Armed Forces Day, celebrated on the third Saturday in May, recognizes the brave men and women serving in the military. Unlike Veterans Day, which honors veterans, and Memorial Day, which honors servicemembers who lost their lives, this special day appreciates everyone who has served or is currently serving. Given its importance, flying the American flag on Armed Forces Day is a fitting tribute.
Display It From a Flagpole
The U.S. Flag Code states that the American flag should always “fall freely.” The only exception to this rule was the Apollo missions, during which the American flag was displayed from a vertical pole with a fold-out horizontal bar. To ensure your American flag falls freely on Armed Forces Day, you should display it from a flagpole. It doesn’t have to be particularly tall flagpole. Rather, there are plenty of short flagpoles that are perfect for residential yards and landscapes. Once mounted to the top, your American flag will flow gracefully in the wind, all while complying with the U.S. Flag Code.
Don’t Let It Touch the Ground or Anything Below
In addition to displaying the American flag from a flagpole on Armed Forces Day, you shouldn’t allow it to touch the ground or anything below it. It’s considered poor etiquette for the American flag to touch anything below it. Besides, if you allow the American flag to touch the ground or something else below it, it may succumb to damage. So, when setting up your American flag for Armed Forces Day, raise it high enough so that it won’t touch the ground or anything below it.
Remove Flag After Sunset Unless Illuminated
Unless your American flag is illuminated, you should remove it after the sun goes down on Armed Forces Day (or any other day for that matter). Of course, you can always illuminate your flag using lighting. A simple outdoor light-emitting diode (LED) bulb will illuminate your American flag during the nighttime hours, in which case you won’t have to take it down.
To show your support for our nation’s military servicemembers, you should display the American flag in front of your home or business on Armed Forces Day. Held on third Saturday in May, this national holiday is designed to celebrate our nation’s military servicemembers. Therefore, it’s customary to display the American flag on Armed Forces Day.
See the full list of United States flag holidays.
