How to Display the POW/MIA Flag with Military Service Flags

What is the official order of precedence for U.S. military service flags?

The official Department of Defense order of precedence for service flags is: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. A lot of people assume the Coast Guard belongs at the end because it falls under the Department of Homeland Security during peacetime, but it is actually the oldest branch of the armed services. Including it correctly in the sequence is a common point of confusion for event organizers who mistakenly place it based on its current cabinet-level department rather than its official military status.

How should the POW/MIA flag be positioned relative to the U.S. flag?

The POW/MIA flag should occupy a position of prominence that acknowledges its unique status without infringing upon the primacy of the national ensign.

• U.S. Flag: It must always be positioned at the peak of the staff or to the right of all other flags when viewed by an observer.
• POW/MIA Flag: It should be flown on a separate pole to the left of the U.S. flag at an equal or slightly lower height.
• Vertical Display: When flags are hung against a wall, the U.S. flag remains at the top, with the POW/MIA flag placed immediately below or to its left.
• Mast Height: If using a single halyard, the U.S. flag must be at the very top.

Are there specific federal regulations governing the display of the POW/MIA flag?

Yes, the display of the POW/MIA flag is governed by 36 U.S. Code § 902, which designates specific days for its public display. Federal law requires the flag to be flown at major military installations and post offices on six designated days, including Armed Forces Day and Veterans Day.

How does the order of service flags change when displayed on a single halyard versus separate poles?

The order remains consistent regardless of the mounting method, though single halyard displays require strict vertical stacking to maintain the correct hierarchy.

Use this table to make sure the U.S. flag stays at the top of the line, with the remaining flags descending in the order of their official military establishment or departmental precedence.

What is the correct protocol for displaying service flags during a joint-service military ceremony?

During a joint-service ceremony, the flags should be arranged in a line according to their official precedence, ensuring the U.S. flag remains the focal point.

• Army: This branch leads the line of service flags due to its status as the oldest established military service.
• Marine Corps: Placed second, the Marines follow the Army in the standard order of precedence for ceremonial displays.
• Navy: This branch occupies the third position in the sequence, maintaining the established hierarchy for all joint events.
• Air Force: Positioned fourth, it follows the Navy in the standard order of precedence for military services.
• Space Force: This branch takes the fifth position, reflecting its formal integration into the departmental order.

How should flags be arranged if the U.S. flag is not present?

When the U.S. flag is absent, the POW/MIA flag should take the position of honor on the far left of the line from the observer's perspective. The remaining service flags follow in their standard order of precedence, starting with the Army and ending with the Coast Guard. This configuration makes sure that the POW/MIA flag receives the respect it is due without the U.S. flag present to dictate the primary position.

An example of this would be a local memorial event held in a hall where only service flags and the POW/MIA flag are displayed on stage. The exception occurs if the display is intended to represent a specific military department, such as a Navy-only event, where the departmental flag might take the lead position. In such cases, the POW/MIA flag is still typically placed to the left to maintain its status as a commemorative symbol.

What are the requirements for displaying flags at half-staff in conjunction with the POW/MIA flag?

Yes, when the U.S. flag is flown at half-staff, the POW/MIA flag should also be flown at half-staff. This practice follows the guidelines established in 4 U.S. Code § 7, which dictates that all flags on the same halyard or in the same display must be lowered accordingly.

Does the order of service flags differ based on the branch's establishment date?

The order of service flags is determined by the official Department of Defense precedence, which is largely based on the historical establishment of the services. The Army is placed first as the oldest branch, followed by the Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and finally the Coast Guard. While the dates of origin provide the foundation for this sequence, the Department of Defense maintains the final authority on the order to ensure uniformity across all military branches.

An example of this logic is the placement of the Space Force, which is the youngest branch and therefore occupies the penultimate position before the Coast Guard. The nuance here is that the Coast Guard, despite being older than the Air Force and the Space Force, is placed last in the standard order of precedence. This is because the Coast Guard falls under the Department of Homeland Security rather than the Department of Defense during peacetime, creating a unique exception to the chronological rule.