Why is flag backwards on army uniform

Yet branches of the U. If you look at a member in profile, the canton —the rectangle with the stars—is on the right. Not really. When a service member marches or walks forward, they assume the position of a flagpole, with the flag sewn on their uniform meant to resemble a flag flapping in the breeze.

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".

The next time you visit an airport, notice that the US-flagged aircraft also have a "reverse" flag painted on the right side of the aircraft. For flag patches worn on uniforms, the same principle applies: the blue star field always faces towards the front, with the red and white stripes behind. The two different orientations are mandated because Army regulations call for the flag "to be worn so that to observers, it looks as if the flag is flying against a breeze," Heath said.

In fact, the rule is a nod to the U. In those battles, both mounted cavalry and infantry units would always designate one soldier as "standard bearer," to carry the Colors into the fight. It is a bit confusing to comprehend at first and can make you second-guess yourself if you are a non-American.

You might think that it is a display or printing error, but let me reassure you that it is not. But there is more to it. I will take you through the reason why military flags appear backward on uniforms, which includes a historical meaning as well as the symbolism attached. I will also make mention of modern updates to the reversed flags. If you are interested in the details, continue reading this article. The Golden Rule: U. The blue star field of the U. S flag must always be in the highest position of honor when worn on a military uniform.

The highest position differs depending on where the flag is displayed. On a moving object, like military personnel, the position is in the front. For the field of blue stars on the U. S flag to be facing the front, it has to be reversed.