The Stars & Stripes

Lanesra · 03-06-2002, 08:50 AM

Can anybody tell me why the US flag worn on the arms of US military personell is reversed,IE with the blue portion in the top right hand corner and not the top left as it should be.
I noticed this on some tv footage from Germany yesterday.

Cheers for any help

Larry_OHF · 03-06-2002, 11:50 AM

I have always wondered that!
I look forward to the answer.

Sir Taliesin · 03-06-2002, 12:36 PM

The flags are massed produced and are really made to be worn on the left shoulder. That is also the shoulder that soldiers must wear their unit patch (i.e. the 101st Air Assualt Division wears the eagle on their left shoulder). A combat veteran is granted the privilage of wearing the patch of the unit he or she served in combat with, on his right shoulder (I wore the castle of the 20th Engineer Brigade from Fort Bragg). They may wear this patch all the time, regardless of what unit he or she is in. During combat a soldier will wear the flag in place of the combat patch.

It's a little confusing, I guess to non-military people. BTW as far as I know, we didn't start wearing the U.S. Flag patch until the Gulf War. Part of the reason, was because some many countries now wear the same uniform as the US. It was a way to quickly identify friend or foe.

They also make a subdued US flag that is green and black. That's to keep the enemy from siting in on the flag which is easily seen from a distance.

Probably a whole lot more info than you wanted to know. Sorry.

03-06-2002, 12:45 PM

Good Post Sir T. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Donut · 03-07-2002, 05:09 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Sir Taliesin:
The flags are massed produced and are really made to be worn on the left shoulder. That is also the shoulder that soldiers must wear their unit patch (i.e. the 101st Air Assualt Division wears the eagle on their left shoulder). A combat veteran is granted the privilage of wearing the patch of the unit he or she served in combat with, on his right shoulder (I wore the castle of the 20th Engineer Brigade from Fort Bragg). They may wear this patch all the time, regardless of what unit he or she is in. During combat a soldier will wear the flag in place of the combat patch.

It's a little confusing, I guess to non-military people. BTW as far as I know, we didn't start wearing the U.S. Flag patch until the Gulf War. Part of the reason, was because some many countries now wear the same uniform as the US. It was a way to quickly identify friend or foe.

They also make a subdued US flag that is green and black. That's to keep the enemy from siting in on the flag which is easily seen from a distance.

Probably a whole lot more info than you wanted to know. Sorry.

The point that Lanesra is making is that on the Stars and Stripes the stars are traditionally in the top left hand corner but the flags on the arms of the soldiers have the stars in the top right hand corner.

AzureWolf · 03-07-2002, 05:59 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Donut:

The point that Lanesra is making is that on the Stars and Stripes the stars are traditionally in the top left hand corner but the flags on the arms of the soldiers have the stars in the top right hand corner.

But Sir T has already answered that point [img]tongue.gif[/img]

The fact that the flags are mass produced to be worn on the left shoulder, means that when the occasion arises when they wear them on their right shoulder they use the left shoulder badges and thus they are the wrong way round [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Donut · 03-07-2002, 06:07 AM

quote:
Originally posted by AzureWolf:

But Sir T has already answered that point [img]tongue.gif[/img]

The fact that the flags are mass produced to be worn on the left shoulder, means that when the occasion arises when they wear them on their right shoulder they use the left shoulder badges and thus they are the wrong way round [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Oh - I see!

AzureWolf · 03-07-2002, 06:24 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Donut:

Oh - I see!

Why do I feel like I am being made a fool of?

Epona · 03-07-2002, 06:49 AM

quote:
Originally posted by AzureWolf:

Why do I feel like I am being made a fool of?

Surely the flag would be the right way round whichever shoulder it's worn on? If they are made with the stars in the right place, you can sew it on either shoulder and the stars are still in the right place - they haven't moved relative to the stripes. Unless they were sewn on face down that is.
Ach, now I'm confused. Brain can't cope with the geometry of rectangles this early.

Donut · 03-07-2002, 08:02 AM

quote:
Originally posted by AzureWolf:

Why do I feel like I am being made a fool of?

Not at all. I really didn't see it at first.

03-06-2002, 12:36 PM	#3
Sir Taliesin Silver Dragon Join Date: March 4, 2001 Location: Knoxville, TN USA Age: 61 Posts: 1,641	The flags are massed produced and are really made to be worn on the left shoulder. That is also the shoulder that soldiers must wear their unit patch (i.e. the 101st Air Assualt Division wears the eagle on their left shoulder). A combat veteran is granted the privilage of wearing the patch of the unit he or she served in combat with, on his right shoulder (I wore the castle of the 20th Engineer Brigade from Fort Bragg). They may wear this patch all the time, regardless of what unit he or she is in. During combat a soldier will wear the flag in place of the combat patch. It's a little confusing, I guess to non-military people. BTW as far as I know, we didn't start wearing the U.S. Flag patch until the Gulf War. Part of the reason, was because some many countries now wear the same uniform as the US. It was a way to quickly identify friend or foe. They also make a subdued US flag that is green and black. That's to keep the enemy from siting in on the flag which is easily seen from a distance. Probably a whole lot more info than you wanted to know. Sorry. __________________ Sir Taliesin<br /><br />Hello... Good bye.

