American flag on uniform thread

Kapitan · 11-17-06, 10:58 AM

Just a question why is your countrys flag backwards ?

Dowly · 11-17-06, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kapitan

Just a question why is your countrys flag backwards ?

I´ve been also thinking about that. I´ve seen the flag being mirrored in some games and movies and such. Why is that? So that the Iraqi rebels wouldnt recognize you as a American? :rotfl:

blue3golf · 11-19-06, 05:09 PM

From the way I understand it the flag is "backwards" to represent what it would look like moving forward as if it was actually a guidon going into battle.

Perilscope · 11-20-06, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue3golf

From the way I understand it the flag is "backwards" to represent what it would look like moving forward as if it was actually a guidon going into battle.

Wow, up to the smallest detail the US army I tell you!

I just imagine a normal Iraqi saying this after looking at the flag:
Look Amïricans, not hõw own country flag mâde!

Dowly · 11-20-06, 04:24 AM

Do the American uniforms have the flag on both sleeves? If not, why not change it to be in the left sleeve. It would look like it is "carried" to the battle AND it wouldn´t look so silly (mirrored).

bookworm_020 · 11-20-06, 04:38 PM

I saw something like that from a report about a town that was downwind of the russian Nuclear weapons testing ground. It was caused Cyclops, as it had one eye. This was caused by the fallout from nuclear testing. The town was only 10km away from some of the above ground tests!!

They did an aerial shot of the town and surounding countryside. It looked like the surface of the moon. Some statistics put still born/deformed children at 85 to 90% of all children born!

Scary!!

mr chris · 11-20-06, 04:45 PM

Nice country that one day your living in a nice area the next they are testing nuclear weapons down the road.:hmm: :hmm: :hmm:

bookworm_020 · 11-20-06, 08:32 PM

At least there is no need for street lighting!!

When the Australian film crew was there, they wore doseameters and masks, so they could know how much radation they were getting and the masks where to help avoid breathing dust in (The place had no vegitation)

blue3golf · 11-20-06, 08:43 PM

It's only one the one sleeve, the left sleeve is where we put any tabs such as special forces, ranger, airborne, anything like that, just aint the room on the other sleeve. Thats the old uniform though, now we got the ACU's with the velcro and there is even less room to put patches.

Polak · 11-20-06, 09:24 PM

@blue3golf
What unit did you belong to, and where in Iraq where you stationed?
I hope you dont mind me asking you these questions.

Yahoshua · 11-20-06, 10:42 PM

I always hear that was to represent the flag being carried into battle as it was in the old days (blue field & stars first before the rest of the stripes), but I always took it to mean that some clerk had a great big "OOPS" in his paperwork and he managed to pass it off like that.

<-------- (mild sarcasm)

Ducimus · 11-20-06, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue3golf

From the way I understand it the flag is "backwards" to represent what it would look like moving forward as if it was actually a guidon

Basically what he said.

As an aside, normally the flag patch is not worn on the uniform, excepting in contingencies or war scenario's where you'd need to be able to identify yourself as a US troop from a distance. (Multinational JTF or whatever).

Generally speaking, the observer's left is the place of honor, and is usually how the flag is displayed in 99% of all flag displays. If the flag were on his left sleeve you'd see the Union blue field of the flag on the left side instead.

August · 11-20-06, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Generally speaking, the observer's left is the place of honor, and is usually how the flag is displayed in 99% of all flag displays. If the flag were on his left sleeve you'd see the Union blue field of the flag on the left side instead.

I'm pretty sure there's one too many lefts there Ducimus.

Ducimus · 11-20-06, 11:15 PM

Your military left!

Ok so maybe that sentence was poorly written.

Observer's Left is place of honor. Normally when displaying the US flag, the union field is to the observer's left. This is why when its hung vertically the way the union field should be to the left as you view it. (wrong way being the union field on the right)

This is the basicaly guideline for flag displays in general. The only two exceptioins that i know of is when flags are displayed in sort of a Fan (then it would be iin the center position in prominance) and shoulder patch displays such as the picture in the OP. Should this soldier happen to have a flag on his left sleeve, it would be displayed exactly the opposite as the one on the right, with the union field to the observer's left.

August · 11-20-06, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Your military left!

Ok so maybe that sentence was poorly written.

