American flag shoulder patch

[GOPHER SLAYER]

When I see American soldiers on TV that have a flag shoulder patch the flag is sewn on back words. Why?

[kevin c]

I've not served (my thanks and appreciation to those who do or have), but my understanding is that is done so it appears to the observer that the flag is flying back in a breeze as the uniformed person marches forward. The flag is in the "normal" orientation on the left shoulder patch, and reversed on the right to permit this. I think many countries do the same for their uniformed services.

Found a reference:

http://www.usflag.org/flagpatch.html

[redhawk0]

You will see the same thing on aircraft. On the right side of the aircraft the flag appears backwards...so the star field is leading the way.

I asked a pilot once when I was wondering the same thing.

redhawk

[725]

It's just the other side of the flag.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Makes sense, I suppose.

[nicholst55]

Here's what I was told when the Army began this. The Air Force started it by painting the flag on the right side of Air Force One backwards, and somehow that became the official method. I totally agree, it's backwards, and it should be corrected. Don't hold your breath waiting for it to happen, though.

[jonp]

The Flag is always flown as if it is facing into the wind as flown from a flagpole as America never retreats and always moves forward. When it is on the left side of the arm it looks normal but when on the right arm it looks backwards because the canton (upper left corner which in our case is the blue field with stars) is closet to the flagpole when attached on a rope. Since we are moving forward the flag is flowing behind us as if we have a guidon.

If you look at my picture you will see the flag looking as if it is backwards but it isn't. I'm walking into a breeze with the flag flowing backward from the staff. If you were on my left it would look normal, if on the right it looks backwards

[crankycalico]

if you want to learn about government authorized abuse, wear that flag patch backwards when your in service. Youll be abused in ways a divorce lawyer would envy.

[condorjohn]

It's all in how you look at it.

[WILCO]

Mind games for our enemies. That's the last question they have, after we cut through them.

[bosterr]

The flag is shown with stars to the right on uniforms of servicemen because that's the way the flag would fly if it is being carried into battle.

[bedbugbilly]

As stated - it's the reverse for the other side. There is a left and a right side patch - one for the left and one for the right- one showing what you consider/intepret the right way and one for the reverse of it. The same applies to divisional patches - or they used to - where the design required it. One such patch would be the 101st Airborne - the Screaming Eagle. IIRC - in my WWII patch collection, I have one of each of the Airborne patches and the eagle faces differently on each patch - one left and one right.