Page 5 - FlagEtiquette2017

FLAG ETIQUETTE | HISTORY EL DORADO NEWS TIMES | JUNE 14, 2017
| PAGE 5
FLAG ETIQUETTE | HISTORY EL DORADO NEWS TIMES
| PAGE 5
A merican military members are giv-
en a final salute with a beautiful flag ceremony during their funeral. A somber but meaningful tradition, it is our mil- itary’s way of thanking its members for their dedicated service.
Military honors are reserved for military members who died while on active duty or while
in the Selected Reserve. Also, veterans who were honorably discharged who completed at least one term of their enlist- ment or term of obligated service in the Reserves are also eligible to receive these honors.
Learn the flag’s role and other key components to a military funeral.
THE FLAG’S ROLE
At the service, there will be an American flag draped over the coffin
of the deceased service- man or woman. With the family’s approval, the flag may be pulled away to allow for an open-casket funeral.
The flag should also
be treated with utmost respect during this hon- orable funeral. This means flowers or pictures should never be placed on top of the flag. There are crescent-shaped
arrangements available for resting on a coffin and avoiding contact with the flag.
The placement of the
flag is also important. It should be placed so the blue field with stars is at the head and over the left shoulder of the deceased.
FLAG-FOLDING CEREMONY Following the tradition-
al 21-gun salute and the somber performance of Taps, the funeral con- cludes with a flag-folding ceremony.
Folding of the flag consists of 12 folds, each one rep- resents a different aspect of America, God and other factors that our country depends on. Here are the steps to properly fold a flag as reported by The Ameri- can Legion:
Step 1: Straighten out the flag to full length and fold lengthwise once.
Step 2: Fold it lengthwise a second time to meet the open edge.
Step 3: A triangular fold is then started by bringing the striped corner of the folded edge to the open edge.
Step 4: The outer point is then turned inward, to form a second triangle.
Step 5: The diagonal or tri- angular folding is contin- ued toward the blue union until the end is reached, with only the blue show- ing and the form being that of a three-corner hat. Once the flag has been folded, it is then given to a member of the deceased’s family. It is used to rep- resent an expression of gratitude for the sacrifice they have made.
A Final Salute