DoD tells troops to stop literally flying the flag

| March 2, 2023

The DoD, who is combating claims they’re too “woke”, has come out with another great idea. Stop flying the flag and stop participating in the pre-game unfurling of those massive field-filling flags. There, that should improve morale.

From Breitbart;

The Department of Defense has issued a formal ruling barring military personnel from towing the American flag behind them during parachute jumps and from participating in the horizontal display of the American flag.

A Feb. 10 memo from the DOD Public Affairs office sent to the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and National Guard PR departments reminds soldiers to show proper respect for the U.S. Flag during community events.

“In recent years, many sponsors of sporting events have instituted a tradition of requesting uniformed military members to unfurl and hold giant, horizontal U.S. flags during events as an expression of patriotism and love of the country,” the memo states.

The memo cites the flag code and adds that parachute demonstrations necessarily end up dragging a flag on the ground if they tow one behind them during a jump, with the memo saying that jumps with “U.S. flags attached to, and flying in trail below the jumper,” will result “in the flag dragging along the ground during landings.”

“While many, including military members, view these displays as inspiring and patriotic…uniformed service members may not participate directly in the unfurling, holding, and/or carrying of giant, horizontal U.S. flags that are not displayed during community outreach events,” the memo continues. ”

“Similarly, DoD jump teams may not incorporate the US flag in their public demonstrations if the flag cannot be caught reliably and handled respectfully by ground personnel during landings,” the ruling insists.

In part, the U.S. Flag Code maintains that “no part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform,” and also notes that lapel pins depicting the flag must be worn on the left side of one’s chest “near the heart.”

While the U.S. Flag Code is a long tradition and serves as the basis for how the military treats our national banner, it does not have the force of law. It is a voluntary tradition or etiquette, not a law. Still, many feel that the code should be closely observed.
Regardless, the DoD relies on the code to “ensure that our Service members can properly showcase their patriotism and military capabilities while complying with DoD policy.”

The memo concludes by telling the various PR departments that the DoD encourages public affairs offices “to work with sponsors of community events to develop other ways to showcase the patriotism and capabilities of our military that comply with DoD policy.”

I don’t know about y’all, but every display I’ve seen the military do that involved the American flag showed the hallowed fabric the proper reverence.

Category: "The Floggings Will Continue Until Morale Improves", Big Pentagon

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AW1Ed

So glad all the other pressing issues facing the military today have been resolved and we can finally address this travesty.

HT3

What a load of horseshit!!! I’ve been going to football games at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, college & pro, for 2 decades and the US Special Operations Command Parachute Team (SOCOM) at MacDill AFB participates every year. Usually the jumpers have a SOCOM flag, a POW/MIA flag, and of course Old Glory. The ground crew is always out there making sure NONE OF THE FLAGS touch the ground. I watched a few videos I took over the years again and again, and always a BZ effort. Just MORE WOKE HORSESHIT!!!

Anonymous

Call me a grumpy old codger.
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26Limabeans

Me too…so I bought a pair of genuine Muck arctic steel toe
boots to help wade through the coming years of knee deep
shit this country will be.
As I put them on for the first time I notice the label.
Made in Viet of the Nam.
WTF?

jeff LPH 3 63-66

Bought a pair of shorts and it was the same rip stop material that the jungle fatigues were made out of and the label said Viet-Nam like a pair of new balance sneakers.

26Limabeans

Just bought a new batch of Hanes “full rise” briefs.
They give you back the half inch you got “shorted”
over the years. Label says Made in Viet of the Nam.
They got us by the balls.

KoB

If we want OUR America back, it looks like we’re gonna have to TAKE her back. Jes’ sayin’.

MIRanger

I have never seen a military demonstration team jump a flag and fail to do their part of having ground personnel in place and execute their job of ensuring the flag never touches the ground. Hopefully this will continue and anyone who fails in this regard is properly retrained…to include a proper length of power point and 1960s video discussion.
I have seen some civilian parachutists do what is described, and my opinion of them was the same as those that choose to demostrate thier disrespect by burning the flag. I do not dance on peoples graves, but I accept their right to do what they feel they need to.

5JC

It’s the Navy, they messed it up for everybody.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg8sX2ufxE4

Truthfully it happens a lot. The rule on touching the ground (“or anything underneath it” as in the code) is a bit misunderstood. It means that the flag shouldn’t be displayed or stored that way. And no, it doesn’t have to be burned if it touches the ground either, that is a myth.

It’s not like Democrats to ever give two shits about the US Flag before. I guess they got jelly of veterans and ADSMs getting free tickets to the Super Bowl or the World Series and displaying the flag in a positive context. Maybe in the future they can display the BLM flag and have communists with long criminal histories come out and be honored. That would make a lot more sense.

ninja

4 Minutes Well Worth Watching:

“Michael W. Smith – There She Stands”

5JC

They are going have to go back and do some heavy editing on Rocky IV.

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FuzeVT

They could make Drago the hero.

5JC

Done.

