Flag Placement

The cardinal rule is the highest precedence flag takes the position of honor to the right of other flags. This position is always to the flag's own right - not as you are looking at the flags from the front. The U.S. flag always goes to the right of all other flags, except when placed in the center.

The blue field, according to the rules of heraldry, is the honor point and should, therefore, occupy the position of danger. The position of danger is the position of the arm which holds the sword--the right arm. Therefore, the blue field, which is uppermost and to the flag's own right, holds the "position of honor." - Boatner

When centered in a flag display, the U.S. flag should be at the center and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags of States or localities, pennants of societies, or organizational and other flags are grouped and displayed from staffs. Alternate flags by their order of precedence. Center the U.S. flag, then 2nd precedence goes to the flag's left, 3rd precedence to its right, 4th to the left, 5th to the right, and so on.

The positioning of the flag display is arbitrary and based primarily on the best location for the event. This could be directly behind the speaker or host, or to his/her right or left. If the stage is too small for a flag arrangement to fit, the proper way they can be displayed is on the audience's level (floor level), but the flags are positioned in reverse order. The important thing is that within the flag display, flags must be properly sequenced.

See order of precedence at the end of the chapter to determine proper sequencing for flags within a display.