American flags made overseas will be prohibited at U.S. military bases around the world under new rules from the Department of Defense.
The Defense Department is moving to purchase only American-made flags for use by the military in response to congressional requirements.
DOD spokesman Mark Wright called the new rule a “symbol of our national pride."
“It’s a measure of the level of patriotism within our military to know the flag they salute, flying over that ship or over that base, was made within the United States,” Wright said.
The military will now be required to purchase only American-made flags that are produced entirely in the U.S., from the threads to the ink to the assembly.
However, the rule will not apply to flagpoles and other components used to hang a flag.
Auggie Tantillo, president of the National Council of Textile Organizations, which represents U.S. flag manufacturers, said it’s the “right thing to do.”
“It’s not as if American flags can’t be made here or that somehow the United States doesn’t know how to make these flags,” Tantillo said. “We should be the first choice when it comes to supplying the U.S. government.”
Buying American-made flags runs deeper than the symbolism, Tantillo said. He pointed out that it will also have a ripple effect on the economy and create jobs here.
U.S. manufacturers sell $300 million in American flags each year, said Reggie VandenBosch, chairman of the Flag Manufacturers Association of America.
http://thehill.com/regulation/defense/234257-pentagon-bans-foreign-made-flags
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