Army Regulation (AR) 840-10 Flags, Guidons... (Excerpt)

Flag of the United States

2–1. Authorization

a. The flag of the United States is the symbol of our nation. The union, white stars on a field of blue, is the honor point of the flag. The union of the flag and the flag itself when in company with other flags is always given the honor position; for example, the marching right, the flag's own right or an observer's left facing the flag.
b. The flag of the United States must always be of current design as prescribed by Title 4, United States Code, Chapter 1 (4 USC Chapter 1). The U.S. flag will always be displayed or carried in ceremonies when any other flags are displayed or carried.

2–2. Time and occasion for display

a. The flag of the United States will be displayed outdoors at all Army installations.
b. Only one flag of the United States will be flown at one time at any continental United States (CONUS) Army installation, except as authorized by the installation commander. Installations, which have other Federal agencies as tenants, may permit those Federal agencies to display the U.S. flag on or in front of their facility.
c. The flag of the United States is the only flag that may be flown from a flagpole over a CONUS Army installation unless an exception is granted as specified below. However, the Minuteman flag, the Prisoner of War/Missing in AR 840–10 • 17 July 2020 3 Action (POW/MIA) flag, the Retiree flag, the Service flag (Gold Star flag), or the Commander-in-Chief's Installation Excellence Award flag, when authorized, may be flown beneath the flag of the United States without referral for exception. The POW/MIA flag will be flown beneath the flag of the United States on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May; Memorial Day, the last Monday in May; Flag Day, June 14; Independence Day, July 4; National POW/MIA Day; Veterans Day, November 11 and on occasions when the installation is hosting POW/MIA activities. The Retiree flag may be flown on Veterans Day or occasions when the installation is sponsoring activities for retirees such as open house or retiree day. No more than one flag will be displayed below the flag of the United States and, if displayed, will be approximately 6 inches below the flag of the United States. Commanders of ACOMs, ASCCs, and DRUs have the authority to authorize the flying of other flags (such as the POW/MIA flag) in addition to that of the flag of the United States. Overseas commanders have this same authority subject to applicable international agreement.
d. The flag of the United States should be displayed with foreign national flags at overseas installations according to applicable international agreements.
e. The flag of the United States will be displayed daily from reveille to retreat.
f. ACOM, ASCC, and DRU commanders may authorize permanent or semi-permanent (more than 1 week at a time) 24-hour display of the flag provided the flag is properly illuminated with its own source of light during hours of darkness.
g. Local or installation commanders may authorize nighttime display of the flag of the United States during special events or on special occasions, provided the flag is properly illuminated.

2–3. Sizes and occasions for display

a. National flags listed below are for outdoor display.
(1) Garrison flag—20-foot hoist by 38-foot fly, of approved material. (The post flag may be flown in lieu of the garrison flag.) The garrison flag may be flown on the following holidays and special occasions:
(a) New Year's Day, 1 January.
(b) Inauguration Day, 20 January every fourth year.
(c) Martin Luther King, Jr's Birthday, third Monday in January.
(d) President's Day, third Monday in February.
(e) Easter Sunday (variable).
(f) Loyalty Day and Law Day, USA, 1 May.
(g) Mother's Day, second Sunday in May.
(h) Armed Forces Day, third Saturday in May.
(i) National Maritime Day, 22 May.
(j) Memorial Day, last Monday in May.
(k) Flag Day, 14 June.
(l) Father's Day, third Sunday in June.
(m) Independence Day, 4 July.
(n) National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, 27 July.
(o) National Aviation Day, 19 August.
(p) Labor Day, first Monday in September.
(q) Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, 17 September.
(r) Gold Star Mother's Day, last Sunday in September.
(s) Columbus Day, second Monday in October.
(t) Veterans Day, 11 November.
(u) Thanksgiving Day, fourth Thursday in November.
(v) Christmas Day, 25 December.
(w) Important occasions as designated by Presidential Proclamation or HQDA.
(x) Celebration of a regional nature when directed by the installation commander.
(2) Post flag—8-foot 11 3/8-inch hoist by 17-foot fly, of approved material. The post flag is flown daily except when the garrison and storm flags are flown. When a garrison flag is not available, the post flag will be flown on holidays and important occasions.
(3) Field flag—6-foot 8-inch hoist by 12-foot fly, of approved material. The field flag may be displayed from a flag pole only when distinguished visitors are present and only with the positional field flag.
(4) Storm flag—5-foot hoist by 9-foot 6-inch fly, of approved material. The storm flag is flown in inclement weather.
AR 840–10 • 17 July 2020 4
(5) Internment flag—5-foot hoist by 9-foot 6-inch fly, of approved material. The internment flag is authorized for deceased military personnel and for deceased veterans. Upon application to the nearest postmaster, the Veterans Ad-ministration will provide flags for deceased veterans.
(6) Boat flag—3-foot hoist by 4-foot fly, of approved material. The U.S. boat flag is displayed only with positional boat flag colors and general officers flags.
(7) Ensign—2-foot 4 7/16-inch hoist by 4-foot 6-inch fly, of approved material. The ensign will be displayed on vessels when required to indicate nationality.
(8) Union jack—The union jack consists of a blue base with white stars similar in all respects to the union of the flag of the United States. The union jack is flown on ships at anchor or tied up at pier. When flown with the flag of the United States, the union jack will be the same size as the union of the national color being flown.
(9) Grave decoration flag—7-inch hoist by 11-inch fly, of cotton muslin.
(10) Automobile flags—
(a) 12-inch hoist by 18-inch fly, of approved material, trimmed on three sides with fringe 1 1/2 inches wide. This flag is to be displayed with the individual automobile flag of the President and Vice President of the United States.
(b) 18-inch hoist by 26-inch fly, of approved material trimmed on three sides with fringes 1 1/2 inches wide. This flag is to be displayed on automobiles of individuals listed in table 3–1.
b. National flags listed below are for indoor display and for use in ceremonies and parades. For these purposes, the flag of the United States will be of rayon banner cloth or heavyweight nylon, trimmed on three sides with golden yellow fringe, 2 1/2 inches wide. It will be the same size or larger than other flags displayed or carried at the same time.
(1) 4-foot 4-inch hoist by 5-foot 6-inch fly. This size flag will be displayed with the U.S. Army flag, organizational flag of ACOMs, positional colors (table 3–1), the Corps of Cadets' color, the 1st Battalion, 3d Infantry color, the 4-foot 4-inch by 5-foot 6-inch chapel flag and the individual flag of a general of the Army.
(2) 3-foot hoist by 4-foot fly. This size flag will be displayed with the Army Field flag, distinguishing flags, organ-izational colors, and institutional flags of the same size. It will also be displayed within the offices listed in c below when no other positional or organizational flags are authorized.
c. The flag of the United States is authorized for indoor display for each—
(1) Office, headquarters, and organization authorized a positional color, distinguishing flag, or organizational color.
(2) Organization of battalion size or larger, temporary or permanent, not otherwise authorized a flag of the United States.
(3) Military offices not otherwise authorized an indoor flag of the United States, for the purpose of administering oaths of office.
(4) Military courtroom.
(5) U.S. Army element of Joint commands, military groups, and missions. One flag is authorized for any one headquarters operating in a dual capacity.
(6) Subordinate element of the U.S. Army Recruiting Command.
(7) ROTC units.
(8) SES employee for permanent retention.