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Historically, when soldiers carried flags into battle on a flagpole, the stars were always nearest the pole, and as they moved forward, the flag would appear to ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œstreamÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� backward. Displaying the flag in reverse on the right shoulder keeps the stars in the top-left corner, with the flag ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œflyingÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� as if advancing into battle.

According to Army regulations, the flag patch on the right shoulder is displayed with the canton (the blue field of stars) toward the front to symbolize the charging motion.

All this brought back memories of the flag I love. We have traditions for respecting our flag unknown to younger generations because civics isnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t taught or the Pledge of Allegiance recited in schools.

Traditions for flag respect are guided by the U.S. Flag Code which outlines proper ways to display, handle, and honor it. Key traditions include protocols for raising and lowering, displaying, handling, pledging allegiance, saluting, disposal, and flying half staff. The guidelines were created to promote respect for the flag as a symbol of the United States and its values.

When I was at Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty) and not away on assignment or training, I would hear taps at 5 oÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™clock (1700 hours). All 39,000 soldiers at the base stopped and faced the nearest flag and saluted. I always felt the stirring of patriotic emotion doing so.

Once I was assigned to conduct a military funeral in rural southern Virginia with a staff sergeant and seven other troopers. We were dressed in our best uniforms and, after taps, performed a ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œthree volley saluteÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� with each trooper firing three times. A flag was an important part of the service.

A U.S. flag is commonly draped over the casket of a deceased veteran during the funeral service. Afterwards, the flag is carefully folded into a triangular shape and presented to the next of kin as a tribute to the veteranÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s service to his country.

My uncle had a funeral in Ashland with a local veterans group performing the ritual. The salute was at the end of the funeral service. No one saw the soldiers come up from behind so when the guns fired, everyone jumped an inch or two out of their seats.

I learned flag protocol again in Cub Scouts including how to march with the flag in ceremony. At the start of one of our meetings a fellow scout brought the flag in on a pole. We were meeting in the basement of a church which had a drop ceiling with tiles made of asbestos and Styrofoam.

My buddy marched to the front of the room and somehow the tip of the flag got stuck in the ceiling. Thankfully, no one laughed. We were mortified and thankful that it wasnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t us who did it. But my buddy was calm and coolly executed a reverse and freed the flag to our great relief.