OT - Flag etiquette question

[JonInMiddleGA]

Okay, since we had the Pledge of Allegiance discussion here, I thought somebody might be able to answer this one too.

Here's the situation:
-- I have one of the "stationary" flags mounted on my front porch.
-- By "stationary", I mean it's mounted directly to a pole that then slides into a little bracket mount by the front door. In other words, it isn't a flag that is "raised and lowered" in the traditional manner.

The question is: What is the proper manner to deal with flying such a flag at half staff (since it can't be raised or lowered)? Does it fly normally? Should it come down altogether (during the half-staff period)? Something else?

I've checked the U.S. Flag Code, I've checked usflag.org, can't find anything even close to this sort of question.

Ideas? Suggestions? {gasp} Rock solid answers?

Thanks in advance,
Jon

[Fritz]

Fly it Jon, just the way it is (just a swag)

[Celeval]

The closest I've found is:

When flown at half-staff, the flag is hoisted to the peak for an instant, then lowered to the half-staff position (half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff). Before the flag is lowered for the day, it is raised again to the top. ... Presidential proclamations set forth the following instructions as to when and for how long the U.S. flag should fly at half-staff: for 30 days from the day of death of the president or a former president of the United States...

Flags flown from fixed staffs are placed at half-staff to indicate mourning. Only by the order of the president may crepe streamers be affixed to flagstaffs or spearheads in a parade.

So, uh, I don't think we have to worry about streamers, but I take that to mean that it 'should' to be half-staff if a fixed flag. If the flag is unable to be fixed at half... er... add another three feet to the top of the flagpole?

[KevinNU7]

No one is gonna light your hosue on fire about it, so leave it be

[korme]

i would

[spleen1015]

Does your mounting bracket have a 45 degree position and parallel to the grounf position?

I have mine at 45 degrees and use the parallel to the ground position when it should be half staff. I don't know if that is right or not. My wife thinks so.

[Castlerock]

Where half-staffing is not appropriate: for indoor and permanently-mounted flags or outdoor flags on very short staffs. It is recommended an older mode of expressing mourning. Attach black ribbons to the flag-staff (above the flag but below the finial). A black ribbon no more than 10% as wide as the flag itself, but twice as long as the flag, can be tied with a knot or bow at its center so that the two resulting parts that hang down are each as long as the flag.

hxxp://www.usflags.com/index.asp?theTree=Flag+Ettiquette%3BMain+Content

[JonInMiddleGA]

A friend of mine who happened to call while I was pondering all this pointed me to this link (you half to scroll down to the very bottom to see the reference)
http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/flaghalf.html

Basically, it points out the same thing someone mentioned here earlier:
"Specifically I have been recommending US AR 840-10, 2-4 Position and Manner of Display, section(4)paragraph h Placed in mourning. "Flags carried by troops will not be placed in mourning unless ordered by the President or the secretary of the Army. When so ordered a streamer of black crepe 7 feet long and 1 foot wide will be to the staff at the center of the streamer immediately below the spearhead of the US flag and the organizational flag. (See fig. 2-9)" Figure 2-9 shows the streamer tied into a bow.

If black crepe or ribbon is unavailable in that length and with then I've been recommending black ribbon of sufficient length and width so as to be easily seen and understood as a mourning cravat.

That's unofficial, but it seems to make pretty good sense to me.

Thanks to all who tried to help, it was just one of those things that was bugging me.

[Fritz]

Does your mounting bracket have a 45 degree position and parallel to the grounf position?

I have mine at 45 degrees and use the parallel to the ground position when it should be half staff. I don't know if that is right or not. My wife thinks so.


Normaly dipping a flag is a salute. A carried US flag is not dipped, so I would not mount one in the lower positon. That was my thought earlier anyhow.

[HornedFrog Purple]

Not to go off on a tangent but people who leave ripped up, tattered flags still hanging drive me nuts. Same thing with the little flags on the antennas. :mad: