THOUSAND OAKS : Veteran Plans Ritual to Dispose of Flags
If any Ventura County residents plan to retire their worn Stars and Stripes after the Labor Day holiday, Forrest Frields of Thousand Oaks can help.
The Vietnam War veteran and other members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 11395 have organized a ritual destruction of old U.S. flags. The event is set for Sept. 16 at the Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park in Westlake Village.
Since Flag Day on June 14, Frields and others have collected more than 200 old, soiled and faded U.S. flags from across Ventura County. According to Frields, flags can wear out in four to six months to a year.
A federal law advises that unusable flags should be disposed of “in a dignified manner preferably by burning.” Frields said officials will perform the ritual burning at 10 a.m. at the park’s Eternal Flame in the Garden of Valor.
Frields said private citizens may bring their unusable flags to the ceremony, which will open with a prayer and a brief history of “Old Glory.”
After the burning, a lone bugler will play “Taps,” which will be punctuated by a rifle salute.
For more information, call 496-2255.
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