Retiring Flag Ceremony

Monday, April 13, Troop 840 retired 2 US flags. The Brownies performed a traditional Girl Scout Flag Retiring Ceremony. We learned the significance of the symbolism of our flag as well as the importance of retiring flags with dignity and respect.

We cut each of the stripes to lay them on the fire one by one

“When the flag of our country has become worn or damaged, the proper way to dispose of it is through burning or burial. We are here to pay our last respects to these particular flags with love and reverence.

7 red stripes and 6 white stripes; Each strip stands for one of the 13 colonies that gained us liberty. The red stripes remind us of the lifeblood of the brave men & women who were ready to die for this, their country.

The white stripes remind us of the purity and cleanliness of purpose, thought, word and deed.

Each of the 50 states is represented by a star on a field of blue. The blue is for truth and justice, like the eternal blue of the star filled heavens.

We cut these flags with respect and will place them stripe by stripe on the fire.

The 1^st stripe stands for Delaware, then Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island” (adapted from the GSA handbook)

The field of Blue with white starts, which stands for all states was burned last and laid on the fire with 2 scouts holding the corners.


We ended the ceremony with God Bless America.
All 12 members of Brownie Troop 840 were present for this event. We thank Oak Cliff Fire Department for assisting us in the burn and Meme & Papa Akin (Raven's Grandparents) and Mr & Mrs Harris (Kesha's Parents) for the flags that we retired.