What are the Steps of Folding an American Flag?

Does it matter how you hang an American flag with flagpole installation in Richmond VA? Does it matter how an American flag is folded? The simple answer is yes. How individuals care for their flags matters. There are rules associated with when and how they can be flown. Not following these guidelines is not illegal, but it is disrespectful to those that believe in and take pride in the American flag. Another aspect of caring for a flag is how its folded and stored while not used. You're mistaken if you think a typical fold works like we fold bedsheets.

The proper technique for folding a flag dates back to when the country was initially founded.  Flag folding is deeply steeped in honoring the nation's soldiers who have honorably given their lives for our nation, our people, and our freedoms. Improperly folding flags can be seen as disrespectful, and as a result, this practice should be avoided.

Flag folding requires two people, and should be folded as follows:

• Fold the lower striped section of the flag over the blue field (union).
• Take the folded edge and once again bring it toward the open edge at top; your flag is now horizontally folded in quarters.
• With one person holding the canvas heading tightly, the second person should now begin folding the stripes into triangles. These folds should also be tight.
• The first triangle made should start at the folded edge and meet the open edge.
• Continue folding triangles until you reach the second person and only the union is visible. From there, tuck the remaining section of flag into itself

Once a flag is completely folded, it should have the appearance of a cocked hat, like the ones worn by George Washington and his soldiers. The source and date of the folding process of the American flag are unknown, although many do attribute it to Gold Star mothers. Others claim that an Air Force chaplain stationed at the US Air Force Academy is the one that created the process. Although the origin is unknown, the process is vitally important to properly honor our fallen heroes and our incredible country.

Another great way to honor our heros and our flag is to properly fly it. Using flagpole installation Richmond VA is a great way to have flags fly high!

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