Flag etiquette, sailors and women

[Arwen]

One of the first things sailors are taught is flag etiquette. The rules are different for sailors, and many of the basic points of etiquette are not understood by civilians.

Here are a few of the "flag rules" sailors learn. Please help your sailor follow them.

During the National Anthem, sailors must stand at attention and salute the flag. They do NOT put their hand on their heart, or remove their hat. If indoors, they stand at attention and may NOT put their hand on their heart. Sailors also may not recite the Pledge of Allegiance while in uniform, they are required to stand at attention, silently. I have heard/seen soldiers and sailors being yelled at for breaking the civilian traditions surrounding the flag. Please let them honor the flag while in uniform as they were taught.

Your sailor will be required to salute any flag they pass, beginning three steps before they reach the flag, and three steps after. That means ANY U.S. flag, including those in front of banks, private displays, any U.S. flag you may walk buy as you accompany them on liberty. Make sure you walk on their left and do not ask them to carry anything in their right hand, as they must be ready and able to salute a flag (or an officer) at a moment's notice.

Do NOT wear the flag in any form of clothing. That means a shirt styled to look like the flag, or featuring stars and stripes, as if made from a flag. Do not wear a sweater with an embroidered flag, and especially a shirt or sweatshirt with a flag print. All of those forms of wear are considered disrespectful as you drip food on them, wash them, wear them out and eventually throw them away. If you must wear a flag of some sort, wear a flag pin or broach.

And when you entertain, never, ever use flag-decorated tableware, including napkins, plates, etc. If it's not right to wear the flag on your clothes, just thing about the disrespect in putting food on the flag (on a plate) and wiping your face with the flag (on a napkin)!

Ladies, do not remove your hat during the National Anthem. Only men are to remove their hat. This is one of the most universally misunderstood points of flag etiquette. This rule goes back to the days when women pinned their hats into their hair and could not remove and replace a hat easily. The wearing of women's hats has changed, but the etiquette has not.

Thank you.

[Arwen]

The military etiquette I was taught in boot in the 1980s, and the civilian etiquette (and how it differs from military form) and the history of civilian etiquette is from my years as a Girl Scout leader and other similar training.

I may sound like an old lady, but no one teaches kids anything anymore. These used to be things every young person was supposed to learn.

[Arwen]

Finally I found some of the pertinent regulations. I wasn't even looking for them of course. I stumbled across them on the Navy while trying to find something else.

http://www.persnet.navy.mil/CommandSupport/USNavyUniforms/UniformRe...

5. DISPLAY AND USE OF THE FLAG. (Title 36 U.S. Code Sec. 0176 refers)

a. Never fasten, display, use, or store the flag where it could be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in anyway.

b. The flag should never have placed upon it, or have attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing.

c. Never use the flag for advertising. It should not be embroidered on cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or reproduced on paper napkins, boxes or anything that is disposable or used as part of a costume or athletic uniform.

[Arwen]

I was taught that "disposable" items includes t-shirts and similar objects, because when it's worn out it is thrown away. So unless Also, while wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with a flag it's easy to drop food items on it and stain the flag. T-shirts age, and the flag on them becomes tattered.

Under United States penal code Title 36, Chapter 10. “During a rendition of the national anthem… (B) men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold the headdress at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart…”

Note, it specifically says "men."

According to all the hat etiquette I could find, including "Miss Manners" and similar, unless a woman is wearing a man's hat (ie a baseball cap) the hat stays on.

Ladies, however, keep their hats on indoors, everywhere except their own houses. If it's a formal hat, even during the National Anthem, a woman would not remove her hat. What if the woman and man are both wearing baseball caps? Does it make sense that only the man takes off his headgear during the National Anthem? Probably not, Miss Manners suggests. Without the traditional ladies' hat, she wrote, "you cannot claim the ladies' exemption."

[Anti M]

I would think that a female in uniform might not fall within the realm of "ladies" as far as hats go.

LOL.

But I never buy napkins or anything printed with flags. The tattered old flags I see on cars drive me crazy.

[Arwen]

This is about rules to follow while in civilian clothes. As we all know the rules are severely different for members of the military while in uniform.

Also, a few years ago the rules changed for veterans. As long as a veteran is covered (wearing a hat) s/he may salute instead of putting their hand over their heart. I wonder if it matters if it's a men's hat or ladies' hat, LOL. I think at this point the etiquette starts getting too confusing. Where's Miss Manners when you need her?

[EMC (SS)]

All Navy flag requirements are found in the NTP 13 (B) Navy Flag, Pennants and Customs Manual. The link is below.

http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/images/ntp13b.pdf

216. SALUTING THE FLAG
During the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the national flag or when the flag is passing in a parade, all persons present shall face the flag, stand at attention and salute. Those in uniform shall render the military salute. Other men shall remove the headdress, holding it at the left shoulder with the right hand over the heart. Men without hats and women should salute by placing the right hand over the heart. Salutes to the flag in a moving column are rendered at the moment the flag passes.

217. WITH THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
When the national anthem is played and the national flag is displayed all shall salute as specified in paragraph 216. holding the salute through the last note of the national anthem. When the national anthem is played and the national flag is not displayed, all shall face the music and salute as specified in paragraph 216. holding the salute through the last note of the national anthem. The same mark of respect, as specified above, prescribed for the national anthem of the United States, shall be shown during the playing of a foreign national anthem.

218. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Naval personnel in uniform but uncovered or in civilian clothes shall render the pledge of allegiance to the flag by facing the flag and standing at attention with the right hand over the heart. Personnel in uniform and covered shall render the military salute. The pledge of allegiance is as follows: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

I hope this clarifies any misunderstandings from the above discussion.
V/R,
EMC (SS)

[EMC (SS)]

The civilian clothing and advertising doesn't fall under the Navy Manual. Instead it is part of US Title Code: Title 4 Chapter 1 - The Flag. Then you go to Section 8 (there are 10 sections in all).

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/uscode04/usc_sup_01_4_10_1.html

TITLE 4 > CHAPTER 1 > § 8
§ 8. Respect for flag
No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America; the flag should not be dipped to any person or thing. Regimental colors, State flags, and organization or institutional flags are to be dipped as a mark of honor.
(a) The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.
(b) The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.
(c) The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.
(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker’s desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.
(e) The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.
(f) The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.
(g) The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.
(h) The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
(i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown.
(j) No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.
(k) The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.

[Casey~ Ryan's Wife, Nuke ELT MM2]

Thank you EMC

and thank you, Arwen, for creating a discussion concerned with the correct ways of addressing and decorating with the flag.