He was reprogrammed as an Airborne Ranger in ’92. He then spent many years fighting in various post-apocalyptic waste lands of the future to try to build a better future for mankind saving humanity from JCVD, killer robots, mutants, zombies, JCVD, bikers, strippers, Nazis, Minions, terrorists, the mob, the Irish, caribou, Adonis Creed, JCVD, Sharknados, Lance Armstrong, Zombies, liberals, pot farmers, Nazis, Serbian Human Traffickers, a Giant Shark, Satan, Computer hackers and JCVD.

This is by no means a complete list.

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Sapper3307

Beatings will continue until morale improves.

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Roh-Dog

Below, GEN Chaos N.Disorder, Sr. is given a chance to say zer’s final words for Universal Camouflage Pattern and the Veggie Omelet MRE.

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Last edited 1 year ago by Roh-Dog
Anonymous

Loved him some toxic leadership while it lasted– had a Bde XO that actually beat the messenger once.

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Last edited 1 year ago by Anonymous
AW1Ed

Seen Admiral John Dickandballs and his flag slathered TV ads for his mortgage/insurance/vitamin company?

Start there.

ninja

Rest In Peace…

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Old tanker

While I understand the reasoning the dod used I fail to understand how the most patriotic folks in the world should not be insulted by this ruling. It’s as if they have no clue about motivation and or morale.

Oh and to the individual(s) who made this decision, feel free to have a seat and twirl.

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TheCloser

But burning a flag is a ‘right’

RCAF-CHAIRBORNE

Unless it’s an Alphabet Pride flag, then you will get 20 years in Super Max as an evil White Supremacist MAGA extremist with a case of the ‘ phobes .

Roh-Dog

Glad to see the DuD’s gett’n their pry-oar-it-ees…um, straight.

Looks like its time to hand out more LDRSHIP dogtag cards and have the Divisions’ Political Officers give a death-by-Powerpoint entitled Thou Shall Not Embarrass The Whims Of Your Betters, IOT ensure this will never be a problem again.

Congress will fund the shit outta finding a suitable replacement banner and reparations to the victims of these acts of inexcusable patriotism.

What’s not to love here?! Other than country, of course. Fuck that thing.

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Peter the Bubblehead

I’ve attended NUMEROUS air shows, and in every single one there is a member of the team waiting in the LZ to grab the American flag before it touches the ground. In 24 years of attending air shows, I have seen a flag flying behind a parachute jumper touch the ground exactly Zero times!
Another case of fixing a problem that doesn’t exist as an excuse to appease those who find Old Glory offensive!

5JC

Watch the video I posted above if you want to be disappointed. Looks like he was way off on his intended landing target.

ninja

And in other DoD news…

“With The ‘Modern American In Mind,’ Air Force OKs Neck And Hand Tattoos”

https://www.stripes.com/branches/air_force/2023-03-02/air-force-approves-neck-hand-tattoos-9319649.html

“The Air Force style authorities have spoken: neck and hand tattoos are in, beards are still out.”

“The new version of the service’s dress and appearance standards policy allows tattoos up to 1 inch long on the hands and back of the neck, which were previously banned.”

“The updated policy is designed to help “recruit for the future” and to ensure that the Air Force remains competitive in a changing world…”

“While the policy change has been welcomed by some as a step toward a more inclusive Air Force, others criticized it as superficial and contradictory.”

“…rants and news, questioned allowing a neck tattoo but not a beard, which some said is more natural and no less professional than body art.”

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Roh-Dog

I say again, “So good order and discipline means fuck all now?”

Anyone, and I do mean anyone, that thinks tattoos are a good idea has not been adequately taught about the wonders of compounding interest.

If a tat is beyond the wrist or collar you should have to live with that choice… as a janitor, or fry cook, or license plate stamper, or truck stop bunny, etc.

Messkit

You make “truck stop bunny” sound like a bad thing…

Roh-Dog

Point taken. This guy ain’t a fan of having bugs, open sores, bumps or a drippy crank, so I may have let that bias cloud my judgement.

I appreciate making me realize my prejudice on STDs/STIs.

I’ll do better…. maybe.

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rgr769

She has a point. She just uses different body parts and muscles than a ditch digger or a carpenter.

ninja

You Be The Judge.

“Cadets At The Service Academies Can Now Have Children While Attending School”

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2023-03-01/service-academies-cadets-children-9306743.html

“Four cadets at the Air Force Academy were allowed to continue their studies during the last year after having children due to a policy change enacted by Congress.”

“The change impacts all three of the Defense Department’s service academies, though officials for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y, and the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., said they are waiting for the Pentagon to issue a new formal policy, which was mandated by Congress to be implemented by January.”

“However, it doesn’t allow people who already have children to apply to service academies and still forbids cadets and midshipmen from getting married.”

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timactual

Seems kind of rough on the kid, but obviously that’s of no importance compared to the wishes and convenience of the “parent”.

Roh-Dog

So good order and discipline means fuck all now?

Noted.

Just so we’re tracking, the largest social welfare program by expenditure (i.e. the US Military) just got a whole lot more welfare-y.

“Single and knocked up before 25 is no way to go thru life, son.” –Dean Wormer (2023, Colorized)

Graybeard

That, THAT is fooked up to the nth degree.

And I don’t say things like that lightly.