Boy Scouts install bin at Balls Ford Rd. site for retirement of Old Glory with dignity and respect

People in the western end of Prince William County now have a convenient, respectable and patriotic way to retire their worn American flags. Boy Scout troops in the Bull Run District constructed a special bin for the collection of the flags at the Balls Ford Rd. compost facility. They held a ribbon-cutting ceremony there on Saturday, Sept. 12.

According to Tamara Brown, Services and Activities Chair, and Dave Seitz, Vice President Program Impact, scouts of the Occoquan District installed a bin at the county landfill over a year ago.

“Flags get old and worn out but what do we do with them?” said Seitz. “Throwing them in the trash is disrespectful. We’ll properly retire them in a dignified manner by getting them to the right organization to do that.”

Held throughout the year, retirement ceremonies include the pledge of allegiance, songs and flag burning and usually take place at jamborees or weekend campouts. Brown said her troop, #1372, based in Manassas Park, has conducted one on Sep. 11 for six years.

Before the ceremony, Tom Smith, the county’s Solid Waste Division Chief, said he was very pleased that a bin was now at the Balls Ford facility. “We’ve been working for many years for a way to dispose of the flag. It grieves me to see one in the dumpster. We were thrilled when the Boy Scouts approached us [about the bin at the main landfill]. Once that one was installed about a year ago, we looked for a troop to build one here. Now we have a proper way to dispose of the flag here. It’s somewhat of a coincidence that this ribbon-cutting is occurring on this weekend….Whoever built this bin did an excellent job and I hope we can keep it like this for many years. This is a good thing for our community. We have to educate people about the proper way to dispose of the flag and let them know we’re here.”

The ribbon-cutting ceremony began at 10 a.m., starting with posting of the colors and pledge of allegiance. Dave Byrne, Occoquan District Chair, said the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars units take flags but there was still a gap because people didn’t know what to do. Over two years ago, he shared his idea of a disposal site at the county landfill. The project came to light about 18 months ago with help from Keep Prince William Clean and the landfill.

“I’ve seen people come to the landfill with a flag covering their load and I’ve pulled flags out of dumpsters,” said Byrne. “This is a very successful program. We’ve collected over 3,000 flags to date (from the unit at the landfill). That’s an incredible amount. Retiring a flag is no small task; those required 250 volunteer hours.”

Seitz said he was glad the scouts will be able to serve this end of the county. “The flag means a lot to me and each of us. It’s not just a scrap of cloth. People have shed their blood for it. It’s our responsibility to make sure it is retired in a dignified manner.”

Smith told the audience why he was thrilled about the new collection center. “We’ve had a desire to start this program for a number of years. Some of our veterans grieve when they see a flag in the trash. We are thrilled that we have this program. It’s wonderful and honors the flag. You’re honoring veterans, both active and those who’ve died, by properly disposing of the flag. I hope this partnership goes on for years.”

Andrew Petty, Bull Run District Executive, and Shawn Landry, the district’s committee chair, touted the high number of service hours the scouts contribute. Petty said the Bull Run District put in 4,000 hours in the first half of the year and is usually among the highest number in the country.

Landry said the two districts contribute 25,000 hours annually. “That’s remarkable. We’re one of the largest [groups] in the United States. They do a lot of work behind the scenes and it warms our hearts to see their efforts going to the right places.”

Two scouts demonstrated how to properly fold a flag. Said Seitz, “Folding a flag is a lost art. It’s not supposed to just be put in a drawer.”

Most of those involved in the flag disposal project posed for the ribbon-cutting. A plaque bearing the names of the four men and boys who built the bin: Dave and Ethan Seitz and Steve and Ethan Kronthal. The latter father and son were away at a scouting outing.

Delegate Richard Anderson (VA-51) attended the event. “I spent 30 years in the Air Force, so I understand the proper protocol and etiquette of the nation’s colors. It’s important to teach these time-honored principles to young people. I think this is a great initiative. It provides coverage in the western end of the county. We now have county-wide coverage to ensure the flag is given proper respect.”

Bull Run District scouts will be available on the second and fourth Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to collect flags and demonstrate proper folding. The compost facility is located at 13000 Balls Ford Rd. in Manassas.

The next special day for flying the Stars and Stripes is Columbus Day, Oct. 12.