How to Fold an American Flag

Flag etiquette is an significant part of the American tradition that assures the Stars and Stripes are taken care of with the dignity they are entitled to. Proven by Congress in 1942, the formal U.S. Flag Code developed guidelines for the treatment and display screen of the flag. Despite the fact that it does not describe an formal method for folding the flag, the rules do state that you should in no way retail store a flag in a way in which it can get torn, soiled, or weakened. You should also in no way allow the flag contact something beneath it, such as the ground or flooring.

More than time, a triangular condition has turn into the classic way to fold the flag and retail store it in a risk-free fashion. In accordance to the American Legion, the exact origin of this particular course of action is not known, but it might trace again to the Gold Star Mothers of America or the United States Air Force Academy.

You can fly Previous Glory any day of the year, but you might want to place absent an particularly massive flag after displaying it on Memorial Working day. This method will hold your flag seeking pristine till till the Fourth of July or the upcoming important holiday getaway. If you might be by by yourself, to start with lay the flag out on a table encounter-up, smoothing out any wrinkles. In any other case, discover a partner and stand reverse every other at the limited ends, keeping the flag taut and parallel to the ground. This is what to do upcoming:

How to Fold an American Flag

1. Fold the lower, striped part of the flag above the blue field.
2. Fold above the folded bottom edge to meet up with the top edge.
3. Start a triangular fold by bringing the striped corner of the folded edge to the top edge.
4. Flip the outer place inward, parallel with the top edge, to form a second triangle.
5. Carry on till the closing folds ensure that only the Union (the blue part with white stars) is exhibiting and the open edges are folded in.

See Precisely How to Fold the Flag

A couple guidelines:

• In the to start with two steps, you might be in essence folding the flag in quarters lengthwise.
• If you might be folding the flag with a partner, the human being at the striped conclusion should make all of the triangular folds when the human being at the Union conclusion retains the flag taut.

Betsy Farrell

Flag etiquette dictates only traveling your flag between sunrise and sunset until it is properly illuminated. You should also acquire down Previous Glory in the function of inclement temperature besides if it truly is an all-temperature flag built out of a non-absorbent materials like nylon. Only fly American flags in great issue, but as lengthy as you adhere to these guidelines, your Stars and Stripes will previous many years to appear.