The American Flag Shoulder Patch

[malthaussen]

A question that only afflicts people like me with OCD and too much time on their hands. When did the U.S. Military begin displaying the U.S. flag shoulder patch with the Union field in the upper right to the observer (to indicate the troops "always moving forward," it sez here) rather than with the Union in the upper left (as is set forth in any set of rules for display of the flag). I know it was the latter during Vietnam and before, but it seems to have changed circa 1990. Anybody know offhand when the regulation changed, and what, if any, was the rationale?

-- Mal

[Ptah]

1. Yes, always moving forward

Why is the Flag patch "backwards" on Military uniforms?

Following is a quote from the Department of Defense website...

"Thank you for your inquiry about the proper placement of the American flag on the uniform of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Army Regulation 670-1, “Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia,” updated most recently September 5, 2003, addresses explicitly the proper and lawful placement of the U.S. flag patch on the Army uniform.

The regulation states that when authorized for application to the proper uniform the American flag patch is to be worn, right or left shoulder, 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’.”

http://www.usflag.org/flagpatch.html

[malthaussen]

2. So, circa 2003.

I was looking at some Desert Storm pix, and the flag patch is typically not displayed in them, but there were examples with the Union in the upper left. So, presumably the change was associated with the whole Iraqi Freedom/Patriot Act/Freedom Fries movement.

Thanks for looking it up for me, I wasn't having much joy in my own Googling. But it was quite amusing to see people from different eras accusing each other of not knowing what they were talking about because they wore their patch the other way. Thought I was in GDP for a bit!

-- Mal