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Honoring 'Old Glory': Veterans Teach Flag Etiquette

Klint Lowry/SUNCOAST

Bob Corthell. senior vice commander of VFW Post 8681, exchanges a new American Flag for an old one with Mary Giella Elementary School students Dustin Long, left, Nate Munson and Jared Durlak. Along with exchanging flags, Corthell and fellow VFW members came to the school to explain flag history and etiquette.

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By KLINT LOWRY | The Suncoast News

Published: March 11, 2009

Displaying the American flag or images of the flag has been a popular thing to do since 9/11. There is, however, a long list of do's and don'ts when it comes to how and when to fly and handle the flag or use images of the flag - federal law, in fact.

And whether it's out of an innocent lack of knowledge or indifference related to marketing, the explosion of flag imagery in recent years has not been accompanied with respect for flag etiquette.

For those whose respect for the flag includes adherence to the rules, seeing the mistakes people make can be frustrating.

When administrators at Mary Giella Elementary School decided it was time to replace their worn-out American and Florida flags, members of VFW Post 8681 were pleased to accept their invitation to use the occasion to help ensure that these rules make it through to the next generation.

Last Thursday, post members Bob Corthell, Lynn Daffer and Bob Humphrey gathered around the school flag pole with members of the school Safety Patrol and Student Council to trade the old flags for new ones and to give the students a greater understanding and respect for the flag.

"There's nothing better than being able to come out and do something like this for the kids, teaching them flag etiquette," said Corthell, the post's senior vice commander. "A lot of people today don't have the proper respect they should have for our nation's flag."

Sure, you see the Stars and Stripes everywhere, Corthell said, but that's not the same as treating it with proper respect.

"There's too many today that really don't know the proper procedures, and when to fly a flag, when not to fly a flag, how to handle a flag, when it should be displayed and when it shouldn't," he said.

To do his part in rectifying that, Corthell gave the students handouts showing the correct way to display a flag in different situations, in accordance with United States Code Title 4 Chapter 1.

Besides its stars and stripes or its obvious use as a national symbol, the flag represents a good many things, Corthell told the students, not the least of which is a symbol of respect for those who have served their country.

"Every time that we pass a flag we should think about the sacrifices that have been given," he said, particularly those who went off to serve their country and never returned home.

A big part of the presentation was showing the proper way to fold the flag. Fellow VFW officers Humphrey and Daffer demonstrated while Corthell explained.

To fold a flag properly, start by folding it in half lengthwise, then in half again, from bottom to top. Then, starting at the striped end, make a series of diagonal folds. Ideally, when finished, you should have a triangle with only a blue field and stars showing.

Some of the students were curious what would become of their old flag.

"To dispose of the flags, you burn them," Corthell explained.

The post home, at 18940 Drayton St., has a drop box for people who want their old flags disposed of in a proper manner. Once a month, the post has an outdoor fire on which the flags are burned one by one.

"And as we throw the flag into the fire, after each flag, we salute that flag," Corthell said.

After the presentation, teacher Jill Leverich felt like she'd learned a thing or two.

"We didn't know why we fold the flag the way we do," she said. While it wasn't part of any formal class assignment, Leverich said she planned on using the presentation as a starting point to encourage the students to learn more about the points of flag etiquette they didn't know existed.

Flag rules

With few changes, the "Flag Code," United States Code, Title 4, Chapter 1, has been in federal law since 1942.

Although noncompliance is not punishable by law, adherence to the code is considered a matter of respect for the flag and what it represents.

The following are a few key provisions of the code concerning the proper and improper ways to display a flag or flag image:

Outdoors: The flag should always be flown at the top of the flagpole, unless it's being flown at half staff.

If flown with other national flags, they should all be flown from separate poles of the same height, and they should all be about the same size. The flag should only be flown between sunrise and sunset. If it must be flown at night, it should be illuminated at all times.

Indoors: If on a stage, the flag should be positioned on the far left of the stage from the audience's perspective. If displayed with another flag on a wall with crossed staffs, the flag's staff should be on top, with the flag positioned on the viewers' left.

General: The flag should never touch the ground at any time, and should never be dipped to any person or thing.

The flag should never be displayed with the union - the starred blue part - down, except as a signal of dire distress.

The flag should not be used as "wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery" or for any decoration, except for coffins.

The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose or used to decorate anything intended to be discarded after temporary use.

Klint Lowry can be reached at 727-815-1067 or klowry@suncoastnews.com. Klint Lowry can be reached at 727-815-1067 or at klowry@suncoastnews.com.

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