Local Scouts commemorate Veterans Day with Flag Retirement Ceremony

By Debbie Adams

Members of several local Scout troops and their leaders gathered at the Charles R. Hill
Community Center on Nov. 9 for a Flag Retirement Ceremony to retire hundreds of flags “which
have served this valley as beacons of hope and unity.” They included Troop 235 from Vinton,
Troop 221 from Cave Spring, 584 from Bonsack, and 704 from Blacksburg. The event was
hosted by the Boy Scouts of America Blue Ridge Mountains Council.

The United States Flag Code states that: “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.” The task of the Scouts that night was to prepare the flags for retirement by first
respectfully folding them into a triangular fold before they were placed in the incinerator.

Former Roanoke County Firefighter/Paramedic/Training Officer Jimmy Doran III manned the
two drug incinerators in which temperatures reach approximately 600 degrees, rather than a
traditional burn barrel. Doran has noted that the advantage of using incinerators is that they don’t
emit the fumes that burn barrels do. Doran said that he receives calls on a weekly basis from
individuals, organizations, and businesses who have flags to retire.

The official ceremony included the Pledge of Allegiance and remarks from Vinton Troop 235
Scoutmaster Brian Cook, Vinton Mayor Brad Grose, and guest speaker Vinton Police Chief
Fabricio Drumond.

Chief Drumond noted that this is the third year the town has partnered with the Scouts for a Flag
Retirement Ceremony.

Veterans Day has special significance for him as an immigrant from Brazil in the 1980s when
that country was controlled by its military. His family came to the United States pursuing “the
American Dream” and he “has loved every minute” he has spent in the United States. The U.S.
flag has always had great meaning for him, especially as he was deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq,
Djibouti, and Cuba as a member of the United States Marine Corps.

Drumond’s heroism was the subject of an article in a Marine Corps publication entitled “Marine
uses first aid skills, saves children.”

As an anti-tank assault man with the 1st Mobile Assault Platoon, Weapons Company, 3rd
Battalion, 6 th Marine Regiment, Drumond and his fellow soldiers were escorting combat
engineers with dump trucks filled with gravel when they heard an explosion nearby in an Iraqi
town. When they checked out the situation, they were faced with “a living nightmare” with Iraqi
men carrying their young children who had been injured by an insurgent-buried IED while
simply playing soccer.

According to the article, Drumond, then age 23, started “patching-up” the children amidst “a lot
of blood, torn arteries, lacerations, puncture wounds, and chaos,” keeping pressure on wounds to
stop the bleeding and keeping them smiling, until a MEDVAC helicopter arrived.

At this year’s Flag Retirement Ceremony, Chief Drumond said, “It’s a great privilege to be here
surrounded by the many people that love America and believe in the great symbolic masterpiece
that is our United States Flag.

“Our flag is not just a cloth with stars and stripes, it is our nation’s ideals captured in art. It
captures the very essence of what it means to be an American. I see the American flag as the
symbol that illustrates the heartbeat of a nation built on continued progress. The progress of bold
dreams and innovation are the spark that ignites change and propels us forward.

“Our flag is a testament to the visionaries who dared to dream and the pioneers who took the first
steps into the unknown. The American story is a story of trailblazers, whether being a group of
men who protest a monarchy or the trailblazers who looked beyond the horizon, traversed
uncharted territories, and unlocked the potential of science and discovery.

“Think of the inventors who transformed our way of life– the lightbulb, the telephone, the
Internet, blue jeans. These breakthroughs don’t just make our lives easier; they revolutionized
how we connect, communicate, and collaborate. Each innovation carries with it the DNA of our
American pioneers, those who dared to challenge the status quo and imagined a better world.
American influence is stamped in every human that occupies this great planet.

“Our flag represents each American that drives this country forward. They are our teachers,
nurses, factory workers, truck drivers, tradesmen– Americans doing their part. They are our
mothers, our fathers, and loved ones who sacrifice daily, work hard to provide for a family, to a
community, and to strangers. Americans fill the world with art, music, science, and innovation.
Americans are the tapestry of diverse backgrounds and rich culture; each brings a unique thread
to this beautiful fabric.

“So, when we look at our flag, we see more than just colors and symbols; we see the dreams and
aspirations of those who came before us. Our flag should remind us that with every challenge
comes an opportunity to innovate, to adapt, to overcome.

“Our American flag’s symbolic gesture far outweighs its size. Many nations around the globe
use our flag in protest of their own governments, their suppression of freedom, and wave our majestic flag so that their voices are heard. We are not a perfect nation, but many nations benefit
from the mere existence of America and the security and prosperity it represents– a feature that is
unmatched in human history. If our planet is a canvas, America is the masterpiece.

“Our American flag is a global symbol of opportunity and hope. That symbol represents a place
where people, like my own family, can go to build a better life– it is an opportunity many do not
have, an opportunity to succeed. A promise to be given a fair shot at this beautiful gift called life.
Without American influence, a nation that emboldens free thinkers and is a beacon of what a
‘free people’ is, our world would be in much worse shape.

“As you retire each flag this evening, one by one, remember its symbolic meaning. Red for valor
and bravery, white for purity and innocence, and the blue for vigilance, perseverance, and
justice. In all, each element can be traced back to a preserved history of triumph, of hardship, and
hope for a continued brighter future.

“Like all things, our flags live their lifespan, and when a flag passes its lifespan, it no longer
represents the pride and honor we hold for our nation. In a movement like today, organizations
built on pride of country, such as the Boy Scouts, ensure that the flag is retired with dignity and
respect. A ceremony that acknowledges the sacrifices that have taken shape under its very colors.

“With an open heart filled with gratitude to each of you, and on behalf of the Town of Vinton,
thank you. The ceremonious work you put in today translates loudly into the love and
appreciation you have for our nation.”

At last year’s ceremony, Chief Drumond explained the history of the 50-star American flag,
which was designed by a 17-year-old high school student as a school project in 1958.

“His teacher gave him a B-minus because there were too many stars,” Drumond said. “Back then
we only had 48 stars. To get a better grade, he was tasked with convincing the U.S. government
to use his flag. Two years later, Alaska and Hawaii joined the union. The student got a call from
President Eisenhower with great news. His flag was chosen to represent the model flag of the
U.S.”

The Scouts presented an encased 48-star flag to Drumond which had been draped on the casket
of an American serviceman.

Mayor Grose, a veteran of the Vietnam era, expressed his pride in the Town of Vinton and Chief
Drumond, who “both love this country.” He noted that each flag being retired has its own
individual story, but “they all come together in the great American story.”