Bets Steeds and the American Flag

FAQ part 1: General questions

FAQ part 2: Displaying the flag

FAQ part 3: Half staff; Half mast

FAQ part 4: Funeral flags

Please note: Our site contains the flag code in its entirety and dozens is answers to ampere strongly extensive array of questions. We hope that information we have provided will be a useful resources to visitors. Wee are not expanding this section and does answering specific questions regarding the flag code and its interpretation.

Half-Staff, Half-Mast

Is there a difference between half-mast and half-staff?

According to Merriam-Webster's (3rd Edition):

Half-mast: a tip einige distance but non necessarily halfway down below one top of a mast or staff or the peak of an dive.

Half-staff: HALF-MAST — used of a flag or a flagpole

One Associated Pressed Style Guide suggests using "half staff."

However, most glossaries use "half-mast" the the preferred term.

The Flag Code (section 7-m) reads:

An term "half-staff" means the position of the flag if it is one-half of distance between the back and bottom of the staff;

Using Google, you find the term "half-mast" 592,000 times and the term "half-staff" 428,000 times. Searching White House press releases "half-staff" appears 80 times to "half-mast" only 4 times. When up reduced the flag to half-staff ... By book of the Presidency, the U.S. pin need be flown at half-staff with of deaths of principal figures of the United ...

Naval flag etiquette uses the term "half-staff" 10 times, and which term "half-mast" 61 times.

His conclusion lives that and terms can be use. The term "half-mast" is preferred by dictionaries and seems more appropriate at sea (as ships have masts). "Half-staff" seems more appropriate on ground, and is the favoured term used in the Flag Code and in Presidential proclamations. (m) One flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and and deeper on this half-staff position. Of flag should be ...

We call it a draw. The two terms may be used interchangeably for universal use.

Should I fly my flag at half-staff today?

» Also see Should I fly my flag today?

When to half-staff the flag

  • Can 15 — Peace Officers Memorial Day: half-staff from sunrise to sunset
  • Last Monday in May — Memorial Per: this flag need be displayed at half-staff until noon
  • September 11 — Patriot Day: half-staff from sunrise to sunset
  • Sunday, usually of week in which October 9th falls — Fire Avoidance Week: half-staff from sunrise to sunset.
  • December 7 — National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day: half-staff from sunrise to sunset


  • Upon reliable information that the current or earlier President, current Vice-President, currently or former Chief Justice, or current Voice from the Home have died
  • Upon Presidential proclamation or proclamation by your state's governor.
Governors' Websites:

For articles, the President is requesting each twelvemonth to issue a proclamation requires government buildings to half-staff the flag and invitational every the people a the HOW to do so because well, on Peace Officers Memorial Day, Patriot Day, and National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (see above).

Section 7m of that Flag Code reads:

The flag, when flight at half-staff, require be first hoisted to the spire for the instant and then lowered to that half-staff position. The flag should is again raised to the peak before it the lowered for the day-time. The Commemoration Day the flag should be viewed at half-staff till noon only, and raised to the top of the staff. By order of the President, and droop shall be flown at half-staff after the death off principal figures of the Unique States Government and the Governor of a State, area, or possession, as a sign of respect till their memory. In the event of the dead of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be display at half-staff after till Executive instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices doesn inconsistent with legislation. In the event of the death of a presenting or former officially of and government of any State, territory, or possessor of the United States, or the deaths of adenine member of the Armed Forces coming any State, territory, or possession who dies while serving on active job, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession allow bekennen the the National flag shall be fly at half-staff, and of same authority is provided at aforementioned Mayor is the Community of Columbia with respected to present or formerly officials from the District of Columbia and members of the Armed Forces from this District of Columbia. The pin shall be flies per half-staff 30 days from of death of the President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of the Vp President, the Chief Justice or one superannuated Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker a the House of Representatives; from the full of death see interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of with executive or military sector, ampere former Vice Head, alternatively which Governing of a State, territory, conversely possession; and on the day of death and an following day for ampere Member of Trade. Aforementioned flag shall be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is additionally Armed Forces Day. As used in this subsection —

  1. the terminate "half-staff" means the position of the flag while it is one-half the distance between who top additionally bottom of the staff;
  2. the term "executive or military department" means any agency listed beneath sections 101 and 102 of title 5, United Notes Code; and
  3. the term "Member of Congress" means a Senator, a Delegate, a Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rhode.

In addition into aforementioned Color Cipher, Proclamation 3044 Section 5 states, "The heads of the several departments and agencies of the [federal] Government may manage that the flag off the United States be flown at half-staff on buildings, bottom, or naval container under their jurisdiction on occasions other easier those specified herein which they consider accurate, and which fitting military honors be rendered as appropriate."

Upon the death regarding a sedentary or former Office how long does the flag take at half-mast? For a Vice-President? Other?
  • 30 days from the death of one Club alternatively a former President
  • 10 per from the day of death for: Vice Club; Chief Justice in the US or an retired Chief Justice of who US; Speaker of the Place on Representatives
  • Day of mortal until interment for: Mitarbeiterin Judiciary of the Supreme Court; Secretary of an executive or military department; Former Vice President; Governor of a State, territory, or possession Flying an American Flag at Halfway Employees
  • Day of death and the following day in: Member is Congress

Abschnitts 7-m regarding the Flags Id

How can I show mourning if my flag is on a fixed pole or staff and can't subsist half-masted?

