Yesterday’s article had two photos of incorrect Navy Flag displays. This article goes in-depth to explain what the issues are for both.
Affiliation Is Not Authority: Who Gets to Carry Service Colors?
I get this question fairly regularly. What flags should we carry in the upcoming parade?
When Not Displaying the Flag Is the Right Call
Every year, as motorcycle season ramps up and public events increase, more people display the American flag on vehicles, apparatus, and equipment. The intent is almost always honorable.
The execution, however, is often incorrect.
How Cadet Programs Should Interpret Drill and Ceremonies Regulations
This is an extension of yesterday’s article and is geared for cadets.
Motorcycle Flag Display: Proper Protocol and Common Errors
With motorcycle season underway, more riders—particularly veterans, first responders, and patriotic citizens—choose to display the American flag while riding. While the intent is commendable, execution often falls short of established protocol.
Indoor Navy Flag Displays: Doctrine, Forgotten Hardware, and the Civilianization of Military Standards
The image above is from the US Naval Air Forces Instagram account (Dec 2025). The colors display is in an aircraft hangar on NAS North Island (San Diego, CA). It is a majority civilian standards display mixed with a military accent.
Carrying History: What Belongs in a Color Guard for the 250th?
With the United States approaching its 250th anniversary, I’ve started receiving more questions about historical flags—specifically whether groups can carry items like the Betsy Ross flag or the Gadsden flag in parades and ceremonies.
What Governs Joint Military Flag Displays?
Joint military displays are governed not by location or uniform, but by service ownership of the colors and joint-service hierarchy rules. Below is the doctrinal reason, the governing principle, and the correct application for joint displays on a Navy installation or by a Navy-only color guard.
Flag Spreaders and the Hidden Divide in US Military Doctrine
I wanted to explain the two types of doctrinal authority in the US military and use the flag spreader debate as a case study.
Naval Flagstaffs, Mast Systems, and Ceremonial Display
The Navy does not have protocol specialists assigned to units like the Army, Air Force, and Space Force do. That’s understandable since protocol is not necessary at sea a majority of the time. However, giving this responsibility to a Petty Officer aboard ship as an extra duty without the Navy providing clear guidance is a recipe for problems.