U.S. Flag Retirement Station Established at National Veterans Resource Center

U.S. flag retirement station located in the NVRC.

To commemorate the adoption of the stars and stripes on June 14, 1777, by the Second Continental Congress, Americans proudly celebrate Flag Day, June 14, by displaying the U.S. flag at their homes and businesses.

Many also use this day as an opportunity to retire an old flag that has become worn and tattered for a new one. Proper disposal of a worn old U.S. flag is not always simple, and is in fact governed by etiquette outlined in the U.S. Flag Code.

This Flag Day, however, staff at the University’s National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building (NVRC) has made this process easier for all members of the Orange community, and our neighbors across Central New York, who are looking to respectfully and properly retire worn and tattered U.S. flags.

Earlier today, a U.S. flag retirement station was opened in the lobby of the NVRC. The station is accessible to members of the campus and Central New York community and is located inside the main doors of the NVRC, off Waverly Avenue, on the right side of the lobby of the building. It will be accessible during standard University business hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Raul Rosique (left), student veteran and secretary of the Student Veteran Organization, and Issak Hernandez, project coordinator in the Office of Strategic Initiatives and Innovation, demonstrate how to use the new U.S. flag retirement station.

NVRC staff will ensure that all U.S. flags deposited into this station are properly disposed of in accordance with U.S. Flag Code.

The idea for the flag station came about as a result of NVRC staff receiving ongoing inquiries, since the NVRC opened in 2021, from community members seeking support related to properly retiring their U.S. flag.

“The establishment of this flag retirement station provides our community with its very own secure space for the collection of worn U.S. flags,” says Issak Hernandez, project coordinator in the Office of Strategic Initiatives and Innovation, U.S. Army veteran and member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3146. “While these stations are often available at veterans service organization posts, a convenient and dedicated site right here on our campus will better serve students, employees and community members seeking assistance with appropriate flag retirement.”

For more information or with questions about the U.S. flag retirement station in the NVRC, please contact Issak Hernandez at ishernan@syr.edu.