Why is the American Flag on the arm patch of some US army soldiers backwards?
414383
The American flag is put on the Army uniform in the same way that the flag would look if the soldier was carrying a flag on a pole.  It shows that the soldier is carrying the American flag towards battle.
843370
you said it well. you are soooo right. god bless you. it should only be American flags in America. if they want to be here. then they should abide by the American ways.
370487
They not only changed it to spanish, they changed the words. They already burn or flag and hang our flag upside down. They waved the Mexican flag during a lot of their protests. Some schools have stopped hanging the American flag and forbidden students from wearing clothes with any part of the American flag on their clothing all to keep from offending the Mexicans. It's nothing short of an attack of our country, not only by the illegal aliens, but those who seek to appease them.
857238
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.
557214
Yep. I agree with you.  It is really hard for us to understand the Palestinian/Muslim culture.  Everything there is backwards, meaning opposite of what we consider forwards, or correct.  Of course, there are many people over there that say WE in the west are backwards, and they are forward.  But you and I both know that's rubbish. Every time within our nation's history that we went to war we used airplanes that were clearly marked with symbols and words identifying them as United States military craft.   Even when we used the atomic bomb on Japan we warned the nation through diplomacy and we warned the Japanese people days ahead of time with millions of leaflets from above.  Furthermore, the US aircraft involved were clearly marked as military craft, as well as the bombs themselves.  Likewise, every single time we have sent our soldiers to combat to kill the enemy or to walk amongst civilians we have sent them in wearing uniforms that bear the United States flag on their shoulders and clearly marked "US MARINES" or "US ARMY" on their chests.  The EXACT SAME can be said of the army of ISRAEL.  Like the West, the Israelis always transport themselves and present themselves in combat and in peacetime as clearly marked representatives of the government, as official military combatants.  That goes for every plane, every helicopter, every vehicle, and every soldier they use to combat the disgusting Palestinian pig that targets civilians like the coward he or she is.  You see the Palestinians marching down their own streets with weapons and banners and all that whenever they feel like rioting.  But let me ask you, when is the last time the Palestinian walked into combat with a banner?  NEVER.  They rid themselves of identification, sneak onto buses and into marketplaces and kill children and other innocents.  \n\nThe best thing the United States could ever do is to completely step out of the whole situation with Palestine and Israel.  Every single American president enters office with a new end-all plan for peace in the middle east, and it's just a fruitless effort because no matter how much Israel grants the Palestinian the pig still kills.  Several years ago Israel drew up a peace treaty in which Palestine would gain literally 99% of the land they always fought for, and Israel also proposed granting Palestine autonomy.  And the pigs rejected the offer.  THEY GOT WHAT THEY ALWAYS FOUGHT FOR AND DECIDED TO KEEP FIGHTING ANYWAY!! So any claims they had that they were resisiting Israel because of Israel's oppression is complete BULLS**T! Even now, every single day, even as I type this the Israeli military is removing Jews from their homes throughout villages in the Gaza stip in an effort to give Palestinians even MORE land and MORE autonomy.  Entire Jewish towns, where people have lived for decades, have been dismantled as a result of the Israeli government bowing to pressures from the US and other Allies in an attempt to please the Palestinian by giving him more land and more autonomy. Did you hear me?  JEWS were forced out of their homes by the Israeli government to please the Palestinian pig, And yet DAILY the terrorist groups in Palestine fire rockets into Jewish towns and blow up themselves on buses and near schools and restaurants to kill dozens of innocent children and their families.  What the hell are they fighting for?  They've gotten nearly everything they've ever asked for, yet they still kill innocents?!? Had it not been for the US holding Israel back all of these decades, the Israli Army would have wiped the terrorist in Palestine off the face of the earth.  Even if Israel were attacked by other Muslim nations, I have no doubt they would defeat them all completely in a number of days or weeks just as they did in the "6 Days War."  Had the US and other Western Nations stayed out of the political quarreling following that conflict, Israel would still today own completely
169020
Just like ships, aircraft have position lights to indicate left (red) or right (green). Most things aeronautical stem from shipboard tradition and this is the case here. It helps to distinguish which direction the craft is flying at night.\n\nIt's is true that the flag is painted as if it were in a wind from the viewer right. If the wind were from the viewers left, it would appear correctly. (Just like on a real flagpole.)
165534
the stars are actually the front of the flag. they are faced opposite to symbolize marching into battle instead of runnin away from it.
1069712
The odds are that there is more to this issue than just the tattoo.  I did a quick search and all of the branches just relaxed their standards.  What still holds is that it (a tattoo) can not be offensive to others in any way, it cannot be discriminatory to any person or group, it can not be gang or hate group related, and it can not be placed in a location that would bring discredit to the military.\n\nI don't know the Navy/Marine Corps or Air Force, but the Army policy is stated in AR 670-1, Chapter 1, section 1-8, sub section E, items 1-7.  It outlines all possible circumstances and how they are to be handled.
489171
No. But as JD has pointed out on other posts, it's really ironic, because that is actually a distress signal (Hanging our flag upside down.) Our nation is in distress and it is at the hand of the illegal invasion that is occurring.
175586
If you look at guidons (the wooden flag staffs) carried in parades or on display, you see that the flag is achored on the "Star" side.  Moving forward with the flag causes it to unfurl and blow in the wind with the stars leading.  The same is true on uniforms.  The flag is always represented with the stars advancing.
518839
It's only 'backwards' on the right shoulder.  Picture an American flag being held by the soldier advancing, the wind blowing it back, streaming behind him, now picture what the flag would look like from his left...that's the 'forward flag' on that shoulder, the representation of a flag that you're used to...now picture from the right shoulder, it's still streaming back, as the soldier advances to victory, but it 'looks backward' as you don't see the stationary flag displayed that way.
1099727
If you are talking about "chin strap," the only covers I've seen with them it attches easily.  It rests above the brim and attaches to the side with two "screws" (with eagles on them) that fit into 2 metal cylinderical stubs on the side.  If you're enlisted their should be a stud on the chin strap (on the adjuster) and that goes to the left side (if you're wearing it).  That is for Navy...I'm pretty sure it's the same for USMC not sure about Army.  \nIf you're talking about an elastic band that fits under the service crest, than you have to reach inside your cover, loosen the metal support and put the band on like that.  Then tighten your cover and make sure it's crisp and flat.
99795
no the flag is not living but is is consitered to be an officer in the military, it is the National Ensign, thats why military personel sulute it every morning.
370937
If you are talking about flying the flag, it should be flown to the left of the American flag if on a separate pole, or beneath if on the same pole. Hope that helps.
481005
They are trained to yip like that from the time they are puppies. Don't let it get to you. That's what they want. You are a Great American Patriot! Abrams kick A*S!!\n\nPS - Your Eagle is almost identical to a tattoo on my arm. I've been looking to touch it up a bit - that background's great! Could you e-mail a pic of it to me? That is what I've been looking for! God Bless the USA, Brother!!!
108976
The last I heard, they had approved a utility uniform that uses a pixelated pattern a la USMC MARPAT or ARMY ACU, but it is different in pattern and color.  I believe the chest pockets are still vertical (not slanted) among other differences from the other guys.  They did ditch the corny blue tiger stripe thing, though.\n\nhttp://capblog.typepad.com/capblog/images/041008f5064j020.jpg
1149706
a flag flown upside down in the U.S. originaly meant a sign of distress