The Postal Service wants employees to know about special flag requirements for this month’s holidays:
• Peace Officers Memorial Day, which honors police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty, is Saturday, May 15.
Postal Service facilities are usually required to fly the U.S. flag at half-staff this day. However, because Peace Officers Memorial Day falls on the third Saturday of the month this year — the same day that Armed Forces Day is observed — flags should be flown at full-staff.
Armed Forces Day honors men and women who serve in the U.S. military.
• Memorial Day, a federal holiday to remember the men and women who died while serving in the armed forces, is Monday, May 31.
Facilities that are open on the holiday must fly the U.S. flag at half-staff.
The U.S. flag must be flown at half-staff from sunrise — or the hour when it’s raised — until noon. Then, hoist the flag to the peak of the staff, where it either must fly until the time of closing or no later than sunset (unless the flag is lighted).
When the U.S. flag is flown at half-staff, all other flags must fly at half-staff, too.
Facilities that fly the flag at all times and are closed Memorial Day should lower the flag to half-staff when the facility closes prior to the holiday. Return the flag to full staff when the facility opens Tuesday, June 1.
The USPS Administrative Support Manual has guidelines on U.S. flag display and maintenance.
