Flag Day Honors United States’ Colors
by Chuck Cannon, U.S. Army Fort Polk Public Affairs Office
August 3, 2018
One of my favorite current television shows is “The Big Bang
Theory.” The main character is Sheldon Cooper, a nerdish, genius
who, among his many quirks, has a fixation on flags, so much so that
he hosts an on-line program called “Sheldon Cooper Presents Fun with
Flags.”
Cooper would probably be especially excited on June
14th ... Flag Day in the United States ... the day we celebrate our
national colors.
Throughout its 240-year life, the colors
have been called the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory and the
Star-Spangled Banner.
 A flag detail folds the American flag as part of a Flag Day ceremony on June 14, 2018, at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. When completely folded, only the stars and the blue field are visible. (U.S. Air Force photo by Paul Shirk)
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On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed the Flag
Resolution that called for the flag to be 13 alternating red and
white stripes, with the union consisting of 13 white stars on a blue
field.
Early flags took different forms, with the most
popular the “Betsy Ross Flag,” consisting of the 13 alternating
stripes and the 13 white stars in a circle on the blue union.
Over the years, the number of stars on the flag have increased
to reflect the number of states in the U.S. Today the flag contains
50 stars.
For the majority of us who serve ... or have served
... in the military, the flag is a symbol of why we served and is
often placed next to the graves of veterans and at war memorials. To
that end, the United States Flag Code was adopted to provide
guidelines for the use, display and disposal of the flag.
Some specific rules concerning the flag include:
• The flag should never be dipped to
any person or thing, unless it is the ensign responding to a salute
from a ship of a foreign nation.
• The flag should never be allowed to
touch the ground.
• If
the flag is flown at night, it must be illuminated.
• If the flag’s edges become tattered
through wear, the flag should be repaired or replaced.
• When a flag is so tattered that
it can no longer serve as a symbol of the U.S., it should be
destroyed in a dignified manner.
The Flag Code
prohibits using the flag for “advertising purposes” and states it
“should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on
articles such as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes or anything
intended to be discarded after temporary use.”
The code also
states the flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding or
drapery, and no part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or
athletic uniform. Also, the flag should never be carried flat or
horizontally, but always aloft and free.
Most of these later
prohibitions are typically ignored, especially at sporting events.
However, even though the Flag Code is U.S. federal law, there is no
penalty for private citizens or groups failing to comply with the
code.
Respect for the flag, therefore, is left up to the
individual.
My first “experience” with Old Glory occurred in
1972 when I went to Washington, D.C. on a 4-H Junior Leadership
seminar. One of our stops was at the monument to the flag-raising on
Iwo Jima. As I watched the flag billowing in the breeze, I was
overcome with a sense of awe at those who placed their lives in
harm’s way to ensure my freedom. Tears began to fall as I thought
about their sacrifice. For the first time, I think I realized there
was more to life than West Monroe, Louisiana.
Today, the flag
still affects me the same way. When I see it, whether in person or
on television, my chest swells with pride and my eyes begin to
sweat. I’m proud to have served under the flag and I’m proud to work
today for those who serve under her.
This Flag Day ... and
every day ... I encourage everyone to honor Old Glory. She’s been
through a lot, and she’ll probably be through a lot more.
Treat her with respect ... she’s earned it.
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