• United States flagpole guidelinesamerican flag image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
  
  The guidelines for handling and displaying the flag of the United States and the accompanying flagpole guidelines are contained in Public Law 829 passed in 1942. The law was based upon the National Flag Code developed 19 years earlier in June 1923. Two key facts to note are the law calls for the flag to be displayed only on buildings or on a freestanding flagpole in an open display area, and second the law offers guidelines relative to flagpoles, however there are not any specific penalties for misuse or not following the guidelines.
  
  

Flagpole Lighting

• Floodlightkaputte Fahrradlampe image by Ralph Klein from Fotolia.com
  
  The law mentions the custom is to display the flag from sunrise to sunset only, with continuous display acceptable for a special patriotic effect such as Memorial Day or Flag Day. The flag pole and flag should have lighting if displayed during darkness. Multiple lights are suggested to illuminate all angles of the flagpole and should be about one-half the length of the flag away from the pole base. Flagpoles about 50 feet or higher should have a dedicated floodlight because base of pole fixtures and bulbs generally will leave the upper pole and the flag in shadow and semi-darkness.
  
  

Pole Position

• Seperate polesusa flag image by Charlene Bayerle from Fotolia.com
  
  The flag at half staff should literally be at the closest possible mid-point of the flagpole measured from the ground to the pole top. The display of a second flag, for instance POW, a city flag, a club flag, should always be below, never even with or above the United States flag. The flag should not share a pole with the flag of any other nation, separate poles are required. The flagpole position at an auditorium or church should always be at the front and visible to the audience rather than at entrances, vestibules or alcoves. The correct pole position is always to the left of the audience (the right of the speaker) and any other flag always to the left of the speaker (right of the audience).
  
  

On parade

• Held highestwaving flag image by Natalie from Fotolia.com
  
  The flagpole carried in a parade or procession is supposed to be in the front line extreme right position of the marching group, if the flag is the sole flag in the procession. The proper position for a line parade of flags is the carried flagpole should be in the in front of and center of the line. The flagpole for the United States flag should be held the highest and in the middle or center if flags are paraded as a group rather than a line.