POW/MIA Flag Etiquette Home > State Flag Display with POW/MIA Flag In 2002 the Legislature passed a law directing every state agency, institute of higher education and county, cities and towns to display the National League of POW/MIA Families flag along with the state and national flags on specific days. These days are: Armed Forces Day (third Saturday in May), Memorial Day (Last Monday in May), Flag Day (June 14), Independence Day (July 4), National POW/MIA Recognition Day (3rd Friday of September), and Veteran’s Day (November 11). When a flag is flown on a single pole, the US Flag is on top followed by the POW-MIA flag then the state flag, if there are two poles, the POW-MIA flag is flown under the US flag while the state flag is on the other pole. To procure a POW/MIA flag, contact the National League of POA/MIA Families at http: //www.pow-miafamilies.org/ or the Washington State Department of Veteran’s Affairs at: http://www.dva.wa.gov/. Of the 1,773 (August 7, 2007) that are listed as missing in action or unaccounted for from the Vietnam conflict, 45 are from the state of Washington. The list of unaccounted Washington residents, provided by the National League can be accessed at: http://www.pow-miafamilies.org/states/washington.pdf Congress designated the 3rd Friday of September as National POW-MIA Recognition Day and ordered prominent 'display of the POW-MIA flag on this day' and several other national observances, including: Armed Forces Day Memorial Day Flag Day Independence Day Veterans Day Displaying the POW/MIA Flag Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action come from EVERY STATE, thus the POW/MIA flag has precedence over state flags. The following guidelines should be followed in flying the POW/MIA flag: If flying the flag from ONE FLAG POLE, the POW/MIA flag is flown directly below the National Colors and above any state flag. If flying National, POW/MIA and State flags from TWO poles, the POW/MIA flag should be flown from the same pole as the National Colors, and beneath the American Flag, with the state flag flying from the pole to the left. If flying flags from three poles, the National Colors occupy the place of prominence (the right), with the POW/MIA flag immediately to the left of the US Flag, and the state flag to the left of the POW/MIA flag. The 1998 Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 105-85) mandates that on the national observance days the POW-MIA flag is to be flown over the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Korean and Vietnam Veterans War Memorials, the offices of the Secretaries of State, Defense and Veterans Affairs, offices of the Director of the Selective Service System, every major military installation (as directed by the Secretary of Defense), every post office and all Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers and national cemeteries. The act also directs VA medical centers to fly the POW-MIA flag on any day on which the flag of the United States is displayed. POW-MIA Flag History See Also POW-MIA Flag Etiquette In 1971, Mrs. Michael Hoff, an MIA wife and member of the National League of Families, recognized the need for a symbol of our POW/MIAs. Prompted by an article in the Jacksonville, Florida Times-Union, Mrs. Hoff contacted Norman Rivkees, Vice President of Annin & Company which had made a banner for the newest member of the United Nations, the People’s Republic of China, as a part of their policy to provide flags to all United Nations members states. Mrs. Hoff found Mr. Rivkees very sympathetic to the POW/MIA issue, and he, along with Annin’s advertising agency, designed a flag to represent our missing men. Following League approval, the flags were manufactured for distribution. On March 9, 1989, an official League flag, which flew over the White House on 1988 National POW/MIA Recognition Day, was installed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda as a result of legislation passed overwhelmingly during the 100th Congress. In a demonstration of bipartisan Congressional support, the leadership of both Houses hosted the installation ceremony. The League’s POW/MIA flag is the only flag ever displayed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda where it will stand as a powerful symbol of national commitment to America’s POW/MIAs until the fullest possible accounting has been achieved for U.S. personnel still missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. On August 10, 1990, the 101st Congress passed U.S. Public Law 101-355, which recognized the League’s POW/MIA flag and designated it "as the symbol of our Nation’s concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, thus ending the uncertainty for their families and the Nation". The importance of the League’s POW/MIA flag lies in its continued visibility, a constant reminder of the plight of America’s POW/MIAs. Other than "Old Glory", the League’s POW/MIA flag is the only flag ever to fly over the White House, having been displayed in this place of honor on National POW/MIA Recognition Day since 1982. With passage of Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act during the first term of the 105th Congress, the League’s POW/MIA flag will fly each year on Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, National POW/MIA Recognition Day and Veterans Day on the grounds or in the public lobbies of major military installations as designated by the Secretary of the Defense, all Federal national cemeteries, the national Korean War Veterans Memorial, the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the White House, the United States Postal Service post offices and at the official offices of the Secretaries of State, Defense and Veteran’s Affairs, and Director of the Selective Service System. The flag’s message is spread through its visibility. The POW/MIA flag has flown over the White House on National POW/MIA Recognition Day since 1982. With the exception of the American flag, the POW/MIA flag is the only flag to fly over the White House and fly continually over the Capitol’s rotunda. Occasions for Displaying the POW/MIA flag Armed Forces Day (3rd Sat. in May) Memorial Day (Last Mon. in May) Flag Day (June 14) Independence Day (July 4) National POW/MIA Recognition Day (3rd Fri. in Sept.) Veterans Day (Nov. 11) Locations for Displaying the POW/MIA flag The White House The Capitol The Korean War Veterans Memorial The Vietnam Veterans Memorial The World War II Memorial Each national cemetery Buildings containing the offices of: the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Veteran Affairs, the Director of the Selective Service System Each major military installation, as designated by the Secretary of Defense Each United States Postal Service Protocol for flying the POW/MIA flag On one flagpole, the POW/MIA flag is flown below the American flag and above any state flag On two flagpoles, the POW/MIA flag is flown on the same pole as the American flag, below the American flag (this pole should be to the flag’s own right of the second pole). Any state flag should fly on the second pole. On three flagpoles, the American flag should be flown on the pole located to the flag’s own right, the POW/MIA flag should be flown on the middle pole, and any state flag should be flown on the pole to the (flag’s own) left. |
