This Memorial Day, Troop 313 out of Van Buren, Ohio hosted another amazing Memorial Day Service at Bechtel Cemetery.  Isaiah Wolford, Life Scout, was master of ceremonies for the event. During this event, Scouts held a retirement ceremony for all the flags they collected throughout the year. Troop 313 has been retiring flags since 1994, when Eagle Scout Joshua Haugh planned and conducted the Troop’s first flag retirement ceremony. He also built a flag burner, which collects ashes from the flags. A second burner was made in 2002 for additional flags. This enabled the Troop to retire all flags the day before this ceremony. They buried a portion of the ashes during the ceremony and spread the remaining ashes on the Veteran’s graves.

In the past twenty five years, the Troop has retired approximately 32,095 flags, ranging in size from the ones used to mark veterans graves in the cemeteries, to the large ones flying from commercial flag poles. The flags were cut into three sections separating the blue field from  the rest of the flag. Then each piece of the flag was placed into the flames as Scouts saluted.  This year, the Troop retired 2,059 flags.

In attendance was Nichole Coleman, the Executive Director of the Hancock County Veterans Service. She gave a very moving speech and commended Troop 313 for their dedication to veterans and active duty service members. Mrs. Coleman said, “the best way to thank them (veterans and active duty) is to honor their fallen brothers and sisters.”

To watch a video of their flag ceremony click this link.