The next scheduled day to fly the U.S. flag at Half-Staff is Sunday, 07 DEC 2008. Flags should be flown Half-Staff until sunset in honor of Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
 

 

 

I pledge Allegiance

 

to the flag of

 

the United States

 

of America and

 

to the Republic

 

for which it stands,

 

one nation under

 

God, indivisible,

 

with Liberty and

 

Justice for all.

 

 

 

Flying the U.S. flag is appropriate every day. The customary days to display the flag according to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the U.S. Army are as follows:

 

2008

 

New Years Day	01 January
Inauguration Day	20 January every fourth year
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.	21 January
Lincoln's Birthday	12 February
President's Day	16 February
Washington's Birthday (President's Day)	18 February
Easter Sunday	17 March
Loyalty Day	01 May
Mother's Day	11 May
Peace Officer's Memorial Day †	15 May
Armed Forces Day	17 May
National Maritime Day	22 May
Memorial Day (observed) ‡	26 May
Flag Day (U.S. Army birthday)	14 June
Father's Day	15 June
Independence Day	04 July
National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day	27 July
National Aviation Day	19 August
Labor Day	01 September
Patriot Day †	11 September
Citizenship (Constitution) Day	17 September
POW/MIA Recognition Day	19 September
Gold Star Mother's Day	28 September
Columbus Day (observed)	13 October
Navy Day	27 October
Veterans Day	11 November
Thanksgiving Day	27 November
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day †	07 December
Christmas Day	25 December

† Half-Staff until sunset

‡ Half-Staff until noon

 

2009

 

New Years Day	01 January
Inauguration Day	20 January every fourth year
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.	19 January
Lincoln's Birthday	12 February
Washington's Birthday (President's Day)	16 February
Easter Sunday	23 March
Loyalty Day and Law Day USA	01 May
Mother's Day	11 May
Peace Officer's Memorial Day †	15 May
Armed Forces Day	17 May
National Maritime Day	22 May
Memorial Day (observed) ‡	25 May
Flag Day (U.S. Army birthday)	14 June
Father's Day	15 June
Independence Day	04 July
National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day	27 July
National Aviation Day	19 August
Labor Day	07 September
Patriot Day †	11 September
Citizenship (Constitution) Day	17 September
POW/MIA Recognition Day	19 September
Gold Star Mother's Day	28 September
Columbus Day (observed)	12 October
Navy Day	27 October
Veterans Day	11 November
Thanksgiving Day	26 November
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day †	07 December
Christmas Day	25 December

 

Download the ODVA Military
History Calendar
 

The U.S. and State flag should also be displayed on all National and State holidays, including historic and special occasions. Remember it is customary to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset. The U.S. and State flag may be displayed twenty-four hours with proper illumination.        

 

a. The flag of the United States

b. Foreign national flags (normally displayed in alphabetical order using the English alphabet)

c. Flag of the President of the United States

d. State and territorial flags. Normally, state flags are displayed in order of admittance of the State to the Union. However, they may also be displayed in alphabetical order using the English alphabet. Territorial flags are displayed after the State flags either in the order they were recognized by the united States or alphabetically.

e. Military organizational flags of the Services in order of precedence

 

1.   Cadets, United States Military Academy

2.   Midshipmen, United States Naval Academy

3.   Cadets, United States Air Force Academy

4.   Cadets, United States Coast Guard Academy

5.   Midshipmen, United States Merchant Marine Academy

6.   United States Army

7.   United States Marine Corps

8.   United States Navy

9.   United States Air Force

10.   United States Coast Guard

11.   Army National Guard of the United States

12.   Army Reserve

13.   Marine Corps Reserve

14.   Naval Reserve

15.   Air National Guard of the United States

16.   Air Force Reserve

17.   Coast Guard Reserve

18.   Other training organizations of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard, in that order, respectively.

 f. Military organizational flags within the service by echelon. The flag for the regimental corps will have precedence immediately before the regimental proponent’s command flag. The regimental corps flag will never have precedence above a MACOM flag.

g. Individual flags in order of rank.

 
1777 - Flag Resolution of June 14, 1777 states: "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."
 
1794 - Provided 15 stripes and 15 stars after May 1795. Act of January 13, 1794.
 
1818 - Provided 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. Act of April 4, 1818.
 
1912 - Executive Order of President Taft dated June 24, 1912. Established proportions of the flag and provided for arrangement of the stars in six horizonatal rows of eight each, a single point of each star to be upward.
 
1959 - Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated January 3, 1959. Provided for the arrangement of the stars in seven rows of seven stars each, staggered horizontally and vertically.
 
1959 - Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated August 21, 1959. Provided for the arrangement of nine rows of stars staggered horizontally and eleven rows of stars staggered vertically.

 
"The flag is the emblem of our unity, our power, our thought and purpose as a nation. It has no other character than that which we give it from generation to generation. For most Americans, their sentiments about the flag are not something they can easily define. To most of us, they are as individual as personality, as private as a family matter and almost as personal as religion." -- President Woodrow Wilson, 1917
 

Red: Hardiness and Valor

White: Purity and Innocence

Blue: Vigilance, Perseverance & Justice

 

 
 
Use and display of the U.S. flag by civilians, civilian groups, and organizations are governed by 36 USC 173. Civilians who inquire about the display of the U.S. flag should be referred to this statute. They should be advised to consult the Attorney General of the State in which they reside or operate for information concerning State laws that apply to the U.S. flag.

