Why We Put the Flag at Half-Staff

Why We Put the Flag at Half-Staff: From GovGab:"Driving around town this week you may have noticed that flags were flown at half-staff, a message from President Obama to honor the soldiers who were killed in the shootings at Fort Hood.

When I was growing up, I learned that flags were flown at half-staff in the wake of a tragedy or a period of mourning in the country. So whenever, I see the flags at half-staff, I always try to figure out what happened. I never realized there were certain protocols that governed flying the flag.

When a flag is flown at half-staff it is usually a directive given by the President for how the executive branch will fly the flag. However, it's not a mandate and no one is forced to fly the flag a certain way just because the President is. Local communities, schools and agencies can decide for themselves if they will fly their flags at half-staff to recognize the death of an employee or student.

These are three of the more interesting facts I found about flying a flag at half-staff:

• On Memorial Day, the flag is at half-staff until noon and then raised to the top of the pole until sunset.
• Flags are flown at half-staff for 30 days after the death of the president or former president.
• When flying a flag at half-staff, it should be raised to the top of the staff and then lowered to half-staff.

"