Honor the flag today

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

June 15 is U.S. Flag Day and members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10376 marked the occasion by the retiring the flag at the Marble Falls Senior Center, 1200 Seventh Street, and raising a new flag.

Post Commander D.J. Brooker and Post Auxiliary President Judy LaGault organized the presentation to Senior Center President Arnold Holen on the suggestion of Mary Gall, a member both of the auxiliary and the center.

An honor guard of seven veterans posted the colors before a small crowd of center members at 10 a.m. today, Tuesday, June 15.

The new flag was raised and slowly lowered to half mast. The same occured all over the country on order of President Barack Obama in recognition of a period of national mourning for more than 100 victims, 49 of whom died, in the June 12 mass shooting in Orlando, Florida.

Just as following the deaths of former first lady Nancy Reagan on March 6 and Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia on Feb. 13, flags are at half-staff at the White House and all public buildings, military posts, naval stations and vessels, U.S. embassies and consular offices in the U.S. and abroad until June 16. This time, "as a mark of respect for the victims of the act of hatred and terror perpetrated."

The flags were lowered, as well, for the 14 who died and the 22 who were seriously injured in the Dec. 2, 2015, terroristic attack on the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California, and for victims of The Boston Marathon bombing on April 15, 2013, in which three died and another 264 were injured.

Keeping tradition of honor

The traditions of Flag Day are supported by organizations such as the National Flag Day Foundation.

The foundation's brief biography of day is succinct:

On June 14th, 1885, Bernard J. Cigrand, a 19-year-old teacher at Stony Hill School in Waubeka, Wisconsin, placed a 10-inch, 38-star flag in a bottle on his desk then assigned essays on the flag and its significance.

This observance, commemorated Congresse's adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777. It was also the beginning of Cigrand’s long years of fervent and devoted effort to bring about national recognition and observance of Flag Day.

The crowning achievement of his life came at age 50 when President Woodrow Wilson, on May 30, 1916, issued a proclamation calling for a nation wide observance of Flag Day. Then in 1949, President Harry Truman signed an Act Of Congress designating the 14th day of June every year as National Flag Day.

June 15 can be a day to renew the protocol for respect to the flag and with Independence Day just around the corner, it may be time for a review.

Flag Code

According to USAFlag.org, the Flag Code, formalizes and unifies the traditional ways to give respect to the flag. It contains specific instructions on how the flag is not to be used. They are:

• The flag should never be dipped to any person or thing. It is flown upside down only as a distress signal.

• The flag should not be used as a drapery, or for covering a speakers desk, draping a platform, or for any decoration in general. Bunting of blue, white and red stripes is available for these purposes. The blue stripe of the bunting should be on the top.

• The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use. Advertising signs should not be attached to the staff or halyard

• The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations.

• The flag should never have placed on it, or attached to it, any mark, insignia, letter, word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind.

• The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.

• When the flag is lowered, no part of it should touch the ground or any other object; it should be received by waiting hands and arms. To store the flag it should be folded neatly and ceremoniously.

• The flag should be cleaned and mended when necessary.

• When a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner.

Outdoors

The etiquette for displaying the flag outdoors dictates that for a flag displayed from a staff projecting from a window, balcony, or a building, the union should be at the peak of the staff unless the flag is at half staff.

When displayed from the same flagpole with another flag - of a state, community, society or Scout unit - the flag of the United States must always be at the top, except that the church pennant may be flown above the flag during church services for Navy personnel when conducted by a Naval chaplain on a ship at sea.

When the flag is displayed over a street, it should be hung vertically, with the union to the north or east. If the flag is suspended over a sidewalk, the flag's union should be farthest from the building.

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. Other flags may be smaller but none may be larger. No other flag ever should be placed above it.

The flag of the United States is always the first flag raised and the last to be lowered.

When flown with the national banner of other countries, each flag must be displayed from a separate pole of the same height. Each flag should be the same size. They should be raised and lowered simultaneously. The flag of one nation may not be displayed above that of another nation.

The flag should be raised briskly and lowered slowly and ceremoniously.

Ordinarily The U.S. Flag should be displayed only between sunrise and sunset. It should be illuminated if displayed at night.

The flag of the United States of America is saluted as it is hoisted and lowered. The salute is held until the flag is unsnapped from the halyard or through the last note of music, whichever is the longest.

Indoors

When on display indoors, the flag is accorded the place of honor, always positioned to its own right. Place it to the right of the speaker or staging area or sanctuary. Other flags should be to the left.

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, localities, or societies are grouped for display.

When one flag is used with the flag of the United States of America and the staffs are crossed, the flag of the United States is placed on its own right with its staff in front of the other flag.

When displaying the flag against a wall, vertically or horizontally, the flag's union (stars) should be at the top, to the flag's own right, and to the observer's left.

Parading and Saluting

When carried in a procession, the flag should be to the right of the marchers. When other flags are carried, the flag of the United States may be centered in front of the others or carried to their right. When the flag passes in a procession, or when it is hoisted or lowered, all should face the flag and salute.