Flag etiquette

[Fentonite]

Quick question for those who know....

I've usually flown either the American flag or the USMC flag on the front of my house (US flag most of the time, Marine flag on Nov. 10, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, or whenever I'm feeling nostalgic). I'm going to mount a 2nd flagpole mount to fly both flags at the same time. I'm trying to sort out the proper etiquette to fly both flags. They'll be on separate poles, mounted at the same height along the horizontal beam over my porch. Which side is the proper side for the US flag?

I found this reference:
"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."
Just to be clear, does this mean that the US flag is on the left as you'd face the house from the street?

Your wisdom is appreciated...

[clublights]

From my experience of working Presidential events ( none for barry I can say at least ) the Right of the flag is from viewed as the star field in the upper left the bars out to the right.( even if displayed vertical) so the viewed right is always to the bars side ( since all flags have halyard grommets on the viewed left side )

in your set up it would be to YOUR left from the street side






Edit got my own left and right confused for a min ...

[Ronin13]

This is a good question- for clarity it would be like this?:

-----House------
/////porch/////
...X.........V....
.....................
----Street-----
X being the USMC flag, V being the US flag, correct? And pardon my crappy drawing using dashes and slashes.

[clublights]

This is a good question- for clarity it would be like this?:

-----House------
/////porch/////
...X.........V....
.....................
----Street-----
X being the USMC flag, V being the US flag, correct? And pardon my crappy drawing using dashes and slashes.


Reversed

Should be

-----House------
/////porch/////
...V.........X....
.....................
----Street-----

[Fentonite]

Reversed

Should be

-----House------
/////porch/////
...V.........X....
.....................
----Street-----

Great illustration, thanks guys!

[DSB OUTDOORS]

Reversed

Should be

-----House------
/////porch/////
...V.........X....
.....................
----Street-----
I agree. USA flag to the left. Aka hand over hart. And USMC to the right for the solute. [Beer]

[Irving]

Yeah, flag on left. There is a flag in one of the meeting rooms at work and it is displayed correctly.

[Ronin13]

Reversed

Should be

-----House------
/////porch/////
...V.........X....
.....................
----Street-----
Ah, see... I got confused, brains fried- been a long day. Thanks! Now I know!

[Great-Kazoo]

You should also have the American flag elevated higher than the Corps flag. A military flag while it may be to those who served in said branch, Not another countries , state's, societies or communities.

[rbeau30]

4 US Code Section 7 c

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/4/7

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, except during church services conducted by naval chaplains at sea, when the church pennant may be flown above the flag during church services for the personnel of the Navy.

[Great-Kazoo]

4 US Code Section 7 c

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/4/7

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, except during church services conducted by naval chaplains at sea, when the church pennant may be flown above the flag during church services for the personnel of the Navy.

That's what i was looking for, thanks. Guess google wasn't my friend.

[rbeau30]

That's what i was looking for, thanks. Guess google wasn't my friend.

I guess some stuff from studying for promotion helped me with some stuff. Except staying in another 5 years to retire.

[Sharpienads]

I guess some stuff from studying for promotion helped me with some stuff. Except staying in another 5 years to retire.

Ha, I just read this today too whilst study for promotion.

[clublights]

4 US Code Section 7 c

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/4/7

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, except during church services conducted by naval chaplains at sea, when the church pennant may be flown above the flag during church services for the personnel of the Navy.

To the FLAGS right just to be clear.

[rbeau30]

To the FLAGS right just to be clear.

Ya this!

[Fentonite]

Thanks for the help, fellas.

[Jer]

This is a good question- for clarity it would be like this?:

-----House------
/////porch/////
...X.........V....
.....................
----Street-----
X being the USMC flag, V being the US flag, correct? And pardon my crappy drawing using dashes and slashes.

Actually, this is the proper way for front of your house. The US flag when displayed in public should be on the right. When you have a speaker speaking it should be on speaker's right, audience's left. This is why you always see it on the left when the president speaks. On your house though your US flag should be on the right and your secondary flag (USMC, CO, team, etc.) should be on the left as viewed from the street.

[clublights]

Actually, this is the proper way for front of your house. The US flag when displayed in public should be on the right. When you have a speaker speaking it should be on speaker's right, audience's left. This is why you always see it on the left when the president speaks. On your house though your US flag should be on the right and your secondary flag (USMC, CO, team, etc.) should be on the left as viewed from the street.

Disagree... it's ALWAYS Flag's right not your right.

[Jer]

Disagree... it's ALWAYS Flag's right not your right.

I guess I wouldn't trust the US Dept of Veteran Affairs (http://www.va.gov/opa/publications/celebrate/flagdisplay.pdf) either. Page 3. First diagram. We are talking about displaying it on a similar staff with other flags here, right?

Who's right is it on here?

http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.6758211.1389278672!/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/display_600/image.JPG

I mean it is NJ I'll give you that but my guess is they still want to get something like that right.

[clublights]

I guess I wouldn't trust the US Dept of Veteran Affairs (http://www.va.gov/opa/publications/celebrate/flagdisplay.pdf) either. Page 3. First diagram. We are talking about displaying it on a similar staff with other flags here, right?

Who's right is it on here?

http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.6758211.1389278672!/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/display_600/image.JPG

I mean it is NJ I'll give you that but my guess is they still want to get something like that right.

