# Back to front US flags on US soldiers jackets **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 2, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-front-us-flags-on-us-soldiers-jackets/165939 "2003-04-02T12:09:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Future\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9dc877/32.png) [@Future\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Future_Kid)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-front-us-flags-on-us-soldiers-jackets/165939/1 "2003-04-02T12:09:43Z")
I’ve noticed that on the jackets of all the US soldiers that the flag badges on their arms are back to front. With the stars on the right hand side of the badge unlike when the flag is flying when the stripes are on the correct left hand side. What’s the reason for this? ---
**Author:** ![ski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@ski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ski)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-front-us-flags-on-us-soldiers-jackets/165939/2 "2003-04-02T12:13:08Z")
When the flag is on the right shoulder, it is oriented so that it looks like it’s “flying” in the breeze as the soldier walks forward. ---
**Author:** ![Future\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9dc877/32.png) [@Future\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Future_Kid)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-front-us-flags-on-us-soldiers-jackets/165939/3 "2003-04-02T12:15:32Z")
Cheers Ski. Makes sense when you look at it like that. ---
**Author:** ![quarrossimo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@quarrossimo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quarrossimo)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-front-us-flags-on-us-soldiers-jackets/165939/4 "2003-04-02T12:20:58Z")
ski - is that the explanation or did you think it up? Future Kid - if you saw it in print or in a photo on the net, it might as well be a case of the photograph being inverted If you saw it on TV, then, of course, ski’s explanation is right. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-front-us-flags-on-us-soldiers-jackets/165939/5 "2003-04-02T12:46:00Z")
I looked it up last time this question came up, about a month and a half ago. Too lazy to look the same thing up twice. US Army Uniform Regs. Aww, what the hell. Fighting Ignorance is a noble cause. [AR-670-1, 28-18 c. (2)](http://www.marlowwhite.com/army-AR-670-1-view.html) **Wear of full-color U.S. flag cloth replica** (scroll a lot) > [@](#): > > The full-color U.S. flag cloth replica is worn so that the star field faces forward, or to the flag’s own right. When worn in this manner, the flag is facing to the observer’s right, and gives the effect of the flag flying in the breeze as the wearer moves forward. The appropriate replica for the right shoulder sleeve is identified as the reverse side flag. ---
**Author:** ![Kjetil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc8723/32.png) [@Kjetil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kjetil)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-front-us-flags-on-us-soldiers-jackets/165939/6 "2003-04-02T13:08:22Z")
No, it’s not an inverted photograph. Norwegian uniforms are like that too. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-front-us-flags-on-us-soldiers-jackets/165939/7 "2003-04-02T13:12:32Z")
The same thing is often done with national flags appearing on the side of commercial aircraft (Or so it has been said in GQ topics in the past) ---
**Author:** ![Kjetil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc8723/32.png) [@Kjetil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kjetil)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-front-us-flags-on-us-soldiers-jackets/165939/8 "2003-04-02T13:26:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*The same thing is often done with national flags appearing on the side of commercial aircraft (Or so it has been said in GQ topics in the past) \*\* [1](http://airlines.afriqonline.com/images/sarah325.jpg) [2](http://postcard.collection.online.fr/Cartes/Euronor/Braathen.jpg) Looks more like they’re “pointing” toward the rear, so it depends on which side you view the plane from. ---
**Author:** ![This\_just\_in\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@This\_just\_in\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/This_just_in_1)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-front-us-flags-on-us-soldiers-jackets/165939/9 "2003-04-05T20:33:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ski \* > \*\*When the flag is on the right shoulder, it is oriented so that it looks like it’s “flying” in the breeze as the soldier walks forward. \*\* I wonder what they do in Oregon, where the state flag has a different picture (a beaver) on the back. Would they use that side on their other shoulder? ---
**Author:** ![NoGoodNamesLeft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NoGoodNamesLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoGoodNamesLeft)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-front-us-flags-on-us-soldiers-jackets/165939/10 "2003-04-06T13:38:43Z")
It has to do with a lot of regulations regarding teh displaying of the flag. There are a bunch of rules people don’t know about. Like when the flag hangs in a town square, it’s supposed to hang vertical with the stars facing East (or some such), or when it’s on an airplane or bus, the stars are to be at the rear, with the stripes going the other way (like military uniforms.) Try Googling ‘Proper flag flying technique’. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-front-us-flags-on-us-soldiers-jackets/165939/11 "2003-04-06T14:23:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NoGoodNamesLeft \* > **It has to do with a lot of regulations regarding teh displaying of the flag. There are a bunch of rules people don’t know about. Like when the flag hangs in a town square, it’s supposed to hang vertical with the stars facing East (or some such)…** Boy Scouts still learn flag etiquette… Here’s some info: [http://www.usflag.org/flag.etiquette.html](http://www.usflag.org/flag.etiquette.html) > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NoGoodNamesLeft \* > **…or when it’s on an airplane or bus, the stars are to be at the rear, with the stripes going the other way (like military uniforms.)** You’ve got it backwards. The field of stars are forward, with the stripes to the rear.