We received e-mail recently from a Cracker Barrel reader
asking why the flag on the right sleeve of the Boy Scout uniform shirt differs
from the one worn by the U.S. military. Here’s an excerpt:
This
has been bothering me for the longest time. The American flag is on the Scout
uniform backwards, and I would like to know why we are the only organization
around that has it backwards.
This
shows a sign of retreat. Are the Boy Scouts of America in retreat? Have you
ever seen an American flag fly backwards?
Thanks for the question. In search of an answer, we went to
the source: the Boy Scout Handbook.
Page 76 of the handbook directly addresses this question. “Following the
guidelines of the U.S. Flag Code,” it reads, “[the flag patch] is placed with
the blue field to the flag’s own right (to the left, as someone views it).”
The handbook goes on mention the difference in how the U.S.
military wears the flag. On military uniforms, the flag faces the opposite
direction on the right sleeve. It’s called the reverse-field flag. That’s
because, according to Department of the Army regulations, “…it is proper to
reverse the design so that the union is at the observer’s right to suggest that
the flag is flying in the breeze as the wearer moves forward.”
So on military and some police or fire uniforms, you’ll see
the flag facing one way, while on the BSA uniform and in other uses—such as
special-edition hats in Major League Baseball—it faces the other way.
Which is right? Both, as long as you’re in line with the
regulations or code of the organization responsible for the uniform in
question. And the BSA makes it easy for you. The American flag is pre-sewn on
all uniform shirts, meaning you’ll always be right—or left.
Have a question about the uniform or anything else related
to Scouting? Send us an e-mail, and we’ll try to find the answer.
“such as special-edition hats in Major League Baseball”
Which are in violation of the US Flag Code.
“The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, firefighters, police officers, and members of patriotic organizations.”
Thanks for the comment, Dan.
It’s likely that some people would consider Major League Baseball, an American tradition since the 19th century, to be a patriotic organization.
So as a scout leader is it against BSA regulations if I correct this flag mistake? Sorry, but this IS in correct. Either put it on the left or an advancing flag on the right. Maybe even the front.
The military wears their flag with stars in front as they are going into battle and ready to face the problems in front of them. i.e. go back to the old cavalry days when the color-guard rode in, the stars are in front as they are riding into the wind.
As for the star field in the back. The star field in the doesn’t mean retreat. The star field in that back means that the wearer’s problems have been conquered and they leave their problems behind them.
you are all wrong… The uniforms of the soldiers sent to Iraq are decorated with a reversed American flag. On the one hand this is completely in accord with military protocol, even if being a complete exception to the usual flag code. It appears only on the right arm, and represents the US flag when carried and moving forwards, with the stripes therefore waving backwards behind the pole. On the other hand it conveniently falls in the category of reverse symbolism. Reversed pentagram, cross, dove, etc… which stand for the Satanic principle. Reversals & inversions are elemental symbols in the Luciferian language of the Illuminati.
The antithesis of Peace is War.
The antithesis of Good is Evil.
The anithesis of Love is Hate.
The antithesis of Christ is Anti-Christ.
-Do a google “image” search on US uniforms and insignia. You will see that in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and even the first Gulf War that there was NO REVERSE FLAG PATCH…….ever! When did this change occur? In 2003. After the “War on Terror” was firmly underway.