Your right and the flags right can be the same but are not always the same.

Sorry if the way I said that confused.

but to answer it is on both the flags right and the speakers right.

[Aloha_Shooter]

Yeesh ... c'mon guys, I thought this was answered and put to bed. The U.S. Flag Code (U.S. Code 36) says:


§175. Position and manner of display
The flag, when carried in a procession with another flag or flags, should be either on the marching right; that is, the flag's own right, or, if there is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line.

(a) The flag should not be displayed on a float in a parade except from a staff, or as provided in subsection (i) of this section.
(b) The flag should not be draped over the hood, top, sides, or back of a vehicle or of a railroad train or a boat. When the flag is displayed on a motorcar, the staff shall be fixed firmly to the chassis or clamped to the right fender.
(c) 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, except during church services conducted by naval chaplains at sea, when the church pennant may be flown above the flag during church services for the personnel of the Navy. No person shall display the flag of the United Nations or any other national or international flag equal, above, or in a position of superior prominence or honor to, or in place of, the flag of the United States at any place within the United States or any Territory or possession thereof: Provided, That nothing in this section shall make unlawful the continuance of the practice heretofore followed of displaying the flag of the United Nations in a position of superior prominence or honor, and other national flags in positions of equal prominence or honor, with that of the flag of the United States at the headquarters of the United Nations.
(d) The flag of the United States of America, when it is displayed with another flag against a wall from crossed staffs, should be on the right, the flag's own right, and its staff should be in front of the staff of the other flag.
(e) 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 or localities or pennants of societies are grouped and displayed from staffs.
(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.
(g) When flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be of approximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace.
(h) When the flag of the United States is displayed from a staff projecting horizontally or at an angle from the window sill, balcony, or front of a building, the union of the flag should be placed at the peak of the staff unless the flag is at half staff. When the flag is suspended over a sidewalk from a rope extending from a house to a pole at the edge of the sidewalk, the flag should be hoisted out, union first, from the building.
(i) When displayed either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the union should be uppermost and to the flag's own right, that is, to the observer's left. When displayed in a window, the flag should be displayed in the same way, with the union or blue field to the left of the observer in the street.
(j) When the flag is displayed over the middle of the street, it should be suspended vertically with the union to the north in an east and west street or to the east in a north and south street.
(k) When used on a speaker's platform, the flag, if displayed flat, should be displayed above and behind the speaker. When displayed from a staff in a church or public auditorium, the flag of the United States of America should hold the position of superior prominence, in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor at the clergyman's or speaker's right as he faces the audience. Any other flag so displayed should be placed on the left of the clergyman or speaker or to the right of the audience.
(l) The flag should form a distinctive feature of the ceremony of unveiling a statue or monument, but it should never be used as the covering for the statue or monument.
(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 Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff. The flag shall be flown at half-staff thirty days from the death of the President or a former President; ten 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. As used in this subsection -

(1) the term 'half-staff' means the position of the flag when it is one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff;
(2) the term 'executive or military department' means any agency listed under sections 101 (http://www.usflag.org/uscode36.html#101) and 102 (http://www.usflag.org/uscode36.html#101) of title 5; and
(3) the term 'Member of Congress' means a Senator, a Representative, a Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico.


(n) When the flag is used to cover a casket, it should be so placed that the union is at the head and over the left shoulder. The flag should not be lowered into the grave or allowed to touch the ground.
(o) When the flag is suspended across a corridor or lobby in a building with only one main entrance, it should be suspended vertically with the union of the flag to the observer's left upon entering. If the building has more than one main entrance, the flag should be suspended vertically near the center of the corridor or lobby with the union to the north, when entrances are to the east and west or to the east when entrances are to the north and south. If there are entrances in more than two directions, the union should be to the east.

[balyon885]

I just put in one pole, and fly the US flag with a smaller Army flag under it.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk

[johngraves2]

I wish everyone would read through this to see the US Flag Code: http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30243.pdf


Flatirons Church in Lafayette is now making their standard car sticker with the US flag as the background. It really makes me mad when people use the flag for advertising purposes. I sent them an email citing the code they are violating, specifically Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 8, Paragraphs D, G, and I.

If this upsets you too, you can send them an email as well. You can see the sticker at the top of this page in the background: http://www.flatironschurch.com/workshops/#military

While of course i support them helping out our Veterans and Military members, I really dislike them using the flag in this manor.

[Wulf202]

Those may be fightin words.

I just put in one pole, and fly the US flag with a smaller Army flag under it.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk

[Aloha_Shooter]

I wish everyone would read through this to see the US Flag Code: http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30243.pdf


Flatirons Church in Lafayette is now making their standard car sticker with the US flag as the background. It really makes me mad when people use the flag for advertising purposes. I sent them an email citing the code they are violating, specifically Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 8, Paragraphs D, G, and I.

If this upsets you too, you can send them an email as well. You can see the sticker at the top of this page in the background: http://www.flatironschurch.com/workshops/#military

While of course i support them helping out our Veterans and Military members, I really dislike them using the flag in this manor.

Agreed. Bass Pro has some really cool patriotic shirts but unfortunately they violate the literal reading of the US Flag Code.