning in school...As I stated in my original post, what bothered me most is that I assume he knew there is a proper way to dispose of the flag otherwise, he wouldn't have asked me my feelings about it.

 

The flag itself has some life left in it. I brought it to my sons new house today. If it's too tattered for him to hang outside his home, we will bring it to the American Legion which, coincidentally, is where I launch my boat on my home water. All is good.

[DanielG]

3 minutes ago, slonezp said:

I meant nothing derogatory about the term millennial, and he's ok with the term. I also appreciate that he asked my opinion before discarding it. He didn't have to. He is the branch manager. Maybe they no longer teach kids about the American Flag and its meaning in school...As I stated in my original post, what bothered me most is that I assume he knew there is a proper way to dispose of the flag otherwise, he wouldn't have asked me my feelings about it.

 

The flag itself has some life left in it. I brought it to my sons new house today. If it's too tattered for him to hang outside his home, we will bring it to the American Legion which, coincidentally, is where I launch my boat on my home water. All is good.

No issues with me about this. Sometimes a worn flag, as long as it won't blow away, is a solemn thing to see. Our country has been through the ringer and back a few times for our freedoms. It's bound so show some battle scars.... so to speak.

[TnRiver46]

Thanks for posting this, I have an American flag that was hanging on the house I bought that is shredded by weather/wind. I’ve had it for several years and never knew what to do with it, does anyone know how to contact the American legion? All I knew is that I wasn’t supposed to throw it away 

[Junger]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

Thanks for posting this, I have an American flag that was hanging on the house I bought that is shredded by weather/wind. I’ve had it for several years and never knew what to do with it, does anyone know how to contact the American legion? All I knew is that I wasn’t supposed to throw it away 

You can also contact your local boy scout troop. They usually do a flag retire ceremony at least once a year. My sons troop does it every fall.

[slonezp]

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Thanks for posting this, I have an American flag that was hanging on the house I bought that is shredded by weather/wind. I’ve had it for several years and never knew what to do with it, does anyone know how to contact the American legion? All I knew is that I wasn’t supposed to throw it away 

You should have a local chapter 

[BassNJake]

On 1/27/2020 at 10:40 AM, TnRiver46 said:

Thanks for posting this, I have an American flag that was hanging on the house I bought that is shredded by weather/wind. I’ve had it for several years and never knew what to do with it, does anyone know how to contact the American legion? All I knew is that I wasn’t supposed to throw it away 

http://legionknox.com/

[TnRiver46]

4 minutes ago, BassNJake said:

http://legionknox.com/

Thank you much!