By JEFF WHITE
For the Reporter
Chartered by the Fishers American Legion Post 470, 9091 E. 126th St., Fishers, Del-Mi Troop 303 has routinely retired flags as a service to their chartered Organization and to honor the flag. These flag retirements have occurred at least twice a year for many years.
Along the way, an Eagle scout, Jeremiah Best, chose for his eagle project to create a weatherproof flag retirement box to hold flags dropped off by anyone who wishes to retire a flag. It provides a way for anyone to properly drop off a flag in need of retirement.
Another of Troop 303’s eagle scouts, Conner Stockton, as his eagle project refurbished the flag retirement pit. It is constructed as a pentagon and adorned with plaques representing the branches of the military. It has seen a lot of use in the many flag retirements which have occurred since its construction.
To further Troop 303’s honoring of the flag and its charter organization, the Troop recently designed and now proudly wear their new neckerchiefs, which combine elements of the flag, with the pentagon design and the logo of the American Legion.
Coming full circle and cementing their reputation as “The Flag Troop,” Troop 303 recently launched a website, troop303flags.com, as a way to allow those who retire their flags to purchase replacement flags (made in the USA) to fly long after they had dropped off a flag for retirement.
Photos provided by Troop 303
What kind of flags—Scout flags, American flags, state flags? When is a flag in need of retirement? For example, when the troop dissolves, when it is no longer in good condition?
According to the United States Flag Code, Title 4, Section 8k, the flag should be retired when it is in such condition that is “no longer a fitting emblem for display” and should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning it.
We will take troop, state, military, etc flags and properly retire them.
The flag code section of http://www.troop303flags.com go into this in detail.