Posted on Jan 17, 2020
Why is the U.S. Army the only branch that wears the full-color U.S. Flag?
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I've consistently wondered why the U.S. Army is the only branch that wears the full-color U.S. Flag patch on the combat uniform. Marines don't wear anything on their combat uniform, but Navy and Air Force both wear the subdued U.S. Flag patch on theirs. AR 670-1 Ch 19-18 states "All soldiers will wear the full-color U.S. Flag embroidered insignia utility and organizational uniforms, unless deployed or in a field environment. Soldiers will wear the subdued tactical flag insignia while deployed or in a field environment." While I understand the regulation, it seems to me that wearing the subdued flag insignia would make more sense because it matches the uniform pattern. What are your thoughts? PFC (Join to see) SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" LTC Stephen F. CPL Dave Hoover SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SSG (Join to see) Capt Dwayne Conyers CPT Jack Durish SGT Ben Keen CPT (Join to see)
American Flag
Uniforms
Soldiers
DA Pam 670-1
Army Regulations
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 89
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It definitely made us stand out during African Lion.. smoking outside the hotel when a bus full of tourists pulled up and immediately knew I was American. About 50 phones were clocking away as I tried to run inside and hide my nationality lol
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Because the Army bought a whole bunch of Full Color Flags and needs to use them.
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I wore the U.S. flag on my left shoulder when I served with ACE Mobile Force in Germany. It was a multinational brigade that conducted combined operations with NATO oversight, so everyone wore the flag of their country. When the Army directed the wear of the U.S. Flag on the right shoulder, I assumed it was an acknowledgement of the Army's commitment to the conduct of combined operations with it's various international partners. The Army has since reduced the emphasis of combined operations.
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Federal codes does not address the flag patch. Some of the services place the flag"s canton over our left shoulder. The army has a regulation that places the canton over the right shoulder.
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It's because of the "swamp gasses" that surround the "Not-Square" building in Arlington, Virginia.
Hmmmmm; Didn't having the US Flag added to the uniform happen around the time General Shinseki was Chief of Staff of the Army? I know he decided to eliminate many of the tracked combat vehicles from inventory and then there was the "Black Beret" controversy, hmmmm… Maybe the Army side of the "Not-Square" building thinks wearing the flag on the Uniform will keep Army soldiers from shooting each other in a firefight, maybe; something to ponder.
My first Uniform with the Flag requirement was the Chocalate Chips issued for the MFO assignment in '89. So...…
Yes, I blame it on the "Not all there Not Square" building in Arlington VA.
Hmmmmm; Didn't having the US Flag added to the uniform happen around the time General Shinseki was Chief of Staff of the Army? I know he decided to eliminate many of the tracked combat vehicles from inventory and then there was the "Black Beret" controversy, hmmmm… Maybe the Army side of the "Not-Square" building thinks wearing the flag on the Uniform will keep Army soldiers from shooting each other in a firefight, maybe; something to ponder.
My first Uniform with the Flag requirement was the Chocalate Chips issued for the MFO assignment in '89. So...…
Yes, I blame it on the "Not all there Not Square" building in Arlington VA.
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SSG Dave Johnston
CW5 Mark Smith - So was I between; '06 and '07 under 10 USC 1176(Sanctuary) assigned to G-1 HRC, 200 Stovall ST Alexandria, Va. For what ever reason they could not find me an assignment west of the Mississippi. And my retirement(Ft. Livingroom) was in Colorado Springs, Co. Go figure... Did walk around with marbles just to show people I had mine.
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
U.S. Flags were worn with Woodland camo uniforms during Panama and Grenada. At the time, the U.S. Flag was sewn below any SSI/FWTS on the right shoulder, ONLY when a unit was deployed to a combat operation or theater of operations. The uniform regulation then changed to place the U.S. Flag above the unit patch (SSI/FWTS) as by Flag Code, nothing else should be placed above the Flag.
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SSG Dave Johnston
See; the "not-square" building in Arlington Va., being affected by swamp-gases from the Potomac river/swamp wanted to insure that American GI Joes, would not shoot other American GI Joes, because the uniforms worn by the Panama Military and Granada Military looked soooooooo different from American soldiers
That or the Dept. Army didn't trust the Dept. Navy to inform its Marines what the US Army Woodland Camouflage uniform looked like and ????
That or the Dept. Army didn't trust the Dept. Navy to inform its Marines what the US Army Woodland Camouflage uniform looked like and ????
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SSG Dave Johnston
SSG(P) (Join to see) - See; the "not-square" building in Arlington Va., being affected by swamp-gases from the Potomac river/swamp wanted to insure that American GI Joes, would not shoot other American GI Joes, because the uniforms worn by the Panama Military and Granada Military looked soooooooo different from American soldiers
That or the Dept. Army didn't trust the Dept. Navy to inform its Marines what the US Army Woodland Camouflage uniform looked like and ????
That or the Dept. Army didn't trust the Dept. Navy to inform its Marines what the US Army Woodland Camouflage uniform looked like and ????
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I'm use to AR-76-1 for dress uniforms, I did 3 1/2 years in Junior Reserved Officer Training Corps in High School
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This falls in line with the Army requiring that everyone's rifle be painted black rather than camouflaged.
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The nation is at war and will be for the foreseeable future. As an expeditionary Army, our Soldiers' commitment to fight and win our Nation's War, at home and abroad is best exemplified by permenantly wearing the U.S. Flag insignia on the utility uniforms.
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