Andy Simmons wrote an article entitled, 12 Flag Etiquette Mistakes You Didn’t Realize You Were Making. He does a good job of identifying 9 subjects but has no idea about three of them. The biggest problem with his article is his lack of referencing Title 4, US Code, commonly called the “Flag Code” for every subject except one, where he did not read far enough. Had he done that, the title of his article would have started with the number 9. We will take a look at his three big mistakes below.
Flying the Flag At Half-Staff/Mast for a Fallen Friend
What Simmons says is wrong: You may be breaking this flag etiquette rule if you’re honoring a fallen soldier or veteran by flying the flag at half-staff. Find another way to honor your friend. According to the flag etiquette code, only the president or your state governor can order the U.S. flag lowered to half-staff.
What the Flag Code Says: 4 U.S. Code § 7 – Position and manner of display – (m)The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. On Memorial Day the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff. By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law. In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the death of a member of the Armed Forces from any State, territory, or possession who dies while serving on active duty, or the death of a first responder working in any State, territory, or possession who dies while serving in the line of duty, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff, and the same authority is provided to the Mayor of the District of Columbia with respect to present or former officials of the District of Columbia, members of the Armed Forces from the District of Columbia, and first responders working in the District of Columbia. When the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, or the Mayor of the District of Columbia, issues a proclamation under the preceding sentence that the National flag be flown at half-staff in that State, territory, or possession or in the District of Columbia because of the death of a member of the Armed Forces, the National flag flown at any Federal installation or facility in the area covered by that proclamation shall be flown at half-staff consistent with that proclamation. The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress. The flag shall be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day. (Bold text emphasis mine)
Flying at half-staff for personal reasons is perfectly acceptable. Orders from the President or Governor are for government flagpoles, not personal. The bold text means that any federally controlled flagstaffs will follow the order in the jurisdiction of a Governor who orders flags to half-staff. There is no restriction on flying a flag at half-staff/mast for the American people.
Replacing the Stars
What Simmons says is wrong: For the same reason as the previous slide, don’t replace the stars with anything else. An image of a favorite candidate, Fourth of July quotes—nothing should replace those symbolic stars.
What the Flag Code Says: 4 U.S. Code § 1 – Flag; stripes and stars on – The flag of the United States shall be thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white; and the union of the flag shall be forty-eight stars, white in a blue field.
If you replace the stars with another image, it’s no longer the American flag. Simmons premise is baseless. Now, as a patriotic American one may personally find it inappropriate to replace the stars with butterflies, for example, but it’s not a violation of the Flag Code.
Flying Another Flag on the Same Staff
What Simmons says is wrong: It’s OK to fly different flags—such as other national or state flags—in addition to, or instead of, the American flag. According to the flag code, however, the American flag must fly on a separate staff. The code also references this: “No other flag or pennant should be placed above or, if on the same level, to the right of the flag of the United States of America.”
What the Flag Code Says: 4 U.S. Code § 7 – Position and manner of display – (f)When flags of States, cities, or localities, or pennants of societies are flown on the same halyard with the flag of the United States, the latter should always be at the peak. When the flags are flown from adjacent staffs, the flag of the United States should be hoisted first and lowered last. No such flag or pennant may be placed above the flag of the United States or to the United States flag’s right.
You didn’t read far enough, Simmons. While we call a flagpole a staff, in reality a staff is a pole that is 10 feet long or less. A pole is longer.
Flying another flag on the same pole, on the same or different halyards is perfectly acceptable. The only restrictions on this are 1) Size – flay smaller second and third flags to reduce stress on the halyard and hardware, and 2) Lowering the flag to half-staff calls for only the American flag. The other flag(s) on the same halyard should be removed.
For complete information on this see Outside Flag Display Protocol.