Posted on 10/26/2007 7:55:11 PM PDT by SkyDancer
Through thousands of military burials, Memorial Honor Detail volunteers at Riverside National Cemetery have folded the American flag 13 times and recited the significance of every fold to survivors of those being laid to rest.
The first fold, a narrator tells relatives, represents life, the second a belief in eternal life.
The 11th fold celebrates Jewish war veterans and "glorifies the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob."
A single complaint lodged against the words for the 11th fold recently prompted the National Cemetery Administration to ban the entire recital at all 125 national cemeteries.
A spokesman in Washington said the complaint originated from someone who witnessed the ceremony at Riverside National but would provide no other details and declined to release the directive banning the flag-folding recital, saying it was "an internal working document not meant for public distribution."
Veterans are furious. >snip<
I find this puzzling as we buried my father (aka ‘the Chief’) at Riverside this past July and there was no flag-folding ceremony of the type mentioned here.
THE AMERICAN FLAG
Did you know that at military funerals, the 21 gun salute stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776.
Have you ever noticed how the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the American flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day!
The 1st fold of our flag is a symbol of life.
The 2nd fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.
The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing our ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.
The 4th fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.
The 5th fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decaur, “Our Country”, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.
The 6th fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that We pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.
The 7th fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.
The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.
The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.
The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for defense of our country since they were first born.
The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit.
The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding us of our nations motto, “In God We Trust.”
After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, Ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges and freedoms we enjoy today.
There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have deep meaning. In the future, youll see flags folded and now you will know why. Share this with the children you love and all others who love the symbol of “Liberty and Freedom.”
http://tabbykatus.tripod.com/id5.html
Thanks for the info .... “BTW Have you ever noticed how the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the American flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day!”
There were five colonies, thirteen original states. The states were never colonies - (things you never learned in public school - found out later in university)
Post number 22 was great!
The next step will be the requirement that clergy in national cemeteries, even if civilian, be restricted to nondenominational prayers to a generic god/goddess. The Armed Services have already required that chaplains not pray anything but generic “god” prayers at public ceremonies.
Stars are in the heavens. It was to be symbolic of a constellation. As states kept joining the design changed but stars are symbolic of the heavens.
Can military Chaplains pray in Christs name yet?
At one time they banned that.
People are BLIND by choice, to what is going on.
My best guess is that this slowly diffused to other honor guards over the years.. but it seems like around 2001 this wording took off.. most often referenced in the form posted on this site.
The Meaning To The 13 Folds Of The American Flag
http://tabbykatus.tripod.com/id5.html
.. and was adopted by the American Legion as their standard for times of particular honor like Veterans Day and Funerals for folding the flag.
http://www.legion.org/?section=our_flag&subsection=flag_folding&content=flag_symbols
The language seems archaic and thus seems to come from a long tradition and folks have just accepted this and adopted it as their own.
Almost all links to this wording and ceremony have been deleted from US Official sites and nothing has been put in its place.. though for a time.. the language was quite wide spread.
The Air Force came up with PC wording and made this Official but I believe it is largely rejected, and the ceremony is done in silence rather than use the new words. It was done in silence at a USAF Veteran’s funeral I attended most recently.
More stuff..
Jul. 04, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
HONOR GUARD’S NEW WRINKLE
Air Force’s flag folding ceremonies lose religious references
By KEITH ROGERS
© 2006 REVIEW-JOURNAL
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jul-04-Tue-2006/news/8304650.html
++++Quote from Above+++++
Although the new, official script is steeped in history and patriotism, an unofficial one that had been read since the 1980s by Air Force honor guards at many retirements and special occasions in Las Vegas and across the nation gave religious meaning to some of the 13 folds.
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Other criticism.... from the Atheist side of the blogosphere....
Fisking a Flag-Fold Flogging..
Millard Fillmore’s Bathtub
http://timpanogos.wordpress.com/2006/07/19/fisking-a-flag-fold-flogging/
++++Quote from above+++++
6. The naval method of folding flags predates the Pledge of Allegiance by 200 years at least. The phrase “one nation, under God, indivisible,” didn’t exist until 1954. As originally adopted by Congress in 1931, the Pledge said “one nation indivisible.” (There is some great irony in the use of “under God” to break up “nation indivisible,” is there not?) The original pledge was written by Francis Bellamy in 1892, long after the folding of the flag was tradition. It is simple error of history to describe a folding process as honoring a concept not written until long after the folding process was created and promulgated. “Under God” was added in 1954 after a lobbying campaign by the Knights of Columbus, to distinguish the U.S. from the “godless” Soviet Union.
7. Twelve folds until 1956? According to the faux symbolism above, the 12th fold represents the U.S. motto, “In God We Trust.” That was declared the nation’s motto in 1956 (Public Law 84-140). Are we to understand that there was no 12th fold until 1956?
Prior to 1956, questions about the nation’s motto usually were answered with reference to the Seal of the United States, which bears three mottos: “E Pluribus Unum” on the obverse (Out of many, one), and “Novus Ordo Seclorum” (A new order of the ages), and “Annuit Coeptis” (Providence has favored our undertakings) on the reverse. Those mottoes are based on lines from the poetry of the Roman, Virgil.
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Flag ceremony update
Millard Fillmore’s Bathtub
http://timpanogos.wordpress.com/2006/07/29/flag-ceremony-update/
++++Quote from above++++++
There is no particular meaning attached to folding the flag. Comments noted that the ceremony making the internet rounds is posted at the website of the American Legion. I wrote to the Legion’s public relations department, but have heard nothing back. Generally, the information on flag etiquette at that site is solid. Only the flag-folding ceremony material is not top-notch. I would be happy were the Legion to add a note that the ceremony is a sample ceremony. Several sites mention that the ceremony comes “from the U.S. Air Force Academy.” One site even had a link, but the link was dead. I did find a few sources that explained further. The Air Force Academy web site may have featured a flag-folding ceremony at one point, perhaps even the one being passed around. One of the more popular ceremonies featured had been written by one of the chaplains at USAFA. As happens in the military, someone got concerned about the accuracy of the claims, and the ceremony was pulled. However, Air Force color guards had used the ceremony, and there was demand for something to say during the folding of the U.S. flag, at some ceremonies.
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Hey Thanks!!!
Somebody needs a good, old-fashioned, ass whooping.
“looks like a vagina surrounding ‘allah’ that muzzies have to stick their heads into.”
It looks like a new age urinal to me.
Well we’re heading that way like in England .... can’t offend anyone - but we’re offended by them .... why should one person be satisfied when the majority are affected?? I feel if someone doesn’t like what I say or do, tough, deal with it ...
I have been to military funerals, both in National Military and Private cemetaries, and this is the first I have heard of this flag-folding recitation. I even arranged my grandfather’s funeral, we had a flag detail from the nearest base come out, and this recitation was not used.
This is a tempest in a teapot if you ask me.
Same here - I’ve been to some of my dad’s friends who’ve died and all they did was fold the flag - although in another post here someone laid out another type of flag-folding recitation .....
The identity of the person who complained should be made public. Let them debate their case in the public arena, not behind closed doors like a coward.
Well said “montag813”
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