03-07-2002, 05:09 AM	#5
Donut Jack Burton Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Airstrip One Age: 40 Posts: 5,571	quote: Originally posted by Sir Taliesin: The flags are massed produced and are really made to be worn on the left shoulder. That is also the shoulder that soldiers must wear their unit patch (i.e. the 101st Air Assualt Division wears the eagle on their left shoulder). A combat veteran is granted the privilage of wearing the patch of the unit he or she served in combat with, on his right shoulder (I wore the castle of the 20th Engineer Brigade from Fort Bragg). They may wear this patch all the time, regardless of what unit he or she is in. During combat a soldier will wear the flag in place of the combat patch. It's a little confusing, I guess to non-military people. BTW as far as I know, we didn't start wearing the U.S. Flag patch until the Gulf War. Part of the reason, was because some many countries now wear the same uniform as the US. It was a way to quickly identify friend or foe. They also make a subdued US flag that is green and black. That's to keep the enemy from siting in on the flag which is easily seen from a distance. Probably a whole lot more info than you wanted to know. Sorry. The point that Lanesra is making is that on the Stars and Stripes the stars are traditionally in the top left hand corner but the flags on the arms of the soldiers have the stars in the top right hand corner. __________________ [img]\"http://www.wheatsheaf.freeserve.co.uk/roastspurs.gif\" alt=\" - \" /> <br />Proud member of the Axis of Upheaval<br />Official Titterer of the Laughing Hyenas<br />Josiah Bartlet - the best President the US never had.<br />The 1st D in the D & D Show

03-07-2002, 05:59 AM	#6
AzureWolf 20th Level Warrior Join Date: May 3, 2001 Location: . Age: 40 Posts: 2,762	quote: Originally posted by Donut: The point that Lanesra is making is that on the Stars and Stripes the stars are traditionally in the top left hand corner but the flags on the arms of the soldiers have the stars in the top right hand corner. But Sir T has already answered that point [img]tongue.gif[/img] The fact that the flags are mass produced to be worn on the left shoulder, means that when the occasion arises when they wear them on their right shoulder they use the left shoulder badges and thus they are the wrong way round [img]tongue.gif[/img]

03-07-2002, 06:07 AM	#7
Donut Jack Burton Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Airstrip One Age: 40 Posts: 5,571	quote: Originally posted by AzureWolf: But Sir T has already answered that point [img]tongue.gif[/img] The fact that the flags are mass produced to be worn on the left shoulder, means that when the occasion arises when they wear them on their right shoulder they use the left shoulder badges and thus they are the wrong way round [img]tongue.gif[/img] Oh - I see! __________________ [img]\"http://www.wheatsheaf.freeserve.co.uk/roastspurs.gif\" alt=\" - \" /> <br />Proud member of the Axis of Upheaval<br />Official Titterer of the Laughing Hyenas<br />Josiah Bartlet - the best President the US never had.<br />The 1st D in the D & D Show

03-07-2002, 06:24 AM	#8
AzureWolf 20th Level Warrior Join Date: May 3, 2001 Location: . Age: 40 Posts: 2,762	quote: Originally posted by Donut: Oh - I see! Why do I feel like I am being made a fool of?

03-06-2002, 08:50 AM	#1
Lanesra Symbol of Cyric Join Date: March 29, 2001 Location: Twititania, Europe Age: 63 Posts: 1,221	Can anybody tell me why the US flag worn on the arms of US military personell is reversed,IE with the blue portion in the top right hand corner and not the top left as it should be. I noticed this on some tv footage from Germany yesterday. Cheers for any help

03-06-2002, 11:50 AM	#2
Larry_OHF Ironworks Moderator Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Midlands, South Carolina Age: 48 Posts: 14,759	I have always wondered that! I look forward to the answer.

03-06-2002, 12:45 PM	#4
MagiK Guest Posts: n/a	Good Post Sir T. [img]smile.gif[/img]

03-07-2002, 06:49 AM	#9
Epona Zartan Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: London, England Age: 53 Posts: 5,164	quote: Originally posted by AzureWolf: Why do I feel like I am being made a fool of? Surely the flag would be the right way round whichever shoulder it's worn on? If they are made with the stars in the right place, you can sew it on either shoulder and the stars are still in the right place - they haven't moved relative to the stripes. Unless they were sewn on face down that is. Ach, now I'm confused. Brain can't cope with the geometry of rectangles this early. __________________ [img]\"http://www.wizardrealm.com/images/epona.gif\" alt=\" - \" />

03-07-2002, 08:02 AM	#10
Donut Jack Burton Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Airstrip One Age: 40 Posts: 5,571	quote: Originally posted by AzureWolf: Why do I feel like I am being made a fool of? Not at all. I really didn't see it at first. __________________ [img]\"http://www.wheatsheaf.freeserve.co.uk/roastspurs.gif\" alt=\" - \" /> <br />Proud member of the Axis of Upheaval<br />Official Titterer of the Laughing Hyenas<br />Josiah Bartlet - the best President the US never had.<br />The 1st D in the D & D Show

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