Flag etiquette question: Inspired by wearing hats by women during Anthem

[m&m's mom]

I have never gotten this completely down and a parade is coming up on Saturday.
When are you supposed to stand and or put your hand over your heart during patriotic events such as Color Guard in a parade, playing Natl Anthem during a sports event? I never see people consistently do the same thing.
I think this was my clue when I went to a parade that happened to go by a nursing home close to my house. A very old gentlemen asked for help to get out of his wheelchair to stand and salute the flag when the Color Guard went by. Very touching.

 

[Christopher Robin]

As the colors approach, you stand, remove your hat, place your hand over your heart. After they have passed, you sit.

 

[Liberty Belle]

As the colors approach, you stand, remove your hat, place your hand over your heart. After they have passed, you sit.

That's what we always do, but we only see a few others in the crowd doing so.

 

[shrubber]

Parade ettiquette is simple yet impractical.
You should render honor ( stand, salute or hand over heart as applicable )
6 foot prior to the flag reaching your positon and 6 foot after.

It is impractible because parades could an often due have hundreds of flags.

Most read this as rendering honor to colors however, those flags which are held in a color guard of some fashion, and not every 25 cent on a stick that passes by.
Bless you for helping that man.

 

[m&m's mom]

Color me stupid. I swear I have looked for this before but who knows how I searched. Now I googled and found this:

Parading and Saluting the Flag
When carried in a procession, the flag should be to the right of the marchers. When other flags are carried, the flag of the United States may be centered in front of the others or carried to their right. When the flag passes in a procession, or when it is hoisted or lowered, all should face the flag and salute.


The Salute
To salute, all persons come to attention. Those in uniform give the appropriate formal salute. Citizens not in uniform salute by placing their right hand over the heart and men with head cover should remove it and hold it to left shoulder, hand over the heart. Members of organizations in formation salute upon command of the person in charge.


The Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem
In 2007, Congress addressed this for the first time in 36 USC 301. This U.S. Code therefore created the first mandated national anthem etiquette.

The pledge of allegiance should be rendered by standing at attention, facing the flag, and placing the right hand over the heart (the salute). Uniformed personnel, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and military personnel in uniform should render a hand salute.


When the national anthem is played or sung, U.S. citizens should stand straight and rigid and salute at the first note and hold the salute through the last note. The salute is directed to the flag, if displayed, otherwise to the singer.


The following is generally accepted etiquette but is not addressed by law.


One should not smoke, eat, chew gum, drink, use your cell phone, read or otherwise occupy themselves while the Anthem is playing.
****

Interesting that putting your hand over your heart is considered a citizen salute. Never heard that before.
Wow- my town definitely has it wrong. Harldly anyone stood and I did not see many salute the flag at the last parade.
Also DH has been holding his cap in front of him. Now he will have to put his hand over his heart.

 

[shrubber]

More here

http://www.usa-flag-site.org/

Or ask your local Boy Scout Troop

 

[m&m's mom]

Parade ettiquette is simple yet impractical.
You should render honor ( stand, salute or hand over heart as applicable )
6 foot prior to the flag reaching your positon and 6 foot after.

It is impractible because parades could an often due have hundreds of flags.

Most read this as rendering honor to colors however, those flags which are held in a color guard of some fashion, and not every 25 cent on a stick that passes by.
Bless you for helping that man.

That's good to know. Never read the 6 foot before and after but it makes sense.

 

[Christopher Robin]

That's what we always do, but we only see a few others in the crowd doing so.

You are right, they are wrong*.

(So no one gets thier panties in a bunch, this is conditional on having the ability to stand, a right hand, and a hat.)

 

[m&m's mom]

You are right, they are wrong*.

(So no one gets thier panties in a bunch, this is conditional on having the ability to stand, a right hand, and a hat.)

Sad you have to add that but gotta cover your bases here.

 

[Liberty Belle]

You are right, they are wrong*.

(So no one gets thier panties in a bunch, this is conditional on having the ability to stand, a right hand, and a hat.)

 

[MichelleinMaine]

My family stands and salutes (hand on heart) as a color guard goes by in a parade. (As said, not for every tiny flag attached to a bumper or toddler's hand...)

We are usually the only ones to do so.

 

[Becky2005]

Interesting....almost everyone here stands AND 1/2 the time there is clapping right after they pass & 1/2 the time there isn't...I haven't figured that one out at all.

It does seem to be only the very first set of color guards in a parade though, which are usually within the first 2 or 3 groups.

It doesn't happen so much if there are a lot of groups carrying flags.

 

[GeorgeG]

It has recently become acceptable for veterans wearing a hat to render a salute for both the flag and the national anthem as an option for hat off and hand over the heart. Standing, if able, is proper as well.

Parades can be difficult when there are many flags passing by, but those with color guards would be considered official.