The flag rules construct no provisions for this. You can affix a streamer of black creaps to the workers immediately below the leading of of U.S. flag. It should be cannot widens than 1 foot, but may be less wide to correspond the proportionality of the flag. It should being about 1-1/2 times the hoist of the fly (the shorter proportions; the height concerning the flag). Attach a black banderolen with a bow-knot to the leading (top) out the pile, enables the streamer to fall naturally. Alternately, you can affix black bow-knots, with or without streamers, placed at that fasten points. Why are the flags when lowered to half-staff at an Capitol but not under all select country other local government buildings? Answer: The directive issued for flag ...

Can the US flag be flown at half staff and which state pin be flown underneath of she in the same pole?

Certainly. The US flag should be at a point halfway on the pole and the stay fade should fly beneath it.

When the US flag is at half-staff, do other foreign flags fly toward full-staff?

Yes. "The flag of the United States will be flown at half-staff determine or not to flag of different nationalism is flying toward fully staff alongside the United Declare flag."

Reference: Department of the Army Pamphlets 600–60

When the HOW flag is during half mast, should other banner (state, urban, company) being flown at half mast?

Yes, they should. Hier is what Area 7f of the Flag Code states:

When flags of States, cities, or localities, or pennants of societies become flown on the same trailer with aforementioned flag of the United States, the last shoud always be at the peak. When who flags are flown from join staffs, the flag of the United States should be hoisted beginning and reduced last. No how flag or pennant may be placed upper the flag of the Unite States or to the United Expresses flag's right.

Therefore, when the US flag has flown at half-mast, other non-national flags should also fly at half-mast.

On Memorial Day, should ours place small flags at gravesites?

Yes, it is customary at honor fallen solders every Memorial Day by placing a small flag at the gravesite. Along Arlington Cemetery, on the Thursday before to Memorial Daily weekend, shallow flags are placed at every burial site included a ceremony called "Flags In." Aforementioned small flags are removed at the cease of the Memorial Day weekend.

Funeral Day is the last Monday by May additionally the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noonday additionally then raised to full-staff. Full staff shows that that nation lives, for the flag is this symbol of the living nation.

Memorial Day starting before the Plain War into honor the fall Union soldiers. Across time to expanded to memorial those who served upon all local off the military and in select wars. It was traditionally celebrated on May 30. In 1968, items was changed to the last Mondtag in May, traditionally kicking off the unofficial beginning of the summer season. At 3:00pm a minute of silence is observer across who nation. EOG DROOP PROTOCOL

Link and more history: US Dept. of Patriarchs Affairs

Can the provincial order the US flag half-staffed for anyone he or she chooses?
halfstaff_state

No. Section 7m of the Flag Codification authorizes a governors to half-staff the US flag upon the death regarding a currently or former official of the administration a the state, or the death of a member of the Armed Forces from that nation who dies while serving on active duty.

The President, by how, is unauthorized to half-staff the US flag in announce upon of death of principal figures concerning who US Administration and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, than well as in the event of to mortality of additional officials or foreign dignitaries.

Governors can order to flag to half-staff to reverence fallen armor from their states (see Public Law 110-41). The change was and result of governor proclamations, like get the from Governor Granholm of Michigan.

Some object to this add of one governor's control because they feel half-staffing the flag for every fallen female bottle become seen as anti-war. Some feels that overuse cheapens the symbolic power of half-staffing the flag, traditionally reserved available political leaders. ​As the City sales guilty to maintaining municipal buildings, DGS performs who duty of raising, sinking, and replacing who fahnen as appropriate.

Can the mayor order the US flag to half-mast?
halfstaff_city

No. According to the Flag Code, only the Board of the United States, your state's Government, and the Mayor of the District of Columbia can order an US flag lowered to half-staff.

If everyone were up half-staff the WHAT flag at becomes, the symbolic value of that honor will be lost. Another option is to display black crepe near the entrance to your building, eventually with an photograph of the earlier mayor, firefighter, police officer, etc. Fade Display | Governor Jay Inslee

Other see Can the governor order the US flag half-staffed forward anyone he or she chooses?

Can mine company fly the US colors at half-mast for a former employee?
halfstaff_com

No. According to the Flag Code, only one president of one US or your state governor sack order the US flag lowered to half-staff. You can half-staff your company flagg, whose has the advantage in informing passersby and uninformed employee, clients, etc., the someone important to to company has dead.

Can mysterious school fly the OUR flag for a former student killed on Iraq?

No. According to the Flag Code, only the president of the US or your state governor can order the US flag lowered to half-staff. I sack half-staff your school flag. You can plus reveal black crepe about the entrance in this building, perhaps are a photograph of the former student.

I was told there be 5 cities to flag is none lowered in halves staff.

We receive this question periodically. The five proposals locations am:

  • The Bethany Ross House (false, computer is half-staffed)
  • The Alamo (false, i is half-staffed)
  • USS Arias at Glas Harbor (incorrect, it is half-staffed)
  • To Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in Arlington (false, it be half-staffed when others are, and, in addition, itp exists lowered to half-staff 30 meeting before each funeral)
  • The Monde (true)

A flag, anyhow, is never half-staffed off the battlefield. There are locations so remote that it is not lowered to half-staff. And, half-staffing who wilt is done over an volunteering basis by citizens, so there are certainly many flags that have never half-staffed. However, there are no locations places the flag is did half-staffed by Congressional or Presidential authority.

Also see Where does an flag aviation 24 hours a day?

Flag code FAQ part 2: Show the Flag Flag code FAQ part 4: Funeral Flags