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Laws and Regulations
Patriotic Customs
Other Flags
Precedence
Exercise – Non Attribution!
◦ Is knowledge of Flag Protocol Important?
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In this photo taken Friday,
Sept. 24, 2010 and released
on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010
by Malacanang Photo Bureau
in Manila, Philippines,
Philippine
President Benigno Aquino III,
right, and U.S. President
Barack Obama attend a news
conference at the WaldorfAstoria Hotel in New York
following the US-ASEAN
meeting. The U.S.
government on Sunday, Sept.
26, 2010 said it made an
'honest mistake' when it
displayed an inverted
Philippine flag, center right,
which wrongfully signified
that the Southeast Asian
nation was in a state of war,
in a meeting hosted by
President Barack Obama
(AP Photo/Malacanang Photo
Bureau, Jay Morales)
Dec 23, 2011
HANOI — Vietnam made an embarrassing gaffe this week when
receiving China's Vice President Xi Jinping, considered the future
number one in Beijing, by displaying Chinese flags bearing one star
too many.
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The trip was designed to improve strained relations that
deteriorated following recent tensions over the disputed South China
Sea.
But on Wednesday, Xi was greeted with flags picturing six stars,
while the official emblem of the People's Republic of China has only
five -- one large yellow star surrounded by four smaller ones.
Organizers at the 2012 London Olympics mistakenly displayed
the South Korean Flag on a jumbo tron before a women’s soccer
game between North Korea and Columbia
 The match against Colombia was delayed for more than an
hour, and organizers apologized for the error
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"If this matter couldn't have been resolved, then I thought
going on is nonsense," coach Sin Ui Gun said through an
interpreter after North Korea won 2-0. "We were angry
because our players were introduced as if they were from
South Korea, which may affect us very greatly as you might
know."
 United
States Code
• Title 4, chapter 1 – flag & seal
• Title 18, chapter 18 – crimes &
punishments
• Title 36, chapter 10 – patriotic
customs and courtesies
 Executive
orders & Presidential
Proclamations
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Formal rules of etiquette
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Universal customs of display
◦ Sunrise to sunset
◦ To the right of all other flags; or
centered and higher; or in front
of all other flags
Patriotic Customs- USC Title 36, Chapter 10
Position and Manner of Display (Section 175)
In a procession with another flag or flags:
When displayed with another flag against a wall
from crossed staffs:
When a number of flags are displayed:
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When flags of States,
cities, or localities,
or pennants of
societies are flown
on the same halyard
with the US Flag, the
US Flag should
always be at the
peak
From a staff projecting from the windowsill,
balcony, or front of a building:
When displayed either horizontally or vertically
against a wall:
When displayed in a public auditorium or from a
staff in a church:
Displayed as Stars and Stripes
When flags of two or more nations are
displayed, they are to be flown from separate
staffs of the same height, and of the same size
Respect for the Flag
How should the US Flag NOT be treated?
• Not used as a covering for anything
except a casket
• Not worn as clothing
• Not be torn or worn
• Used in any manner in which it will be
thrown away
*These are examples and not an inclusive list
USC, Chapter 36,
Section 8g:
"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.”
Section 8 (j): No part
of the flag should
ever be used as a
costume or athletic
uniform…
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Section 8 (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 .
Bunting
State and Territorial Flags
Displayed in order of the date entered the Union
Organizational Flags
Department of Interior
Corporate/
Industry
Department of Commerce
Positional Flags
President of the United States
Vice President
Personal Flags
Miniature Flags
Miniature or table top flags are typically used in meetings or signing
ceremonies especially if involving international guests.
Signing Ceremonies
Preliminary Agreement
Start Treaty
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Appropriate and necessary to display in
precedence order:
• National
• State
• Local Government
• Organizational
• Positional
• Personal
• POW/MIA
US Code, Title 36, Chapter 1, Section 301:
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During rendition of our National Anthem when the flag is displayed, all
those present, except those in uniform, should stand at attention facing
the flag with their right hand over their heart
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Those in uniform should stand at attention
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Men not in uniform should remove their headdress (hat) with their right
hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart
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When out-doors, persons in uniform should render a military salute at
the first note of the anthem and retain this position until the last note
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Whether in-doors or out-doors, if the flag is not displayed, all present
should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if
the flag were displayed there
Logos & Signage
What questions should you ask
or consider when dealing with
corporate logos?
 Nature
of event
 Correct logo
 Size and placement
A person gets from a
symbol the meaning
he or she puts into it.
United States
Supreme Court, 1943
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US Code Titles 4 & 6
Our Flag, 109th Congress, 2nd Session, US
Government Printing Office
National Flag Foundation:
 www.americanflags.org
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Flag Research Center:
 http://www.flagresearchcenter.com
CIA World Fact Book: https://www.cia.gov
EXERCISE
Should be displayed:
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To speaker’s right
To your visual left
Higher than
In front of
Or in the center of all other flags
Displayed as “Stars and Stripes” to the
observer