MERCER COUNTY, W.Va. (WVVA) The Mercer County Veterans Honor Guard takes pride in folding and presenting the U.S flag to a deceased veteran’s family.

“A United States flag is provided, at no cost, to drape the casket or accompany the urn of a deceased Veteran who served honorably in the U. S. Armed Forces. It is furnished to honor the memory of a Veteran’s military service to his or her country. VA will furnish a burial flag for memorialization for an other than dishonorably discharged.” U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

For the first time, the duty of protecting and folding the flag was given to members of the JROTC, representing Montcalm High School, 16-year-old Blake Hodge and 14-year-old Hunter McGuire.

The funeral was for a veteran who served 30 years, Clarence Dallas Crouse:

‘Clarence Dallas Crouse, 77, of Princeton, West Virginia passed away on Wednesday, October 02, 2019 at Mercer Nursing and Rehab in Bluefield, West Virginia. Clarence was born on September 06, 1942 in Tazewell, Virginia. He had been a resident of the Bluefield and Princeton area for most of his life. Clarence entered the United States Army and served his county with honor for thirty years, retiring from the United States Army. Clarence achieved the highest enlisted rank in the US Army of Command Sargent Major (CSM). He served his country being deployed in the Vietnam War, where he was wounded during combat and was the recipient of a purple heart. In addition to his parents, Clarence was preceded in death by his wife Tammy Sue Crouse in 2017. Left to cherish his memory is her daughter, Felecia Hall of Princeton, West Virginia and three grandchildren, Breanna, Trey and Taylor.’ Cravens-Shires Funeral Home Crouse’s flag, only given to a deceased veteran who served honorably, must stay on the casket, and the JROTC cadets ensured, the flag never moved. “It was my responsibility to make sure it would stay there,” said McGuire.

“We had been expecting a rubber band [to be] around the flag to hold it down,” said Sergeant Paul Dorsey, JROTC instructor for Montcalm High School. “But they were prepared and knew what to do. I couldn’t be prouder.”

“We were getting in tune with each other [so we could] fold the flag correctly,’ said McGuire.

“The process was an honor but sad at the same time,” said Hodge.

“It gives us a feeling of joy that these young kids want to follow in our [lead],” said Jim Thompson, retired veteran and co-commander for the Mercer County VHG.

“Young people have the same amount of respect for veterans and the will to do things just like everyone else does,” said McGuire.

The MCVHG are looking for additional veterans to assist with honoring those who’ve served.

For more information, contact Thompson at (304)-327-9865.

NOTE: Photo of Crouse, courtesy of Cravens-Shines Funeral Home.