(1) The State Adjutant General’s office shall present to the family of each deceased member of the South Carolina National Guard a flag of the State of South Carolina, appropriate for use as a burial flag, upon application of a member of the family of the deceased guardsman.

The Adjutant General shall prepare and furnish necessary application forms to the senior full-time employee in each armory of the State. Such application forms shall require such information as the Adjutant General deems necessary to determine the eligibility of the deceased for the flag provided for in this section.

(2) The provisions of this section shall apply to any individual who has served at least one year in the South Carolina National Guard, and who at the time of death was either an active, honorably discharged or retired member thereof.

(3) The Adjutant General shall promulgate necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section. Flags must be obtained from the United States when available, but if not so granted they must be purchased by the office of the Adjutant General from funds appropriated to that office.