Flag Salute question

[Hawk200]

If the flagging is being raised, or lowered, yes.

You never salute a flag that's just on the pole.

Negative Ghostrider. You always salute the flag. Period. If you are walking and there is a flag pole in your line of walk, you salute 6 paces before you reach the flagpole and hold the salute til you are 6 paces past the flag pole.

Try again.

Eh, I stick by my answer. Just another example of where I am learning that AF regs are much different than the Marine Corps...reckon the AF is getting lazy lol

Don't feel bad, I agree. Back in '88 in boot, and '89 in tech school, we were told that was the way to do it. Don't know when it changed.

[Eclipse]

My local McDonalds was flying the Mickey D flag ABOVE the American flag with the American Flag upside down, on one of those days when La Raza was marching the Mexican Colors up the street in support of illegal immigration.

Holey smoke! 

Ok, that would be a problem, not sure how I'd handle it, but I wouldn't just let it go...

Hm...

[RogueLeader]

My local McDonalds was flying the Mickey D flag ABOVE the American flag with the American Flag upside down, on one of those days when La Raza was marching the Mexican Colors up the street in support of illegal immigration.

Holey smoke! 

Ok, that would be a problem, not sure how I'd handle it, but I wouldn't just let it go...

Hm...

Talk to General Manager, if no action taken, I'd write a letter to Mc D's Corporate Office- explaining how and why it was wrong, plus mentioning how angry it made you feel . . . . boycott formations etc. . . . .

[Major Lord]

I went in and talked to the McDonalds people when I saw it, and they told me it was just an accident and fixed it. They may have thought I was La Migra.....

Major Lord

[Flying Pig]

Being a former Marine, I dont recall ever saluting the post flag on the pole as I walked past it?

[stillamarine]

Being a former Marine, I dont recall ever saluting the post flag on the pole as I walked past it?

I remember NOT doing it once while stationed at Lejeune. I spent the next 20 mins getting my rear lightened by a very loud and articulate Master Guns

[Flying Pig]

Hmmm, weird, I was at Lejuene.  Unless I just really "dont remember".  That could be too.

[lordmonar]

It could all be a case that the Master Guns was incorrect.   

Yes even some of us get taught it wrong all the way in basic training and these myths and misconceptions get passed on and no one ever looks it up.

And of course no one is going to go out of their way to correct a MGSGT!

[♠SARKID♠]

Okay, fine, let me put it this way.  In a hypothetical world with a hypothetical flag and a hypothetical reg that says you DO salute flags on hypothetical flag poles where if the hypothetical flag wasn't lit, would you hypothetically salute it, or not.

Hypothetically...

[ddelaney103]

Okay, fine, let me put it this way.  In a hypothetical world with a hypothetical flag and a hypothetical reg that says you DO salute flags on hypothetical flag poles where if the hypothetical flag wasn't lit, would you hypothetically salute it, or not.

Hypothetically...

If you were supposed to salute flags on base flagpoles, you would salute it if you can see it, whether it was illuminated or not.  The flag's the flag, even in the dark.

[mikeylikey]

Okay, fine, let me put it this way.  In a hypothetical world with a hypothetical flag and a hypothetical reg that says you DO salute flags on hypothetical flag poles where if the hypothetical flag wasn't lit, would you hypothetically salute it, or not.

Hypothetically...

If you were supposed to salute flags on base flagpoles, you would salute it if you can see it, whether it was illuminated or not.  The flag's the flag, even in the dark.

Would not be up during the dark.  Retreat ceremony takes the flag down at (everywhere I have been 1630).  The end of the duty day, and the beginning of the time to ponder what you will drink a the club that night.

[0]

I thought we were supposed to salute the flag if it was on a flag pole. 

[brasda91]

I thought we were supposed to salute the flag if it was on a flag pole. 

I've never been told to salute a flag on a pole as you walk by it.

[ddelaney103]

I've never been told to salute a flagpole flag except during raising and lowering.  Mind you, since the "engagement range" for salutes is about 6 paces, you'd never get into range of a base flagpole.

WIWAC (20-mumble years ago), OTOH, I remember that at the beginning of meetings we would uncase the colors and post them at the door off the parade deck that led to the classrooms.  While it was there and uncased we were expected to salute as we went by.  That might have been a case of mythology passing as regulation, but it does show some confusion on the issue.

[0]

Well there are some times you do pass within 6 pases of a flag pole.  I know one palce I'd pass by on my way to my car so I could get to the meetings and I was maybe 3 pases if that out.  So one day I counted out the pases so I could be in regulation and salute it.

[brasda91]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that all this talk about "6 paces, before and 6 paces after" is along the same line as the myth of saluting an officer "6 paces before/after.

[Eclipse]

Well there are some times you do pass within 6 pases of a flag pole.  I know one place I'd pass by on my way to my car so I could get to the meetings and I was maybe 3 pases if that out.  So one day I counted out the pases so I could be in regulation and salute it.

And which reg would that be, exactly?  Could you cite, please?

Also, is this 6 paces horizontal or vertical?

[ddelaney103]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that all this talk about "6 paces, before and 6 paces after" is along the same line as the myth of saluting an officer "6 paces before/after.

It's more a guideline than a rule - it gives you a rough idea of when to start a salute so the person can react before you pass.

[jimmydeanno]

Ta-da! (not to be confused with Tedda) 

Reg Cite:

7.35. Salutes by Flags:

7.35.1. The Air Force flag is dipped in salute in all military ceremonies when the national anthem or To
the Colors is played and when rendering honors. In marching, the Air Force flag is dipped in salute when
it is approximately six paces from the front of the person entitled to the salute. It resumes the carry when
it is approximately six paces beyond that person (figure 7.12).

7.35.2. When passing in review, the color guard executes eyes right approximately six paces from the
reviewing officer on command of the senior flagbearer. All except the person on the right flank of the
color guard execute eyes right (figure 7.13).

7.36. Courtesies to the US Flag:

7.36.1. Flags flown from stationary flagstaffs on bases are saluted only at reveille, retreat, and special
occasions. Small flags and flags on halfstaff are not saluted. Cased and folded flags are not saluted.

7.36.2. Military personnel passing an uncased US flag salute approximately six paces before reaching
the flag and hold the salute until they have passed approximately six paces beyond it. Likewise, when an
uncased US flag passes by, military personnel salute approximately six paces before the flag is even with
them and hold the salute until the flag has passed approximately six paces beyond them.

[Eclipse]

7.36.2. Military personnel passing an uncased US flag salute approximately six paces before reaching
the flag and hold the salute until they have passed approximately six paces beyond it. Likewise, when an
uncased US flag passes by, military personnel salute approximately six paces before the flag is even with
them and hold the salute until the flag has passed approximately six paces beyond them.

So now I'm a little confused - it seems we've answered the flag pole question, lighted or otherwise, however...

By "uncased" I assume they are referring to flags being carried in parades, etc., or maybe carried folded?

What other circumstances would this require a salute?  Sitting folded on a table?  And does the indoor / outdoor "no salute" rule come into play?