[msnimje]

About other Flag Protocol.
Do you take your Flag in every night and during inclement weather? As I understand it the Flag is never to be flown in the dark or rain and not touch anything (Ground, trees, brushes etc).
If you follow these protocols you should not need to replace it so often.

[randita]

You can fly it at night as long as you have a spotlight continually on it.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Do you take your Flag in every night and during inclement weather? As I understand it the Flag is never to be flown in the dark or rain

The US Flag code on this changed some years ago. It is available on line and in any good Almanac.

[ElkGroveDan]

Do you take your Flag in every night and during inclement weather? As I understand it the Flag is never to be flown in the dark or rain and not touch anything (Ground, trees, brushes etc). If you follow these protocols you should not need to replace it so often.

I installed an automatic spotlight on it, so unless it's raining, I never take it down. We get some pretty strong wind in the fall here that will shred even a good nylon flag. I figure $30 three times a year isn't so much to honor the flag that my ancestors fought and died for.

[chainsaw]

Flag is never to be flown in the dark or rain.

I think that has been changed a little. If the flag material is suitable for inclement weather it may be flown in the rain.

It should be retired at sunset if it is not lighted.

[MikefromOhio]

As I understand it the Flag is never to be flown in the dark or rain and not touch anything

You can fly it in inclement weather. Think back a couple weeks ago. There were American flags flying during Katrina in Mississippi and Louisiana. So long as there is a light on it, so long as the flag is well lit at night and so long as the flag is in good shape to be flown during inclement weather, you can fly it.

Ahhh the wonders of Nylon :)

[raygun]

The flag should never be disrespected, nor desecrated.

Frankly, I don't believe that the American flag is desecrated by falling upon American soil. Its another thing entirely to become soiled in dirt, but the specific act of touching hallowed American soil upon which countless heros blood has been soaked into, in no way, shape or form is desecrating. I believe that to be true regardless of where the flag touches the ground (say Iwo Jima, or the shores of Tripoli, or Normandy), but would not be true say in Moscow, or Vietnam. If the flag hits the ground anywhere in the continuous United States of America, including Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii, it is not desecrated. If it becomes soiled that's a different story entirely, as throwing the U.S. Flag through the wash and rinse cycle is not honorable IMHO. Merely touching the ground in and of itself is not desecrating, but should the Stars & Bars fall to the ground, for example in a location like Qatar (or Taiwan, Japan, Britain, Iraq, etc.) it would need to be destroyed.

The flag should not be flown at night unless it is illuminated.

Flags that have become tattered or bleached should be properly relieved of duty (not disposed of). The could be relieved of duty in a solemn hibatchi ceremony. Frankly, I see nothing wrong with throwing a U.S. flag into a mulcher, mixing with some American compost to be used to grow stuff in America. That's honorable. What is dishonorable is to relegate an old flag to a landfill.