March 30, 2024 – A tradition continues, as veteran support organizations and members of the public came together for the annual flag retirement ceremony.
Thousands of flags have been collected with the help of the Clovis Veterans Memorial District’s flag retirement boxes.
With volunteers from Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Boy Scouts, Blue Star Moms, Teens that Care, and other members of the public, all of the collected flags were checked for serviceability, rolled into bundles, and retired with respect.
“There are only two ways to properly retire an American flag,” says Cristofer Thrailkill, Commander of VFW Post 3225, “one way is to bury it, the other way is to retire it by fire.”
At the flag retirement event, volunteers stand at tables to roll flags into bundles of ten, as a way of counting the total flags retired, but also as one of the many ways they show respect to the flag.
“As the flags are put together in those bundles, they’re all put in one way,” said Chris Hoffman, the Commander of American Legion District 14, “ So all the stars and stripes go in one direction, and they all go together… we make sure they’re all respected.”
Members of these veteran groups have recently been making an effort to personally replace worn out flags in Clovis, “If I’m driving through my neighborhood and I see someone flying a flag and it looks tattered, and time for a replacement, I can go to the post, grab one, and knock on their door,” said Hoffman.
“It’s a symbol of freedom” said Hoffman, “It’s not divided by races or creeds… it’s in honor of everyone who’s put their effort into making this country and this nation free…and giving the sacrifices to keep it that way.”
More than just veterans attended: The Blue Star Moms, whose sons and daughters serve or have served in the military, and BSA troops, who teach flag etiquette and honor the flag at every meeting, brought their members to assist in rolling the flags and retiring them properly.
BSA troop 60 Scout Ian Harnish helped to build a new fire pit for the ceremony, as part of his Eagle Scout project. Harnish heard that the pit used for the ceremony had cracked and fallen apart from the heat of the fire, and came up with a solution with the help of his scoutmasters.
“We’re angling it so the wind will keep the fire ablaze,” Harnish said, “As well as filling all the bricks to make it stronger, and hopefully retain more stability and keep the heat out.”
Additionally, Harnish said that they leveled the dirt under the pit, and created a lower, thicker wall in the front.
As the fire burns hotter, volunteers must stand back to throw bundles in. “We expanded the wall just a little bit so [the flags] won’t hit the ground”, said Harnish.
Over 8,500 flags were respectfully retired by fire at the event.