Military Monday--Our Flag...

For this week's Military Monday post we will be focusing on the flag of the United States of America.  Flag Day will be celebrated later this week on June 14th so we thought it would be interesting to talk about the history of the flag and proper flag etiquette.

It is not certain who designed the first American flag, however, many believe that the flag was designed by Congressman Francis Hopkinson and sewn by seamstress Betsy Ross.  In the early days of the flag, there were no specifications on how it was proportioned thus leading to many different arrangements of the stars and stripes.  It wasn't until an Executive Order dated June 24, 1912 that the proportions of the flag were outlined and a standard for the flag was set.

Betsy Ross Flag

Some important dates in flag history....

• On June 14, 1777--Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act: "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."
• Act of April 4, 1818 - designated that the flag have 13 stripes and one star for each state, to be added to the flag on the 4th of July following the admission of each new state, signed by President Monroe
• Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated August 21, 1959 - provided for the arrangement of the stars in nine rows of stars staggered horizon tally and eleven rows of stars staggered vertically.

President Truman signed an Act of Congress on August 3, 1949 officially designating June 14th at National Flag Day.  Although not "official" until that date, Flag Day is believed to have originated in 1885 when a Wisconsin school teacher, BJ Cigrand, arranged for his students to celebrate the "Flag Birthday."

Flag Etiquette

Standards of Respect

• The flag should never be dipped to any person or thing.  The flag is flown upside down only as a sign of distress.  
• The flag should not be used as a drapery, or for covering a speakers desk, draping a platform, or for any decoration in general.
• The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. 
• The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations. 
• The flag should never have placed on it, or attached to it, any mark, insignia, letter, word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind. 
• The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.

 

• When the flag is lowered, no part of it should touch the ground or any other object; it should be received by waiting hands and arms. To store the flag it should be folded neatly and ceremoniously. 
• The flag should be cleaned and mended when necessary.  

• When a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner.  (Note:  Most American Legion Posts hold flag burning ceremonies on Flag Day, June 14th.  Local Boy Scout and Girl Scout Troops also retire flags on occasion.)

 Displaying the Flag Outdoors

• When the flag is displayed from a staff projecting from a window, balcony, or a building, the union should be at the peak of the staff unless the flag is at half staff. 
• When it is displayed from the same flagpole with another flag - of a state, community, society or Scout unit - the flag of the United States must always be at the top except that the church pennant may be flown above the flag during church services for Navy personnel when conducted by a Naval chaplain on a ship at sea. 
• When flown with flags of states, communities, or societies on separate flag poles which are of the same height and in a straight line, the flag of the United States is always placed in the position of honor - to its own right.
  ..The other flags may be smaller but none may be larger.
  ..No other flag ever should be placed above it.
  ..The flag of the United States is always the first flag raised and the last to be lowered. 

 Raising and Lowering the Flag

• The flag should be raised briskly and lowered slowly and ceremoniously. Ordinarily it should be displayed only between sunrise and sunset. It should be illuminated if displayed at night.
• The flag of the United States of America is saluted as it is hoisted and lowered. The salute is held until the flag is unsnapped from the halyard or through the last note of music, whichever is the longest.

Displaying the Flag Indoors

• When on display, the flag is accorded the place of honor, always positioned to its own right. Place it to the right of the speaker or staging area or sanctuary. Other flags should be to the left. 
• The flag of the United States of America should be at the center and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags of states, localities, or societies are grouped for display. 
• When displaying the flag against a wall, vertically or horizontally, the flag's union (stars) should be at the top, to the flag's own right, and to the observer's left. 

Parading and Saluting the Flag

• When carried in a procession, the flag should be to the right of the marchers. When other flags are carried, the flag of the United States may be centered in front of the others or carried to their right. When the flag passes in a procession, or when it is hoisted or lowered, all should face the flag and salute. 
• To salute, all persons come to attention. Those in uniform give the appropriate formal salute. Citizens not in uniform salute by placing their right hand over the heart and men with head cover should remove it and hold it to left shoulder, hand over the heart. Members of organizations in formation salute upon command of the person in charge. 

Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem

• The pledge of allegiance should be rendered by standing at attention, facing the flag, and saluting.
• When the national anthem is played or sung, citizens should stand at attention and salute at the first note and hold the salute through the last note. The salute is directed to the flag, if displayed, otherwise to the music.  

Flag in Mourning

• To place the flag at half staff, hoist it to the peak for an instant and lower it to a position half way between the top and bottom of the staff. The flag is to be raised again to the peak for a moment before it is lowered. On Memorial Day the flag is displayed at half staff until noon and at full staff from noon to sunset. 
• The flag is to be flown at half staff in mourning for designated, principal government leaders and upon presidential or gubernatorial order. 
• When used to cover a casket, the flag should be placed with the union at the head and over the left shoulder. It should not be lowered into the grave.  

All information for this article was obtained from www.usaflag.org