The point I was making was if a person chooses not to have a ceremony then they aren't assigned someone junior. The whole point is for this person to help from A to Z with the ceremony. If there isn't going be a ceremony then the retiree should order their stuff. It's not that time consuming, like you said, just forms that you fill out.. Going to the flag which is what the OP is asking about, unless things have changed with unit funding of retirement flags, that has gone away due to budget cuts and flags are bought by the retiree. Like I said, might be back to the way it was, but I retired this time last year and I had to buy my shadow box flag and the flag the honor guard folded.