PORTAGE | If the Stars and Stripes that flew on Flag Day last week have become tattered and frayed, the South Haven American Legion is offering an opportunity to dispose of the flag with honor.

The South Haven Post 502 will hold a flag retirement at 6 p.m. June 27. The community is asked to bring worn or tattered flags to be properly retired at the formal service.

The United States Flag Code says, "The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning."

While flag burning for political reasons is controversial, it is considered respectable when a flag needs to be retired -- respectable, that is, as long as proper procedure is followed.

Crystal Brant, honor guard member at the South Haven American Legion, said a flag must first be presented to a commander who will declare if it is worthy of retirement.

If the flag is worthy it will be burned, although not at the actual ceremony.

"There is a barrel that we burn a ceremonial flag in," Brant said. "We burn the cloth flag at the ceremony and afterwards the other flags are burned."

The other flags, which are usually made of nylon, are burned after the ceremony because of safety concerns and, according to Brant, they emit a "bad smell."

Even though the flag code mentions flag burning as appropriate, Brant said a burial ceremony can be considered respectable as well. However, Brant believes the best way to honorably retire a flag is by ceremonial burning.

Regardless of the chosen procedure, respect is of utmost importance and is the main purpose in flag retirement ceremonies.

The South Haven post is located at 429 West County Road 750 North. For more information, call (219) 759-2121.