[edseuffert]

I am displaying tha 5 service flags, a POW flag and the US flag.
They will be hanging vertically from the porch.

I know the US flag should be centered with the field of blue top left when viewed. The US flag is 3x5 and the service flags are 2x3
In what order do I place the service flags from left to right?
I would be inclined to place them older service first, left to right.

ARMY - NAVY - Marines - US - Air Force - Coast Guard - POW/MIA

Would this be correct?

[Peter Ansoff]

ARMY - NAVY - Marines - US - Air Force - Coast Guard - POW/MIA
Would this be correct?

Not exactly. Generally, when a group of flags is displayed together, the position of honor is on the right (or the left, as seen by the viewer). Therefore, the US flag should be on the far right, not in the middle. With respect to the order of the service flags, the US Air Force protocol manual (AFI 34-1202) gives the order as Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard. I'm not sure what the rationale for this is. "Older service first" would make sense, but that doesn't seem to be the case -- the Coast Guard is much older than the Air Force, for example. The manual also states that "the POW/MIA flag will always be the last flag in any display," which means that it should be on the far left (again, that's the right as viewed from in front).

Peter Ansoff