Question about the flag on soldiers uniforms...?

Question

I've been wondering about this for awhile now--why are the flag emblems on soldiers uniforms facing the other way? The stars are usually on the left but on thier uniforms the stars are on the right? What does this mean?

God Bless our Troops in Iraq and Afganistan. Don't forget to pray for them.

Answer 1

IT appears backwards becuase when you are running forward with the flag, this is the way it appears. It is placed on the uniform this way as to remind the soldier to always move forward.

Answer 2

Many sharp-eyed civilians have noted an apparent oddity on the uniform sleeves of American military men: backward flag patches. Why is Old Glory flipped around like that?

Only the flag patches affixed to right shoulders of uniforms are reversed, so the blue field of stars faces forward. (Left shoulder patches aren't a problem, as the stars face forward without meddling.) The reversal was inspired by the age-old practice of carrying flags into battle. When fastened to a standard, the American flag's blue-and-white portion is always closest to the pole. A flag bearer rushing into the fray, then, would naturally lead with the stars. In fact, it would be virtually impossible to lead with the stripes-the flag would simply wilt and wrap around the pole, rather than waving triumphantly in the wind.

For a service man or women to lead with shoulder-borne stripes, then, might smack of cowardice and retreat, as if the toter were backpedaling away from the conflict. The official Army guidelines on the donning of flag patches add that the forward-facing stars give "the effect of the flag flying in the breeze as the wearer moves forward." So perhaps it's best to think of every militry person as a latter-day flag bearer, leading the headlong charge into battle.


God Bless you our men and women in uniform along with the Southern People.

Answer 3

The uniform code requires the flag to be placed on a soldier's uniform in such a way as to be appear that it is blowing against a breeze.

Answer 4

The flags are backwards because they are meant to look as if they are blowing backwards in the wind as the soldier walks forward. If they were facing the "correct" way, it would be as if the soldier were walking backwards, or retreating.

I always thought it looked really stupid until my husband explained this to me.

Answer 5

The Union (the blue part of the flag) leads the way.

Answer 6

It appears the way it would if it were on a pole leading the troops forward.

Answer 7

get a union flag thats the right way no crap but thats the way the uk soldiers are no crap just do the job no song & dance,
JOB DONE

Answer 8

something to do with the view of being looked at i forget. also remember.... GO ARMY BEAT NAVY.