Chattanooga National Cemetery looking for volunteers to help pick up flags

UPDATE, 6/2/21 – Due to the weather, flag pickup will begin on Friday, June 4, 8:30 am until complete. Flags are stored until the next year and if they are stored wet they will be mildewed.

Volunteers can report to the cemetery office between the hours of 8:30 a.m. up until 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday of this week until complete.

Please feel free to contact their office at 423-855-6590 ext. 5272 for additional information.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) – The Chattanooga National Cemetery is responsible for caring for our veterans after they have passed away and now they are needing our help. 

Throughout the Memorial Day holiday the Cemetery, Boy Scouts and volunteers help place over 47,000 flags upon the graves of our fallen veterans. 

Now that the Holiday has passed, the flags must be picked up but the cemetery says finding volunteers has been difficult. 

The Cemetery says they cannot leave the flags out because they interfere with the routine maintenance work that is required to keep up the grounds. 

“The last few years the public has really started coming out and I think maybe they didn’t realize the flags were placed this year because we did not place them last year due to Covid restrictions. I’m assuming that is the reason folks aren’t out here so far this year,” says Bill Sachse, Administrative Officer for the National Cemetery.

If you are interested in volunteering to help pick up the flags you can just show up at the cemetery on Wednesday morning and throughout the day.