I'm asking for clarification with regards to leveling. The wiki says:
http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Experience
If only one Kerbal in the mission plants a flag, only that Kerbal will gain experience for having done so. The kerbonaut gains the experience and reaches level only when it returns to the Astronaut Complex by recovery.
The line in bold makes it ambiguous as to whether the flag has to stay planted on a particular surface. I'm asking because A) I don't want dozens of flags everywhere and B ) ideally I would prefer doing a multi-flag-planting run in one launch. Perhaps someone ought to clarify this in the wiki.
So do the flags have to stay there to get the xp? I take it for granted that they can be taken down after arriving back on kerbin; I'm asking if they can be taken down right after being planted.