# Display of the national flag patch on US and other military uniforms..."backwards?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 8, 2014, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/display-of-the-national-flag-patch-on-us-and-other-military-uniforms-backwards/704075 "2014-11-08T16:37:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/display-of-the-national-flag-patch-on-us-and-other-military-uniforms-backwards/704075/1 "2014-11-08T16:37:03Z")
[This display](http://imgur.com/UHiI6JG)of the recently famous U.S. Seal’s “battle shirt” (?) says that the U.S. flag patch is displayed in such a manner–non standard, to civilians–to suggest the idea of a hoisted flag carried into battle, as viewed by soldiers who follow and are thereby encouraged.\* I get it, even though not all battles are entered windward. I’ve never seen that explanation. Does it sound right? Are flag patches always that way in all US military services? In other nations? \*The flapping flag in that orientation in Western art is worth a paper or two. You think in real battles soldiers who were heartened by seeing the flag–which I am not challenging–gave a shit which way it was flying, as long as it was upright? ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/display-of-the-national-flag-patch-on-us-and-other-military-uniforms-backwards/704075/2 "2014-11-08T16:50:01Z")
There is a full explanation [here](http://www.marlowwhite.com/faq/f-why-is-the-flag-patch-reversed.html) > [@](#): > > In application, then, flags are displayed on moving vehicles with the blue-star field always displayed towards the front of the vehicle. In this way, the flag appears to be blowing in the wind as the vehicle travels forward (flags are always attached to their flag poles on the blue field side). If the flag were not reversed on the right hand side of the vehicle, the vehicle might appear to be moving backwards (or “retreating”). ~~Think of the flag, not as a patch, but as a loose flag attached to the Soldier’s arm like a flag pole. As the Soldier moves forward, the red and white stripes will flow to the back AFAIK - this is unique to the USA ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/display-of-the-national-flag-patch-on-us-and-other-military-uniforms-backwards/704075/3 "2014-11-08T16:54:11Z")
In short, it’s not backwards, you’re just looking at the other side. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/display-of-the-national-flag-patch-on-us-and-other-military-uniforms-backwards/704075/4 "2014-11-08T17:36:57Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > There is a full explanation [here](http://www.marlowwhite.com/faq/f-why-is-the-flag-patch-reversed.html) > > AFAIK - this is unique to the USA Thanks. Fascinating site. There must be a DOD reg out there. Whoops. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/display-of-the-national-flag-patch-on-us-and-other-military-uniforms-backwards/704075/5 "2014-11-08T17:55:15Z")
The standard of wear for US troops assigned the Multinational Force and Observers mission in the Sinai is the flag patch goes on the left shoulder. That patch is “Reversed” compared to the one typically worn on the right shoulder. Their flags look right when compared to normal flag display. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/display-of-the-national-flag-patch-on-us-and-other-military-uniforms-backwards/704075/6 "2014-11-08T19:52:09Z")
By the way, this is a fairly standard vexillographic principle, definitely not limited to the USA or to military applications. For example, [here](http://www.airliners.net/photo/Air-France/Airbus-A320-211/1458347/L/) is the right side of an Air France jet, with the hoist side (blue) of the French national flag toward the front of the plane. Of course many flags (Canada) have vertical-line symmetry, so both sides look the same and it doesn’t matter. Others (UK) have very subtle asymmetry, so most people don’t notice, but you’ll still find that serious/official applications follow the principle. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/display-of-the-national-flag-patch-on-us-and-other-military-uniforms-backwards/704075/7 "2014-11-08T20:13:02Z")
