American Legion Posts 130 and 254 to Host Flag Retirement Ceremonies on June 13

Wayne County American Legion Posts 254 (Collinwood) and 130 (Waynesboro) will both be holding American Flag Retirement Ceremonies on Saturday, June 13th, 2026. These ceremonies will be held prior to the Flag Day holiday, which is Sunday, June 14th.

Waynesboro American Legion Post 130 will hold their American Flag Retirement Ceremony at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. The ceremony will consist of the proper disposal of American flags which have become unserviceable due to wear and tear, soiling, or fading.

American flags which require retiring may be dropped off at the Waynesboro American Legion Post Hall, located at 112 North Main Street in Waynesboro, or at the Wayne County Veterans Services Office, located in the Wayne County Administrative Building. In addition, there is a drop box outside the Veterans Services Office where flags may be placed. If no one is at the Post Hall, flags may be put inside a plastic bag and left on the bench located on the front porch.

Sergeant Donnie E. Horton American Legion Post 254 in Collinwood will hold their annual Flag Day and Retirement Ceremony at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 13th, at the Wayne County Veterans Park, which is located on Broadway Street in Collinwood. Members of the community are invited and encouraged to attend so they may help honor our nation’s symbol.

Residents who have old, faded, or torn flags can bring them directly to the event. Flags can also be dropped off early in the collection box at the American Legion Post 254 building, located at 2528 Collinwood Highway (Hwy. 13N), Collinwood, Tennessee.

These ceremonies serve to honor the history of the American flag and to provide a respectful, dignified retirement for unserviceable national colors.

Members of American Legion Post 254 will also lead the audience in patriotic traditions. Guests can look forward to a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and local military honors.

A major part of both ceremonies will be the solemn retirement of unserviceable flags. The U.S. Flag Code states that flags should be destroyed in a dignified way when they are too worn to display. The preferred method of retiring an American flag is to burn it in a special ceremony. One might ask, isn’t burning the flag an act of desecration or a sign of rebellion? Actually, throughout history, burning of the flag has long been considered a dignified way of honoring and paying respect. Burning has been applied to flag retirement to offer the most reverent method of final tribute.

Officers from both American Legion Post 130 and Post 254 will carefully inspect each flag that has been submitted for retirement before the burning ceremony.

The public is respectfully invited to attend one or both ceremonies, which will give honor to that most patriotic symbol of the United States and all those who have fought and died for our freedom.

American Legion leaders emphasize that this public burning is an act of ultimate respect and gratitude for our country and for the veterans who served under the flag. Anyone with questions concerning flag retirement may contact Wayne County Veterans Services Officer Ronald Pulley at 931-722-9219.