What:
Flag Retirement Ceremony

Who:
U.S. Postal Service and AMVETS Post 61

When:
3 p.m. Sunday, June 13, 2010

Where:
AMVETS Post 61, 9405 Smyrna Road, Louisville, KY

Background:
According to the U.S. Flag Code, “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.” Because of the obvious preparations needed for this type of retirement, individuals usually turn to their local veterans’ organizations to properly retire their American flags. In 2004, Marine veteran and Louisville Postmaster Richard Curtsinger contacted local AMVETS Post 61 and asked if they retired flags. That was the beginning of an annual community event now attended by hundreds of residents who want to pay tribute to the flag and what it represents. The first year, 250 flags were collected for retirement — last year, more than 3,400 flags were retired. AMVETS’ members built a special retirement pit for the ceremony; a large concrete area with sand on top. When the flags are being prepared for retirement, they will never accidently touch the ground. Highview Volunteer Firefighters start the fire and stay through the entire ceremony to ensure safety. If you have an American flag to be retired, you can drop it off at any Louisville-area Post Office or send it to: Okolona Post Office, Flag Retirement, 7400 Jefferson Blvd., Louisville, KY 40219.

Please note: The flag retirement ceremony is traditionally held on Flag Day. But due to prior commitments, AMVETS is holding the event a day earlier.

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A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no direct support from taxpayers. With 36,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, the Postal Service relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $68 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 28th in the 2009 Fortune 500.