5-year-old places flag at Veterans Cemetery

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Dan Slavings and his 5-year-old grandson Logan share a special job together, to honor some special people.

They place flags at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield, Missouri the week before Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

Nine years ago, when Slavings was involved with Boy Scout Troop 72 in Bloomfield, he received a call from then-Missouri Veterans Cemetery Director Ken Swearington.

"Ken, who was the director then, called and said he needed some help putting out flags at the cemetery," said Slavings. "So I said sure, we would be glad to."

Slavings, an Army veteran himself, serving from 1986 to 1991, gathered his scout troop and they started placing flags in the cemetery for Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Slavings continued placing flags with the scouts each year.

Things changed four years ago, when Slavings was preparing to leave the house to place flags at the cemetery.

"Logan wanted to go, so I said sure," Slavings stated.

As Slavings was walking along the Ceremonial Wall, placing flags in wooden posts, he realized Logan had run up behind him.

"As I was putting them (flags) in the holes, he came up behind me and he started putting them in the holes," said Slavings.

Logan was 16 months old at the time, and now can place all the flags at the Ceremonial Wall by himself. When asked why he wanted to place flags at the cemetery, his answer was short and to the point.

"I just wanted to," said Logan, who is the son of Matt and Courtney Tidwell.

Once at the cemetery, Logan needs little instruction. The flags are set out in bundles of 10 at various points along the Ceremonial Wall. Logan then picks up a bundle, removes the rubber band and places the flags. This process continues until all flags at the Ceremonial Wall have been placed.

The headstones require a little more precision. The flags need to be in a perfectly straight line in front of the headstones. To accomplish this, Slavings said they use paint sticks to measure the distance from the headstone before the flag is placed.

However, this day, Slavings noted the cemetery office had no paint sticks available for them, so he would use his foot to measure.

He placed his heal against the headstone and gave Logan a gentle reminder to place the flag at his toe. That is all Logan needed before he starts placing flags again.

Slavings explained, if you start a row, you must finish a row. Meaning, if you have to measure with your foot, someone else cannot start at the other end, because their foot may a different size and the flags would not be lined up appropriately. He explained that, for example, if you wear a size 12 shoe and someone else wears a size 14, the slight difference would not be noticed on different rows, but on the same row it would be.

The Boy Scout troop in Bloomfield still assists in placing the flags. Slavings said if enough scouts show up to help, they can place all flags at the cemetery in about three hours.

More than 3,400 veterans and their dependents rest at the veterans cemetery.

The Slavings also assist with Wreaths Across America, placing wreaths at the 180 headstones in the Civil War Cemetery at Bloomfield Cemetery. The Slavings gather the wreaths up at both the Veterans Cemetery and the Civil War Cemetery.

Logan also has a good understanding of why this is done and how to act during the national anthem.

When asked why they place the flags at the veterans' graves, he says, "To honor them."

Logan recently joined the Cub Scouts, but has always interacted with the Boy Scouts due to his grandparents' involvement. Slavings stated Logan makes the older boys settle down during the Pledge of Allegiance or National Anthem.

"He doesn't have to say anything, he just gets up there and does his salute," says Slavings. "When they see what he is doing, they stop what they are doing and they do it."

This has been instilled in Logan by his family. His grandfather is an Army veteran and his father is a Navy veteran. He also has a grandfather who is a Marine veteran. With family members who have also been in the National Guard, Logan has learned the importance of honoring and respecting those who serve and have served.

Perhaps he will one day serve his country too.

Then again, maybe he already does.