Mason Group Takes Responsibility of Taking Care of ‘Old Glory’

owns a couple outdoor American flags and now they have a group of students to take care of them.

In January, the George Mason Young Patriots started a six-man color guard to raise and lower the flag in front of the school. James Hickey, president and co-founder of the organization said by taking care of the flags the school won’t have to worry about replacing them as much.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we have to,” Hickey said of replacing the flags. “The flags we have now are of a good quality.”

The color guard raises the flag each morning around before school starts and let it fly as long as possible before taking it down before nightfall. Hickey said the color guard was trained in flag protocol by staff at American Legion Post 130 in Falls Church. The Young Patriots of America Club is a student founded, patriotic club at Mason who work to uphold the honor and reverence for the founding principles of the United States and those who fight to preserve them, Hickey said. The next phase of the campaign will be to research and carry out a solution to the lack of lighting for the American flag at the school’s stadium.

"It is truly an honor to be able to work with such a spirited and grateful group of students who share the same unrelenting desire to serve our nation, however we can." Hickey said.