RIP Gerald Ford 1913-2006

[lurker]

Originally Posted by K C Muffin

There was a blip on our newscast up here about it. Yep, local, state and federal offices - some of them - weren't lowered yet. Nobody has to announce it, for Pete's sake - it's expected at the death of a former President. The thing is, this type of thing is often left to the lowest caretaker on the payroll, and not all of them know.

Blame it on the screwlz. Honoring the U.S. Flag prolly isn't even discussed theses dazzes.

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by lurker

I'm amazed with the number of flags still flying at full mast. Some are even gummit funded.

I didn't know you had any ships to be seen in your neighborhood. Masts are on ships, flags are flown at full staff or half staff. Right now, your flag should be flying at half staff.

I'm suprised Army didn't call you out on this. I know when I was in the Army they made a really big deal when somebody said half mast.

[Highwayman]

Originally Posted by Bubba

...I know when I was in the Army they made a really big deal when somebody said half mast.

Did they lecture you on the difference between a rifle and a gun?

[Bubba]

One is for killing and the other is for fun!

[lurker]

Originally Posted by Bubba

I didn't know you had any ships to be seen in your neighborhood. Masts are on ships, flags are flown at full staff or half staff. Right now, your flag should be flying at half staff.

I'm surprised Army didn't call you out on this. I know when I was in the Army they made a really big deal when somebody said half mast.

Mast?
Staff?
Or even Pole?

That's a complex thought.... OK. Thanks.

[notyoubob]

Originally Posted by Bubba

One is for killing and the other is for fun!

Still have the image in my mind of that poor old Arkansas hillbilly who learned that lesson the hard way back in basic. He wasn't too smart, he also had to salute a handy, nearby rake he had used without permission for policing up the area. "I'm sorry rake for raking you in the dirt," repeated ad nauseum.

[notyoubob]

Originally Posted by Bubba

I didn't know you had any ships to be seen in your neighborhood. Masts are on ships, flags are flown at full staff or half staff. Right now, your flag should be flying at half staff.

I'm suprised Army didn't call you out on this. I know when I was in the Army they made a really big deal when somebody said half mast.

You beat me to it, Bubba. I was going to ask Uncle Lurker if the Kansas Navy had shown up and he had squired a young be-atch out to the the country side to watch the submarine races like he did in junior high.

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by lurker

I'm amazed with the number of flags still flying at full mast. Some are even gummit funded.

Some flags are able to be lowered up and down on a pole or mast....Some are permentently fixed such as the one at the mall and cannot be lowered or raised. In that case the flag doesn't fly at half mast. If you see a flag NOT flying at half mast take care to look and see if it has a halyard and a pulley at the top of the truck. IF it does then it can undoubtedly be raised and lowered. In the case of the one at the Village Square Mall it is fixed and can only be taken down with a big azz ladder so it's ok for it to not fly at half mast. If you see someone flying a flag that should be at half mast OR is worn, tattered or in a state of disrepair feel free to stop and let them know. When I was in Leavenworth I bought a flag for a guy that flew his all the time but it was tattered. I just stopped and gave him the new one. It's your duty to make any corrections of our flag....NOW on the other hand if you are a Demokrat you can just drive by with your usual scorn for our flag and go about your busines.....

[Bubba]

I'm dissapointed in you Army, flags don't fly at half-mast, they fly at half-staff. If you don't know any better than that, then I am very disappointed in today's Army, because that is one thing they used to drill in our head was that a mast is on a ship and a staff is what you fly a flag on.

I seriously considered giving you some negative rep points for not knowing the difference, but decided not to because I don't know what today's Army is teaching you young ones. Flag etiquette must not be high on the priority list of things to learn.

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by Bubba

I'm dissapointed in you Army, flags don't fly at half-mast, they fly at half-staff. If you don't know any better than that, then I am very disappointed in today's Army, because that is one thing they used to drill in our head was that a mast is on a ship and a staff is what you fly a flag on.

I seriously considered giving you some negative rep points for not knowing the difference, but decided not to because I don't know what today's Army is teaching you young ones. Flag etiquette must not be high on the priority list of things to learn.

First of all the only reason I said it was for the people that used it on here. I have never really been involved with putting a flag up but have folded one and presented it at funerals several times. No one I have ever been around called it a mast. It was always the flag pole...but here...fyi..


Is there a difference between "half-mast" and "half-staff"?

According to Merriam-Webster's (3rd Edition):

Half-mast: a point some distance but not necessarily halfway down below the top of a mast or staff or the peak of a gaff.

Half-staff: HALF-MAST — used of a flag or a flagpole

Checking other dictionaries, they all seem to agree that the principal term is "half-mast."

The Flag Code (section 7-m) reads:

The term "half-staff" means the position of the flag when it is one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff;

Using Google, you find the term "half-mast" 838,000 times and the term "half-staff" 649,000 times. Searching White House press releases "half-staff" appears 80 times to "half-mast" only 4 times.

Naval flag protocol uses the term "half-staff" 10 times, and the term "half-mast" 61 times.

Our conclusion is that both terms can be used. The term "half-mast" seems more appropriate at sea, and is preferred by dictionaries. The term "half-staff" seems more appropriate on land, and is the term used in the Flag Code and in Presidential proclamations.