When flown at half-staff on a single pole, should the state flag be removed or remain below the U.S. flag?

Hi Mr R. I apologize if you did not get a response. I can't remember if I answered you or not. The Flag Code is silent on this fascinating question and I know of no other source that deals with this question. Army regulations for example do not mention it. And even if they did, those regs or any other military regulations apply to the military only. For private citizens, The Flag Code applies. My sense is this: Many flag usage questions are left up to the discretion of the individual. I believe that this is one of them. The Flag Code for example gives us all the option on how to retire, that is to say, dispose of a worn out flag. It need not be burned as most people think. The operative concept that guides is "in a respectful manner." In handling the myriad of real world situations that The Flag Code does not and can not address, I think if "in a respectful manner" is always the guide, then one can not go wrong. Absent any local or state law dealing with it, I would say it is not improper to leave the state flag on the pole and half staff it along with the US flag. That having been said, well meaning individuals can disagree as to the state flag being left there or not. Some might say it is a more effective statement for our weeping Old Glory to stand alone in solitude. She mourns a national event, after all. On the other hand, one might say that your great state mourns along with the nation. The state flag from that perspective represents the people of your state as they mourn in concert with the American nation. I always try to ask myself, "If The Flag could speak, what would she say." I think both are proper and The Flag Code leaves it up to the individual user and beholder. If you find it codified somewhere, please let me know. Absent any authoritative code or law, I don't think it can be maintained that either usage is correct or incorrect. Thank you for wanting to get it right.

Question: Half staffing ONLY the state flag when the US flag is on the same pole

X wrote: I'm a security officer at X University in MD. Recently we had one of our State Police helicopter pilots die in a air crash when on duty. The governor ordered the state flag to be flown at half mast. My question is, since we only have one flagpole that we display the US and state flag together how do we properly do this. Do we just display the state flag alone?

Answer: Hi Mr X Sorry for the delayed response. I sympathize with your predicament. The Flag Code is simply silent on this question. Like many questions it is therefore left up to your discretion, logic and common sense. There is no one answer. As with many flag usage questions, different people looking at the same facts will likely come to different conclusions. It is likely that there is no truly satisfying solution. You have only one pole with the US flag flying on top and your state flag flying below it. If you half staff both flags some people will say that The President and your Governor had not ordered the US flag to be half staffed. Fair enough. If you leave the US flag on top at full staff and simply lower your state flag even further down the pole, will it even appear to be half staffed? Will it even be effective at creating the tribute? Maybe so. However, depending on the height of your pole, it may just appear to be a secondary flag at a normal lower position on the pole. It may not even appear to be half staffed in honor of the fallen officer. The only other option would be to remove the US flag for the period of the state flag half staffing. This option would at least allow you to clearly display the state flag in an effective half staff flag manner to honor the officer. But some people might be critical of you removing the US flag from display. I know of nothing written in The Flag Code to which you can point to back up anything you do. The Flag Code could not possibly anticipate every single one of life's events and permutations. Absent any specific regulation in your own state laws, there is no guidance. Either option you pick may have its supporters and detractors and you may well take some criticism for which ever option you take. The entire point is to honor the officer. Having the US flag at full staff and the state flag at half staff on the same pole does not appear to be an effective, noticeable tribute. I would either half staff them both, or remove the US flag. When flag etiquette questions arise for which there is no answer written in any code I always ask myself "if Old Glory could speak, what would she say?" In this case I hear her saying "One of our state's finest has fallen. We have only one flagpole. Either I or the state flag which will be honoring our citizen must step aside for a moment. Let me step aside so that the flag of our state may participate in this tribute." There is a middle ground also. You will notice on our flag etiquette page there is a black mourning streamer. That or any black ribbon can be used to adorn a flag as a sign of mourning. Good luck with it. You asked a great question. Let me know what you did and if you got any reaction.