Boy and Girl Scouts retire old flags in Cerritos on National Flag Day

CERRITOS, Calif. (KABC) -- To commemorate National Flag Day, Cerritos enlisted the help of local Boy and Girl Scouts to hold a proper retirement ceremony for torn and faded flags Sunday.

"We teach them about citizenship in the community, nation and the world. This is an important part of the United States is the respect for the flag," Boy Scout troop leader Glenn Nishibayashi said.

The Scouts unfolded dozens of flags, some torn and tattered, and then cut them into pieces. After removing each stripe, they carried the severed stripes and placed them in boxes.

Once a flag is no longer intact, the pieces can be incinerated.

"It made the Scouts feel like they're doing their duty to the country itself," Boy Scout Rohan Badiga said.

Army veteran Joe Mendoza attended the ceremony. He noted the importance of showing respect and dignity for the stars and stripes and the freedom and sacrifice they represent.

"Any veteran who wore the uniform would know that the flag should be retired the correct way and retired with honor," Mendoza said. "These kids should be proud of what they did."

The flag was adopted as a symbol of the U.S. in 1977.