How To Properly Take Care of and Honor Your Flag

For many, the flag is a sign of national pride. We salute it during ceremonies, while serving in the military, and during the national anthem. Without it, we’ll likely forget to memorialize our country and our founding fathers’ strides in making our nation free. So how do we properly take care of and honor our flag? Read on to find out. 

When Do We Honor It?

We honor American Flags during federally implemented events. This can include:

• Independence Day, where we celebrate our nation’s independence from the British monarchy. 
• Memorials Day, in which we honor our fallen comrades and veterans in arms. 
• Veterans day, when we honor our vets who served in the military and went into retirement.
• On Election Day, when our President is elected.
• During the singing of the National Anthem.

All these holidays and events are crucial to when and how we fly our flags, and they each commemorate a meaningful event that alters American society. So, when we see it fly, how should we honor it?

How Do We Honor It?       

We honor the American flag by saluting it when we see it during a parade—especially as a service member—or during a national event where the National Anthem is sung. Another way to honor the flag is to remember your fallen soldiers and check on your veterans whenever you see it fly. Finally, it might be wise to look up the federally mandated Flag Code to determine how to best care for your flag.

How Do We Take Care of It?

We’ll look at a few flag codes to help you determine the best way to take care of your flag while honoring it. It helps to first understand that your flag should never touch the ground. It should be held aloft if possible. While flagpoles can withstand the wind, they aren’t supposed to. You’ll want to lower your flag during inclement weather. If you have a flag out at night, make sure it gets some illumination.

In short, there are many ways we can honor our flag and remember the things our country has endured. Honoring our flag demonstrates patriotism, so ensure that you take care of our flag whenever you have one in your possession.