Remember Flag Etiquette & Rules

The sight of the beautiful red, white and blue American flag blowing in the breeze always gives me such a great sense of pride to be an American. Perhaps it is because I am an "Army brat" and have always been aware of the great sacrifices made by a long list of patriots and the men and women in uniform that have served this great county. Nothing irks me more than to see our American flag flown or displayed in a disrespectful manner. Perhaps sometimes folks do it intentionally but I suspect most of the time it is simply because they are misinformed or uneducated about flag etiquette. Since Memorial Day 2010 is just a few days away, I thought I would offer a few tips on proper display and treatment of our nation's most recognized symbol.

1. The American Flag is to be flown from sunrise to sunset on buildings, homes, and flagpoles. Once the sun goes down, the flag is to be taken indoors. It should not be flown in inclement weather unless it is an all-weather flag. The American Flag can be displayed in darkness only if its illuminated by a light source.

2. The flag is to be quickly raised and lowered ceremoniously. It should never be displayed upside down except for a distress signal. The flag should never touch anything beneath it such as the ground, water, the floor, carpet, etc. It should never be carried flat or horizontally.

3. The American Flag should never be cut-up and worn as clothing, or used as a drape or anything else similar. It should never be marked on or drawn on or disfigured in any way. It should never be used as a costume. Wearing an American Flag pin or patch on clothing is encouraged. It quietly shows your patriotism and should be worn near the heart.

4. When flying a flag from a vehicle, attach it to the antenna or clamp it to the right fender or window. If you see a flag pass in a parade you should stand at attention and place your right hand over your heart. If you are in uniform you should offer a salute.

5. All flags that are used frequently do get worn beyond their ability to be placed on the flagpole. When they do, they should never be thrown away in the garbage. They should always be destroyed in a dignified manner. Contact your local VFW or American Legion Post to donate your tattered flag for their burning ceremonies and they will dispose of it in a respectful manner.

6. The American Flag should fly above any other flag on the same flagpole. It should not be placed higher than any other nation's flag in time of peace. When displayed in a group of multiple flagpoles, all poles should be the same height and the U. S. Flag is always flown on its own right.

7. When displaying the flag vertically in a window or draped over a building, it should be hung with the field of stars to the left of anyone looking at it from the street. When hanging it over a street, it should be displayed with the field of stars to the east (on a north-south street) or the field of stars to the north (on an east-west street).

8. There are several days on which the American Flag is to be flown at half-staff. Those days are Pearl Harbor Day (December 7), Peace Officers Memorial Day (May 15) and Korean War Veterans Armistice Day (July 27). On Memorial Day, the flag is flown at half-staff until noon, then raised to the top of the flagpole until sunset.