Fish 10 Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 A military person from the local VFW confronted one of my den leaders on Tuesday about the position of the U.S. Flag on the boys sleeves. He said that the BSA was incorrect by putting the flag on the right sleeve and that it should be on the left sleeve. Does the BSA have a reason for putting the flag on the right sleeve vs. the left? Does it matter? BTW - The individual was quite irrate and actually upset the den leader who was more interested in providing her boys an excellent opportunity to be great citizens and be part of the flag ceremony at school on Veteran's Day. Link to post Share on other sites
hops_scout 9 Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 This has been discussed before.... It DOES NOT matter. I believe it was brought up last time that the organization can choose where to wear the flag, and the Scout(er) and even choose whether he/she wants to wear it. Military tradition states that the Stars lead the way. They are always facing the enemy charging, not retreating. We aren't military. Link to post Share on other sites
Twocubdad 665 Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 Well I'm just dang happy to know this fine American has his priorities right. I mean who the heck do these people think they are, trying to teach kids to do a flag ceremony on Veterans' Day with the flag on the wrong sleeve?!? Link to post Share on other sites
nldscout 18 Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 GOD, will this thread never die? Talk about beating a dead horse. Link to post Share on other sites
Fat Old Guy 11 Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 "Military tradition states that the Stars lead the way." I wouldn't call it a "tradition," the rule has only been in effect for a little more than 10 years. Link to post Share on other sites
Fish 10 Posted November 14, 2003 Author Share Posted November 14, 2003 Sorry to beat a dead horse, I did not see any threads concerning this subject when I looked through the list. Perhaps I did not look back far enough. Thank you for the answers, I appreciate your time... Link to post Share on other sites
Fat Old Guy 11 Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 That's okay, we flog deceased equines on a regular basis around here. Link to post Share on other sites
SR540Beaver 116 Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 FOG, I don't know about that. When the last thread was going, I was watching something like the History channel and it was showing some WWII vintage footage of military planes. One plane turned around on the tarmac and there was a reverse flag plain as day on it. Link to post Share on other sites
Fat Old Guy 11 Posted November 14, 2003 Share Posted November 14, 2003 " When the last thread was going, I was watching something like the History channel and it was showing some WWII vintage footage of military planes." If you look at photos of soldiers from WW II, if they have a flag on the right sleeve, it has the union to the viewer's left. DoD didn't issue a directive regarding wearing the flag until the 90's. Link to post Share on other sites
KA6BSA 10 Posted November 17, 2003 Share Posted November 17, 2003 Now that is settled the REAL issue is when the quartermaster forgets to bring the US flag to troop meeting and all the boys have to salute the SPL's little flag on his sleeve... should he salute that one too or one on another Scouts arm? I guess at the Flag Ceremony they had a real flag on a pole so this important question did not come up for the irrate authoritarian VFW guy to dig into. Link to post Share on other sites
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