Everywhere you look these days government issued uniforms are wearing the flag backwards. Since 2004, this has been official policy. Lately, I've noticed prison guards, police tactical units, emergency workers, military and civilian aircraft, etc. displaying the flag backwards. Though, U.S. professional sporting teams haven't converted yet. If you look on the back of a $20 dollar bill, you will see the flag flying backwards on top of the White House. The NWO are slaves to symbolism, ritual, time and dates.
I present to you two mainstream websites giving their answers.
The backward appearance of the U.S. flag on the serviceman's sleeve in this picture is not a mistake or anomaly. As the military newspaper Stars & Stripes explained, the flag patch worn on the right shoulder of a U.S. soldier's uniform is deliberately reversed:
Why do American soldiers wear the U.S. flag insignia "backwards" on the right shoulder of their utility uniforms, with the canton (the rectangle with the stars) on an observer's right?
It's a question that soldiers hear frequently as they travel through civilian airports, or talk to members of other services.
And it does look "wrong," because U.S. federal code calls for the canton to always be positioned to the left. The soldiers aren't wrong, however, and neither are their tailors, Lt. Col. Stanley Heath, an Army spokesman, explained in a telephone interview.
The Army actually has two authorized flag patches, one to be worn on the left shoulder, with the canton facing left, and another "reverse field" patch worn on the right, with the canton facing right.
The two different orientations are mandated because Army regulations call for the flag "to be worn so that to observers, it looks as if the flag is flying against a breeze," Heath said.
What does a stiff wind have to do with this custom?
In fact, the rule is a nod to the U.S. Army's early history, when wars were fought as a series of carefully choreographed battles — two armies meeting on a field, clashing head-on until one side emerged victorious.
In those battles, both mounted cavalry and infantry units would always designate one soldier as "standard bearer," to carry the Colors into the fight.
As the standard bearer charged, his rapid forward momentum would cause the flag to stream back.
And since the Stars and Stripes is mounted with the canton closest to the pole, that section would always be forward.
So if a soldier is charging into the battle, the flag would give the appearance of forward motion. For the right shoulder, the flag only appears "backward."
And that's why soldiers wear the flag patches on the right shoulder "backward." Because retreat in battle, as any soldier will tell you, is not the Army way. Source:
http://www.snopes.com/photos/military/patch.aspOn Military.com's website:
Answer: Army Regulation 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, is the governing authority for the wear of Army uniforms. Paragraph 28-18 governs the wear of the United States Flag on Army Uniforms.
The flag may only be worn on the utility and organizational uniforms (such as the camouflage BDU). The flag may only be worn during joint-duty and multinational deployments. When the service member returns to home station, the flag must be removed. (Guide Note: A message went out in February 2004 changing this restriction, and making the U.S. Flag a mandatory uniform component for all soldiers, effective October 1, 2005).
Chapter 1, Title 4, United States Code, provides for the design of the U.S. flag and specifies the colors as red, white, and blue. Colors other than red, white, and blue violate the U.S. Code; therefore, subdued-colored flags are not authorized for wear. Joint commanders have to make the decision as to whether or not the wear of a full-color flag, for morale purposes, is more important than having all aspects of the uniform camouflaged.
When approved for wear, the full-color U.S. flag cloth replica is sewn 1/2 inch below the right shoulder seam of the temperate, hot-weather, enhanced hot-weather, and desert BDU; the BDU field jacket; and the cold-weather uniform. The flag is worn on the right shoulder, because, in the military, the "place of honor" is to a military member's right.
The full-color U.S. flag cloth replica is worn so that the star field faces forward, or to the flag’s own right. When worn in this manner, the flag is facing to the observer’s right, and gives the effect of the flag flying in the breeze as the wearer moves forward.
The rule dates back to the Army's early history, when both mounted cavalry and infantry units would designate a standard bearer, who carried the Colors into battle. As he charged, his forward momentum caused the flag to stream back. Since the Stars and Stripes are mounted with the canton closest to the pole, that section stayed to the right, while the stripes flew to the left.