 
Flag Etiquette and Education
 
Public Law 94-344, known as the Federal Flag Code, contains rules for handling and displaying the U.S. Flag. While the federal code contains no penalties for misusing the flag, states have their own flag codes and may impose penalties. The language of the federal code makes clear that the flag is a living symbol. In response to a Supreme Court decision, which held that a state law prohibiting flag burning was unconstitutional, Congress enacted the Flag Protection Act in 1989. It provides that anyone who knowingly desecrates the flag may be fined and/or imprisoned for up to one year. However, this law was challenged by the Supreme Court in a 1990 decision that the Flag Protection Act violates the First Amendment free speech protections.
 
Important Things to Remember
 
Traditional guidelines call for displaying the flag in public only from sunrise to sunset. However, the flag may be displayed at all times if it's illuminated during darkness. The flag should not be subject to weather damage, so it should not be displayed during rain, snow and wind storms unless it is an all-weather flag.
 
It should be displayed often, but especially on national and state holidays and special occasions.
 
The flag should be displayed on or near the main building of public institutions, schools during school days, and polling places on election days.
 
It should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously.
 
When carried in procession with other flags, the U.S. flag should be either on the marching right (the flag's right) or to the front and center of the flag line.
 
When displayed on a float in a parade, the flag should be hung from a staff or suspended so it falls free. It should not be draped over a vehicle.
 
When displayed with another flag against a wall from crossed staffs, the U.S. flag should be on its own right (left to a person facing the wall) and its staff should be in front of the other flag's staff.
 
In a group of flags displayed from staffs, the U.S. flag should be at the center and the highest point.
 
When flags of states, cities or organizations are flown on the same staff, the U.S. flag must be at the top (except during church services conducted at sea by Navy chaplains).
 
When other flags are flown from adjacent staffs, the U.S. flag should be hoisted first and lowered last. It must be on the right of other flags and no other flag should stand higher than it. Flags of other nations should be flown from separate staffs.
 
International custom dictates that flags of different nations be displayed at the same height in peacetime and be approximately the same size.
 
If the flag is suspended outdoors from a rope stretched from a building to a pole, the flag should be hoisted out from the building with the union first.
 
When the flag is displayed other than from a staff, it should be flat or suspended so that it falls free.
 
When displayed against something, such as a wall, the union should be at the top and to the flag's own right, the observer's left - whether displayed horizontally or vertically.
 
When displayed over a street or sidewalk, where it can be seen from either side, be sure the union is to the north on an east-west street, and to the east on a north-south street. The same directions apply in a building lobby or corridor with entrances to the east and west or north and south.
 
When displayed flat against the wall on a speaker's platform, the flag should be above and behind the speaker with the union on the left side as the audience looks at it (again, the flag's right).
 
When the flag hangs from a staff in a church or public place, it should appear to the audience on the left, the speaker's right. Any other flags displayed should be placed on the opposite side of the speaker.
 
The flag may cover a casket, but should not cover a statue or monument for unveiling. It should never be draped or drawn back in folds. Draped red, white and blue bunting should be used for decoration, with the blue at the top and red at the bottom.
 
On a casket, the union (blue field) should be at the deceased person's head and heart, over the left shoulder. But the flag should be removed before the casket is lowered into the grave and should never touch the ground.
 
The flag may be flown at half-staff to honor a newly deceased federal or state government official by order of the president or the governor, respectively.
 
On Memorial Day, the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon. Whenever the flag is displayed at half-staff, it should be first raised to the top. Lowering from half-staff is preceded by first raising it momentarily to the top.
 
Out of respect for the U.S. flag, never:
 
* dip it for any person or thing, even though state flags, regimental colors and other flags may be dipped as a mark of honor.
* display it with the union down, except as a signal of distress.
* let the flag touch anything beneath it: ground, floor, water, merchandise.
* carry it horizontally, but always aloft.
* fasten or display it in a way that will permit it to be damaged or soiled.
* place anything on the flag, including letters, insignia, or designs of any kind.
* use it for holding anything.
* use it as wearing apparel, bedding or drapery. It should not be used on a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be attached to the uniform of patriotic organizations, military personnel, police officers and firefighters.
* use the flag for advertising or promotion purposes or print it on paper napkins, boxes or anything else intended for temporary use and discard.
 
During the hoisting or lowering of the flag or when it passes in parade or review, Americans should stand at attention facing the flag and place their right hand over the heart. Uniformed military members render the military salute. Men not in uniform should remove any headdress and hold it with their right hand at their left shoulder, the hand resting over the heart. Those who are not U.S. citizens should stand at attention.

 
When the flag of the United States is displayed at Half-Staff, it is first hoisted to the top of the staff for an instant, then lowered to the Half-Staff position. The flag should again be raised to the top of the staff before it is lowered for the day.
 
The flag is in a Half-Staff position when it is any position below the top of the pole. Generally the position of the flag is at Half-Staff when the middle point of the hoist of the flag is halfway between the top of the staff and the foot.
 
While the flag is of the United States is being lowered from the staff and folded, no portion of it should be allowed to touch the ground. The flag should be folded in the triangular shape of a cocked hat.

 
When the flag is worn out or otherwise no longer a fitting emblem for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.
 
Proper flag disposal is one of the patriotic duties VFW Posts conduct nationwide.