Why are the flag patches worn on the sleeves of U.S. military uniforms reversed?
On the right shoulder of American military utility uniforms, the canton (the blue rectangle) of the flag patch faces toward the observer’s right, making it appear backwards. Is this some sort of diabolical conspiracy? Thankfully, no. We found the answer at American military daily Stars and Stripes by way of the Urban Legends Reference Pages. Like a lot of matters concerning military decorum, the reason has to do with tradition. Flag patches worn on the left shoulder feature the canton facing correctly toward the left. Army regulations mandate that the flag patches are to be worn so “that to observers, it looks as if the flag is flying against a breeze.” The arrangement is in deference to standard bearers, or t
