Folded American Flag
It has been a long standing military custom that the flag be lowered daily at the last note of retreat. When lowering the flag, special care should be taken to ensure no part of the flag touches the ground. The U.S. flag is to be handled with the utmost care and respect.
What shows respect for the flag? I attended a political campaign in 2006 where the candidate talked about how they loved God and our country and supported our military. There were flags flying everywhere. At the end of the rally, a campaign worker took all the flags and wrapped them around their polls as quickly as possible. She stacked the poles on the ground and eventually tossed them into the back of a pickup truck. Bags of garbage and extra signs were placed on top of the flags.
Now, let’s show you the proper way to fold your flag. This custom of special folding is reserved for the United States Flag alone.
How to fold the Flag
Step 1: To properly fold the Flag, begin by holding it waist-high with another person so that its surface is parallel to the ground.
Step 1
Step 2: Fold the lower half of the stripe section lengthwise over the field of stars, holding the bottom and top edges securely.
Step 2
Step 3: Fold the flag again lengthwise with the blue field on the outside.
Step 3
Step 4: Make a triangular fold by bringing the striped corner of the folded edge to meet the open (top) edge of the flag
Step 4
Step 5: Turn the outer (end) point inward, parallel to the open edge, to form a second triangle.
Step 5
Step 6: The triangular folding is continued until the entire length of the flag is folded in this manner.
Step 6
Step 7: When the flag is completely folded, only a triangular blue field of stars should be visible.
Step 7
