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The Flag-Folding Ceremony
See New Air Force Flag-Folding Script
What follows is an unofficial, but popular script for folding the flag. It does not appear in the Flag Code and would appear to be in violation of military guidelines, in violation of the Establishment Clause. The Establishment Clause requires that expression not create the reasonable impression that the government is sponsoring, endorsing, or inhibiting religion generally, or favoring or disfavoring a particular religion. See discussion and references at the end of this page for more information. There are numerous variations to be found circulating online and in newsgroups and e-mails. We have not been successful in discovering its origin or authorship. In fold 6, the Pledge is quoted with the words "under God," which were added to the Pledge in 1954.
Web Links and References to the flag-folding ceremony can be found later on this page.
The above and below are from the Betsy Ross Homepages
There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have deep meaning. In the future, youll see flags folded and now you will know why. Share this with the children you love and all others who love the symbol of Liberty and Freedom.
Flag Folding Ceremony #1 (from the Betsy Ross Homepages)
The flag folding ceremony represents the same religious principles on which our country was originally founded. The portion of the flag denoting honor is the canton of blue containing the stars representing the states our veterans served in uniform. The canton field of blue dresses from left to right and is inverted when draped as a pall on a casket of a veteran who has served our country in uniform.
In the Armed Forces of the United States, at the ceremony of retreat the flag is lowered, folded in a triangle fold and kept under watch throughout the night as a tribute to our nation's honored dead. The next morning it is brought out and, at the ceremony of reveille, run aloft as a symbol of our belief in the resurrection of the body.
(Wait for the Honor Guard or Flag Detail to unravel and fold the flag into a quarter fold--resume reading when Honor Guard is standing ready.)
- The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life.
- The second fold is a symbol of our belief in the eternal life.
- The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran
departing our ranks who gave a portion of life for the defense of our
country to attain a peace throughout the world.
- The fourth fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens
trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in
times of war for His divine guidance.
- The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of
Stephen Decatur, "Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she
always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong."
- The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that
we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to
the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all.
- The seventh fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through
the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her
enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our
republic.
- The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered in to the valley
of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor
mother, for whom it flies on Mother's Day.
- The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood; for it has been through
their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and
women who have made this country great have been molded.
- The tenth fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons
and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.
- The eleventh fold, in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen, represents the
lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies,
in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
- The twelfth fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an
emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son,
and Holy Ghost.
When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, "In God we Trust."
(Wait for the Honor Guard or Flag Detail to inspect the flag--after the inspection, resume reading.)
After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington and the sailors and marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today.
Below from http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/f/foldsoftheflag.htm
According
to the American Legion, the code does not call for a ceremonial folding of
the flag and the folding procedure is also traditional. Same for the
meanings of the folds. Nobody seems to know when or where it originated or
who wrote it. There is speculation that it may have come from a chaplain
who attached the mostly Judeo-Christian religious meanings to the folds,
perhaps for a burial ceremony.
Official or not, the statement has gained status as the traditional meaning
of the folds and is found in many governmental and military manuals.
Below from
http://www.snopes.com
The American flag isn't folded in this manner because the thirteen folds correspond to the original thirteen states, or because the folding produces a shape resembling a cocked hat, or because each of the folds has a special symbolic meaning. The flag is folded this way simply because it provides a dignified ceremonial touch that distinguishes folding a flag from folding an ordinary object such as a bedsheet, and because it results a visually pleasing, easy-to-handle shape. That this process requires thirteen folds is coincidental, not the product of design.
An even more elaborate flag folding ceremony has since been devised for special occasions such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day, one which incorporates the association of particular symbolic meanings with each fold of the flag. These associations are "real" in the sense that they mean something to the people who participate in the ceremony, but they are not the reason why a flag is folded in the traditional thirteen-step manner. As was the case with the candy cane, an invented (religious) symbolism has become so widespread that it is now often mistakenly assumed to have been an integral part of the origins of the item it is associated with.
Flag Folding
from The Sons of the American Revolution
A properly proportioned flag will fold 13 times on the triangles, representing the 13 Original Colonies. When finally complete the triangular folded flag is emblematical of the tri-corner hat worn by the Patriots of the American Revolution. When folded no red or white stripe is to be evident leaving only the honor field of blue and stars.