Observer's Left is place of honor. Normally when displaying the US flag, the union field is to the observer's left. This is why when its hung vertically the way the union field should be to the left as you view it. (wrong way being the union field on the right)

This is the basicaly guideline for flag displays in general. The only two exceptioins that i know of is when flags are displayed in sort of a Fan (then it would be iin the center position in prominance) and shoulder patch displays such as the picture in the OP. Should this soldier happen to have a flag on his left sleeve, it would be displayed exactly the opposite as the one on the right, with the union field to the observer's left.

Ah i see, you were talking about the flag when viewed from the side and i was noting the Flag is on his right sleeve with is a place of honor on the uniform.

11-17-06, 10:58 AM	#1
Kapitan Sub Test Pilot Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK + Canada Posts: 7,130 Downloads: 77 Uploads: 7	Just a question why is your countrys flag backwards ? __________________ DONT FORGET if you like a post to nominate it by using the blue diamond Find out about Museum Ships here: https://www.museumships.us/ Flickr for all my pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/131313936@N03/ Navy general board articles: https://www.navygeneralboard.com/author/aegis/ Last edited by Onkel Neal; 11-20-06 at 09:19 PM. Reason: New thread for new topic

11-20-06, 04:38 PM	#6
bookworm_020 Navy Seal Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sinking ships off the Australian coast Posts: 5,966 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	I saw something like that from a report about a town that was downwind of the russian Nuclear weapons testing ground. It was caused Cyclops, as it had one eye. This was caused by the fallout from nuclear testing. The town was only 10km away from some of the above ground tests!! They did an aerial shot of the town and surounding countryside. It looked like the surface of the moon. Some statistics put still born/deformed children at 85 to 90% of all children born! Scary!! __________________ "There is always one person in any organization who knows whats going on, That person must be fired"

11-20-06, 04:45 PM	#7
mr chris Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Herefordshire, England Posts: 3,562 Downloads: 216 Uploads: 0	Nice country that one day your living in a nice area the next they are testing nuclear weapons down the road.:hmm: :hmm: :hmm: __________________

11-20-06, 08:32 PM	#8
bookworm_020 Navy Seal Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sinking ships off the Australian coast Posts: 5,966 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	At least there is no need for street lighting!! When the Australian film crew was there, they wore doseameters and masks, so they could know how much radation they were getting and the masks where to help avoid breathing dust in (The place had no vegitation) __________________ "There is always one person in any organization who knows whats going on, That person must be fired"

11-20-06, 09:24 PM	#10
Polak Grey Wolf Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Poland/Sweden Posts: 808 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	@blue3golf What unit did you belong to, and where in Iraq where you stationed? I hope you dont mind me asking you these questions. __________________

11-19-06, 05:09 PM	#3
blue3golf Weps Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Traverse City, MI Posts: 352 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	From the way I understand it the flag is "backwards" to represent what it would look like moving forward as if it was actually a guidon going into battle.

11-20-06, 04:24 AM	#5
Dowly Lucky Jack Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 25,052 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	Do the American uniforms have the flag on both sleeves? If not, why not change it to be in the left sleeve. It would look like it is "carried" to the battle AND it wouldn´t look so silly (mirrored).

11-20-06, 08:43 PM	#9
blue3golf Weps Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Traverse City, MI Posts: 352 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	It's only one the one sleeve, the left sleeve is where we put any tabs such as special forces, ranger, airborne, anything like that, just aint the room on the other sleeve. Thats the old uniform though, now we got the ACU's with the velcro and there is even less room to put patches.

11-20-06, 10:42 PM	#11
Yahoshua The Old Man Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,493 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I always hear that was to represent the flag being carried into battle as it was in the old days (blue field & stars first before the rest of the stripes), but I always took it to mean that some clerk had a great big "OOPS" in his paperwork and he managed to pass it off like that. <-------- (mild sarcasm) __________________ Science is the organized unpredictability that strives not to set limits to mans' capabilities, but is the engine by which the limits of mans' understanding is defined-Yahoshua

11-20-06, 11:15 PM	#14
Ducimus Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,987 Downloads: 67 Uploads: 2	Your military left! Ok so maybe that sentence was poorly written. Observer's Left is place of honor. Normally when displaying the US flag, the union field is to the observer's left. This is why when its hung vertically the way the union field should be to the left as you view it. (wrong way being the union field on the right) This is the basicaly guideline for flag displays in general. The only two exceptioins that i know of is when flags are displayed in sort of a Fan (then it would be iin the center position in prominance) and shoulder patch displays such as the picture in the OP. Should this soldier happen to have a flag on his left sleeve, it would be displayed exactly the opposite as the one on the right, with the union field to the observer's left.