Old Glory: up close and personal

By Mike Ford, The Delphos Herald
Published:  Friday, July 4, 2008 (1 month, 3 weeks ago)
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DELPHOS — Freedom, democracy and national pride are just a few of the ideals for which local men and women in uniform have paid the ultimate price to defend. When veterans past and present volunteered to do so, they put on many Americans’ favorite symbol.
The American Flag decorates military uniforms and patriotic events from presidential debates to parades down Main Street. The proper ways to display and dispose of the Stars and Stripes are stipulated in Title Four of the United States Code. Local veterans make certain Old Glory is properly treated on the home front.
“At the beginning of a parade, when the flag passes in review, everyone should stand and place their hand over their heart. Veterans are permitted to salute,” said Delphos Veterans Council Secretary Rick Schuck.
The flag is to always be placed in what is considered as a position of honor anywhere it’s displayed. Indoors, proper etiquette dictates the banner sit to the right of a speaker or staging area. Other flags should be to the left, including when staffs are crossed. The blue field of stars is always to be at the top and to the viewer’s left when hanging vertically, as well as horizontally.
Schuck says the banner is often flown higher than other flags but never lower. This can depend on the nature of the other flags in question.
“When the American Flag flies with other flags, it is the highest flag flown. So, it should take prominence over the others, including flags of other nations but they are generally flown evenly. No flag flies higher than the American flag,” he said.
The flag is always treated specially, as it is at Veterans Memorial Park, where it is to the viewer’s left, higher and separated from the Ohio and Prisoners of War flags. The council uses high-quality cotton Stars and Stripes, only needing two per year at the memorial.
As dictated by the U.S. Code, the flag at the memorial has lights shining on it from dusk to dawn because the banner flies every hour of every day. On occasion, it flies at half-mast. Schuck explains when this is permitted.
“Generally, the rule is by presidential decree and the governor can decree. That’s generally it. Now, lately, there is a new rule that if a veteran dies in your home town, or say if one of the guys from Delphos in Iraq would die, we can lower it for that,” he said.
On Memorial Day, the flag is raised to the top of the staff before lowered to half-mast and flown there until noon. Then, it is returned to full-mast for the remainder of the day.
By order of the president, the banner is flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the federal government. A governor may order flags in his or her state to do the same for a prominent state figure.
The time frame varies, including 30 days for a president or former-president and 10 days from the time of death of a vice-president, chief justice, retired chief justice or speaker of the house.
Because of wear and tear, Old Glory often becomes faded and tattered. There is a proper way to dispose of flags no longer fit for duty. The American flag should never be thrown in the trash. The proper way to dispose of it is by burning conducted by groups such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of America. Many Cub Scout Packs also hold proper burnings, which are often conducted on Flag Day, June 14.
“We have our annual burning in September and we save them until then. If someone has a flag to dispose of, they can take it to the VFW; we have a drum there. If it’s frayed on the ends, it should be repaired or disposed of or if it’s faded,” Schuck said.
The veterans have a ceremony that accompanies the burning.
“Flags are presented to each of the commanders for review to make sure they should be disposed and in the ceremony, we formally accept them for disposal by fire in a barrel,” he said.
It is acceptable for an excessive number of flags to be taken to a blast furnace after the ceremony, but local burning is held in as many barrels as needed and for as long as it takes. Ashes are simply placed in the trash, according to Schuck.

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