When should you raise a United States flag at half or full staff?
What does it mean when a flag is raised half-mast?
A flag that is half-mast and half-staff is the same thing but when the United States flag is hoisted at half-staff then it must be first hoisted to the top of the flagpole and then dropped down to the middle.
Even though flags should be raised at full mast almost all of the time there are particular situation that makes it more suitable to fly it in half mast in some times of the year like death of a Justice, Congressman or President.
Though a half mast flag means flying it at half-staff out at sea, any United States flags hoisted at half must have the American flag at the pole’s middle point and all other flags such as city and state flags must be displayed under the midpoint.
American flags at certain holidays are displayed at this point at all government buildings.
The holidays include Patriot Day, Memorial Day, Officers Memorial Day, Korean War Veteran’s Day and Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
On the mentioned holidays, the American flags must be raised at half mast from daybreak up to sunset except on Memorial Day. During Memorial Day, United States flags must be raised until noon and then at full staff at that point until sunset in a half mast manner.
The representation behind this is that the half-mast is to honor those who have died during battles involving the United States and the full staff will honor those who are living and the entire nation.