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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My question is why are the stars always displayed on the wrong side, the right side. The stars should be displayed on the left side of the flag. I know since we were engaged in these endless wars in the Middle East it has been like that. They said it has to do with our country on the move therefore when the flag is moving the stars move to the right. ???
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
Yes, the Union (blue field with white stars) is always moving forward, thus when worn on the right shoulder, the Union faces forward, to the right. Our Flag doesn't retreat, so the Union should not be facing rearward.
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CW3 Walter Goerner
Know the flag protocol. That explanation you gave doesn't follow it. This started during the first Iraq war. There is no protocol for having a dismounted flag from a flag staff allowing the U.S. flag's blue field other than being on the left side when displayed. It's supposed to be on the left side always, whether worn on the left shoulder or right. That's the correct way. It always has been from conflicts dating back to WWI where U.S. troops were ordered to wear the U.S. flag on their uniforms to distinguish them from other foreign troops that wore similiar uniforms. Look at some of the old newsreels from WWII and you can see. You never wondered? What about our military aircraft that display a U.S. flag on the tails....both sides....on the right side, are they going backwards? To make sure that you want the flag being displayed correctly to give the appearance of going forward as if on a flag staff, it should have been displayed on the left shoulder. We should be doing it right for our flag and in accordance with flag protocol.
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It is in full color to give the guy that is trying to kill you something to shoot at.
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subdued Flag should be worn by all members of all the services while in basic utilities
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SPC Thomas Kosakowski
We wore jungle fatigues, just rank and division displayed on utilities. We wore "baseball style" covers with rank only.
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When they added the flag to bdu's...not so smart as it was sewn on. On acu's...it takes two seconds to change a velcro patch...wheres the problem?
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I'm sure someone has answered this.
Colored flags are for CONUS weer. While deployed and in hostile territory, we ear the subdued ones. I was a Medic in an Infantry unit for most of my time. We would take off those patches as it would be harder to ID personal soldiers and ranking soldiers while outside of the wire.
Soldiers have worn things to ID them specifically and by company/regiment/etc. The Romans were quite colorful in their garb. Tradition is also a big thing with the military and something we shouldn't give up. Can we alter things as to be more efficient while deployed? Of course.
Colored flags are for CONUS weer. While deployed and in hostile territory, we ear the subdued ones. I was a Medic in an Infantry unit for most of my time. We would take off those patches as it would be harder to ID personal soldiers and ranking soldiers while outside of the wire.
Soldiers have worn things to ID them specifically and by company/regiment/etc. The Romans were quite colorful in their garb. Tradition is also a big thing with the military and something we shouldn't give up. Can we alter things as to be more efficient while deployed? Of course.
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I am a retired staff Sergeant I love seeing the flag on our uniforms the whole flag I think everybody should wear them it's sharing our country and I'm not ashamed of my uniform or my country
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If you look at most other allied countries, they wear their full color patch, albeit a lot smaller. Much like putting rank on the center of our chest, I believe this was to fall in line with our partner nations. It might also be some nostalgia when US troops invaded Europe in WWII, we had those ginormous american flags to prevent fratricide. Take your pick. I'd rather have the IR patch myself.
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I think a more useful question is why the Army still wears the thing backwards instead of just putting it on the other arm so it can still be "waving in the wind"
There's not usually a lot of confusion about which country our uniforms represent.
There's not usually a lot of confusion about which country our uniforms represent.
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