Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

Boy Scouts lead flag retirement program; other activities set for Veterans Day

BELLEVILLE -- Patriotic Americans who have never attended a flag retirement program owe it to themselves to witness the ceremony, Stephen Eros says.

You'll get that chance when Eros leads Boy Scout Troop 3 in the emotionally moving ritual at 6 p.m. Wednesday in front of St. Mary's Church at 18th and West Main streets in Belleville.

The ceremony will cap a busy day of Veterans Day events in the metro-east, including a program at the Belleville Public Square at 11 a.m. and a day of activities, including a health fair, at the Fairview Heights VFW Hall from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Flags are retired when they become torn, soiled or otherwise unfit for public display. The preferred method is burning, which surprises many, Eros said.

"Everyone is kind of like 'Oh, you can burn flags?' because they think of protesting," said Eros, 18, one of troop's assistant scoutmasters. "But we do everything in accordance with the U.S. Flag Code. We have a special fire pit for this, and we went over all the rules to make sure we're doing everything absolutely right."

Eros was introduced to the ceremony during Boy Scout summer camps at Camp Joy near Carlyle, and he saw how it literally brought tears to the eyes of many of those in attendance.

"We do it on family night, and the parents come down and, of course, many of them are veterans and they have parents that are veterans. It's a touching experience for everyone."

So when the adult leaders of Troop 3, including Scoutmaster Mike Little and Assistant Scoutmaster Don Sax, suggested holding a similar ceremony in Belleville, Eros, filled with ideas, was picked to organize the event.

The night will include prayers by Monsignor William McGhee, pastor of St. Mary's, and a rifle salute and playing of "Taps" by the Polish-American War Veterans of Caseyville. As music director of St. Teresa's Church, Eros will lead his choir in a half-dozen patriotic selections.

Eros and his troop also will unfurl a new flag that has flown over the U.S. Capitol and was sent to the troop by U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello. And, as a special treat, Ryan Sax, also an assistant scoutmaster with Troop 3, will read "My Name Is Old Glory," a salute to the flag written in 1994 by Marine veteran Howard Schnauber.

"It's a really outstanding narration," Eros said. "It goes through the different wars that the flag has been through and the different places it has been taken and how many people honor it. It's really neat."

The recitation will lead into the flag retirement, which the Scouts have been practicing for a month to get every detail just right. Craig Stafford, a Belleville police officer and military veteran, has been leading the drilling.

"Even the little 12- and 13-year-old Scouts are shaping up and really focusing on this," Eros said. "It's been a really good experience for them to be involved in something this serious and this meaningful, and they've really learned a lot. It's been a good disciplining experience for everyone."