Crossed-flag “friendship” emblems are another familiar place where this principle comes into play. You might wish to display Greek/American affinity [this way](http://www.crossed-flag-pins.com/Friendship-Pins/Greece/Flag-Pins-Greece-USA.jpg), or perhaps American/Greek [this way](http://www.crossed-flag-pins.com/Friendship-Pins/USA/Flag-Pins-USA-Greece.jpg). [This](http://www.crossed-flag-pins.com/Friendship-Pins/Cote-d-Ivoire/Flag-Pins-Cote-d-Ivoire-Ireland.jpg%5B/url) proclaims Ivorian/Irish friendship, not double-Irishness. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/display-of-the-national-flag-patch-on-us-and-other-military-uniforms-backwards/704075/8 "2014-11-08T20:22:33Z")
[This fixed link](http://www.crossed-flag-pins.com/Friendship-Pins/Cote-d-Ivoire/Flag-Pins-Cote-d-Ivoire-Ireland.jpg) proclaims Ivorian/Irish friendship, not double-Irishness. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/display-of-the-national-flag-patch-on-us-and-other-military-uniforms-backwards/704075/9 "2014-11-08T20:57:50Z")
[The specific US Army reg.](http://www.marlowwhite.com/faq/f-flag-patch-ar-update.html) ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/display-of-the-national-flag-patch-on-us-and-other-military-uniforms-backwards/704075/10 "2014-11-08T21:09:31Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > [This fixed link](http://www.crossed-flag-pins.com/Friendship-Pins/Cote-d-Ivoire/Flag-Pins-Cote-d-Ivoire-Ireland.jpg) proclaims Ivorian/Irish friendship, not double-Irishness. 😉 Had me going there for a second. Compare Pantone, RGB, and CMYK of Ireland vs. Côte d’Ivoire. I don’t know how official these color defs are; I just glanced at the the site, and there seems to be debate, certainly about the Irish one, undoubtedly because more people care, for one. But the crossed-flag example surely goes out of its way to distort one of the flags, it seems to me. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/display-of-the-national-flag-patch-on-us-and-other-military-uniforms-backwards/704075/11 "2014-11-08T21:15:49Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > [This fixed link](http://www.crossed-flag-pins.com/Friendship-Pins/Cote-d-Ivoire/Flag-Pins-Cote-d-Ivoire-Ireland.jpg) proclaims Ivorian/Irish friendship, not double-Irishness. 😉 Just wanted to add: definitely now going to go spelunking in _Finnegans Wake_ for this. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/display-of-the-national-flag-patch-on-us-and-other-military-uniforms-backwards/704075/12 "2014-11-08T21:17:30Z")
Well, the company making those little pins may not be too careful with the hues, given that they depict the USA stars as dots. But the approximately-correct colors will be in the right places. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2014, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/display-of-the-national-flag-patch-on-us-and-other-military-uniforms-backwards/704075/13 "2014-11-08T21:39:13Z")
Eagles reversed on flag comments. ---
**Author:** ![Kiwi\_Fruit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiwi_fruit/32/12_2.png) [@Kiwi\_Fruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiwi_Fruit)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2014, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/display-of-the-national-flag-patch-on-us-and-other-military-uniforms-backwards/704075/14 "2014-11-09T21:34:31Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > [This display](http://imgur.com/UHiI6JG)of the recently famous U.S. Seal’s “battle shirt” (?) says that the U.S. flag patch is displayed in such a manner–non standard, to civilians–to suggest the idea of a hoisted flag carried into battle, as viewed by soldiers who follow and are thereby encouraged.\* > > I get it, even though not all battles are entered windward. > > I’ve never seen that explanation. Does it sound right? Are flag patches always that way in all US military services? > > In other nations? NZDF flag patches are only applied on the left shoulder so there’s no need to decide between right way or wrong way display on the right. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2014, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/display-of-the-national-flag-patch-on-us-and-other-military-uniforms-backwards/704075/15 "2014-11-09T23:40:08Z")
It always annoyed me that our Customs Dash 8s didn’t follow the hoist side forward principle. [![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o6YCSc8Ck94/VDtx_n1amYI/AAAAAAAAslA/Uuo0xK-JPN4/s1600/VH-ZZG%2BCust%2B66%2Bc.JPG) ](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o6YCSc8Ck94/VDtx_n1amYI/AAAAAAAAslA/Uuo0xK-JPN4/s1600/VH-ZZG%2BCust%2B66%2Bc.JPG)