Editor’s Note: Campus Findings is a weekly column about things on campus that trigger the curiosity of the Iowa State community. Carrie Sutton, junior in journalism and mass communication, will investigate the inquires each week and post her findings. Submit inquires to [email protected].

The Department of Public Safety and Iowa State’s Navy ROTC branch do not let their respect “flag” when caring for the United States’ symbol of freedom.

Capt. Jim Leach, marine officer instructor, said students perform the proper procedures when handling the flags.

“We try to teach respect for the symbol of our nation,” Leach said.

The Iowa and U.S. flags on central campus are cared for by DPS, and the flags on the southeast side of the armory are cared for by the Navy ROTC.

Leach said the flags are put up every morning and taken down every night. Before storing the flag, he said the students must fold the U.S. flag properly into a triangle and ensure that it does not touch the ground.

The students also must salute the U.S. flag when they put it up and when they take it down, Leach said.

“I doubt [the rules are] as strict for Iowa flags,” Leach said.

DPS Lt. Lowell Huggins said that DPS does not use military style, but both the Iowa and U.S. flags are treated with respect.

“Civilians don’t usually know proper military fashion,” Huggins said. “[We] don’t demand students to handle [flags] in military style. They just need to show respect — not let it touch the ground.”

Leach said after the flags are taken down for the night, they are kept in the Navy ROTC’s wardroom and are on display even during storage.

Huggins said the central campus flags are kept in the DPS office overnight.

“If the flagpole had proper lighting, [the flags] could be up all the time — around the clock,” Huggins said.

Leach said weather conditions determine whether the flags are taken down during the day.

“[The weather] would have to be pretty bad for them to be taken down,” Leach said.

Smaller or weatherized flags are used during inclement weather, Leach said, but different commands have different policies.

“Most [commands] leave them out there,” he said.

Leach said the Navy ROTC usually uses a 4-foot by 6-foot flag, which is replaced when it gets “raggedy.” He said sometimes the flags are alternated for better care.

“If it has strings hanging off of it, it’s beyond the time to replace it,” Leach said.

Huggins said DPS uses a “standard-sized” flag and does not alternate flags, but it does replace them when they appear to be torn or “drab-looking.”

Jerry Stewart, associate director of DPS, said DPS buys the flags in bulk and displays other flags underneath the U.S. flag, such as the prisoner of war, missing in action and “special Veishea” flags.

When handling the flags, Stewart said DPS “observes all flag etiquette.”