Military Funeral Rifle Salute Shell Casings
Jul 5, 2007 10:57:14 GMT -6
Post by Moderator on Jul 5, 2007 10:57:14 GMT -6
Placing spent shell casings into a fold, or folds, of a Military Funeral Flag violates provisions of the U.S. Flag Code as well as several Military Funeral Honors Directives.
The Funeral Flag is usually lifted from the coffin and folded during, or immediately following, the 3-volley rifle salute and the sounding of Taps. If shell casings are inserted into the Flag while it is being folded for presentation to the Primary Next-Of-Kin (PNOK), then the casings obviously CANNOT be from that particular Veteran's or Servicemember's Funeral Honors ceremony.
In addition, inserting shell casings into a Military Funeral Flag requires that the Flag be "opened" to retrieve the casings. A Military Funeral Flag should NEVER be opened again after it has been folded and presented to the PNOK.
The proper procedure for presenting spent shell casings to the PNOK is as follows ...
The three spent shell casings represent Duty, Honor, Country.
Funeral Flag display cases and shell casing display boxes are available for purchase from a number of providers. Display cases and boxes usually have a area on the lower front that is intended for an engraved plaque that can be added later.
If the Funeral Flag and the shell casings are publicly displayed after the funeral, the box holding the shell casings should be positioned to the immediate left (the viewer's right), or directly in front of (but not "on"), the display case holding the Funeral Flag.
The Funeral Flag is usually lifted from the coffin and folded during, or immediately following, the 3-volley rifle salute and the sounding of Taps. If shell casings are inserted into the Flag while it is being folded for presentation to the Primary Next-Of-Kin (PNOK), then the casings obviously CANNOT be from that particular Veteran's or Servicemember's Funeral Honors ceremony.
In addition, inserting shell casings into a Military Funeral Flag requires that the Flag be "opened" to retrieve the casings. A Military Funeral Flag should NEVER be opened again after it has been folded and presented to the PNOK.
The proper procedure for presenting spent shell casings to the PNOK is as follows ...
The three spent shell casings represent Duty, Honor, Country.
Funeral Flag display cases and shell casing display boxes are available for purchase from a number of providers. Display cases and boxes usually have a area on the lower front that is intended for an engraved plaque that can be added later.
If the Funeral Flag and the shell casings are publicly displayed after the funeral, the box holding the shell casings should be positioned to the immediate left (the viewer's right), or directly in front of (but not "on"), the display case holding the Funeral Flag.