The first jack: 

Please tell me it looks familiar.  However, there is fair evidence that the first jack used by the Continental Navy did not have the rattlesnake and motto “Don’t Tread On Me.” Many believe it was just a flag with 13 stripes. Here is the jack, the Union Jack, that came into use in 1777, although this one has more stars:

This should also be looking familiar to you.  Do you think the amount of stars on the jack has ever changed?  Yes!  Of course, a star is added with every state.  Good job.  The Navy’s current jack is the jack with the rattlesnake and stripes.  We have used it since September 11, 2002.  It is the “First Navy Jack.” The Navy had also flown the First Navy Jack on the bicentennial of the United States of America.  In 1980, the Secretary of the Navy directed that the ship with the longest active status shall display the First Navy Jack until decommissioned or transferred to inactive service. Then the flag will be passed to the next ship in line.

You need someone to help you fold the flag.  Remember, the flag can’t touch the ground.  So get some help.  Hold it parallel to the ground and at waist height.  First fold it in half lengthwise.  Now fold it in half again lengthwise.  Now take the lower striped edge, the one on the folded side, and fold it up to make a triangle fold.  Then fold the triangle over so the edge is not a triangle anymore.  Next, fold the open striped corner down in the triangle fold.  Follow this pattern all the way until the end until you have a square and a triangle from the star section.  Then fold the square end into the fold so you have the larger triangle.  I know this is tough to follow, so here is the animation:

Here is the folding ceremony courtesy of the United States Air Force:

(Begin reading as Honor Guard or Flag Detail is coming forward).
The flag folding ceremony represents the same religious principles on which our country was originally founded. The portion of the flag-denoting honor is the canton of blue containing the stars representing the states our veterans served in uniform. The canton field of blue dresses from left to right and is inverted when draped as a pall on a casket of a veteran who has served our country in uniform.

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington and the sailors and marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today.

Mount Suribachi is the standout part of Iwo Jima.  Iwo Jima is a volcanic island sitting 650 nautical miles south of Tokyo.  Mount Suribachi sticks up 546 feet into the air.  Suribachi is a dormant volcanic cone.  The Battle of Iwo Jima was the United States’ first attack on the Japanese Home Islands and over 20,000 Japanese were killed.

Army Regulation 670-1, “Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia,” updated most recently September 5, 2003, addresses explicitly the proper and lawful placement of the U.S. flag patch on the Army uniform.

The regulation states that when authorized for application to the proper uniform the American flag patch is to be worn, right or left shoulder, so that “the star field faces forward, or to the flag’s own right. When worn in this manner, the flag is facing to the observer’s right, and gives the effect of the flag flying in the breeze as the wearer moves forward. The appropriate replica for the right shoulder sleeve is identified as the ‘reverse side flag’.”

That, if I may say, is cool.