The National Association of Counties (NACo) and Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) have partnered to provide all Iowa counties with a free flag retirement collection box to place in your county. NACo and ISAC are honored to join forces to help ensure that our nation’s banner receives a proper retirement.
Your county’s custom flag box should arrive after March 1.
NACo and ISAC are providing these receptacles as a centralized location for county residents to deposit flags that are ready for retirement. When an American flag becomes worn out or torn, the U.S. Flag Code outlines the etiquette for respectfully retiring that flag.
“The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning,” says section K of the U.S. Flag Code.
Counties can work with community partners such as the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, veterans groups, librarians and sheriffs’ departments to collect flags and carry out retirement ceremonies in accordance with the U.S. Flag Code.
To learn more about launching a flag retirement program in your county, visit www.naco.org/flag.
The U.S. Flag Retirement Program is just one of the many ways NACo helps to build stronger counties and a stronger America. To learn about making the most of NACo membership, please contact membership@naco.org or visit www.naco.org.
To get started, counties should consider the following steps:
- Arrange for Flag Collection – Many local organizations, like Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, veterans groups and sheriffs’ departments, regularly hold flag retirement ceremonies. Identify and partner with a group that will be responsible for emptying the flag box and retiring flags in the proper manner.
- Display the Box – Find a location for the flag retirement box that is both secure and easily accessible. The box is durable but recommended for indoor use only.
- Alert the Public – Announce the box’s availability and location to residents through local news, social media and other forms of communication. NACo has a customizable press release template to help announce your flag retirement program, which can be accessed at www.NACo.org/IAflagrollout.
- Promote Proper Flag Retirement – Ensure your residents understand the importance of U.S. flag care. NACo offers more information on the U.S. flag code, social media posts and flag retirement promotion at www.NACo.org/flag.
- Monitor the Box – Assign someone, either in the borough or a partner, to regularly check the condition of the box. When the box is no longer suitable for use, it can be recycled.
Quote from ISAC Board President
“Many of our residents are unsure how to care for the U.S. flag when it becomes worn out or torn,” said ISAC President Richard Crouch from Mills County, Iowa. “This program provides a much-needed service to all county residents and reminds them that counties matter.”