Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73
§8261 Presentation of United States flag upon retirement
Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle C— - Navy and Marine Corps › Part PART II— - PERSONNEL › Chapter CHAPTER 831— - MISCELLANEOUS RIGHTS AND BENEFITS › § 8261
Summary
The Secretary of the Navy must give a free U.S. flag to any Navy or Marine who leaves active duty to retire or transfer to the Fleet Reserve or Fleet Marine Corps Reserve, unless they already received a flag on retirement.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §8261
Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Upon the release of a member of the Navy or Marine Corps from active duty for retirement or transfer to the Fleet Reserve or the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve, the Secretary of the Navy shall present a United States flag to the member.
(b)A member is not eligible for a presentation of a flag under subsection (a) if the member has previously been presented a flag under this section or any other provision of law providing for the presentation of a United States flag incident to release from active service for retirement.
(c)The presentation of a flag under this section shall be at no cost to the recipient.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
A prior section 8261, acts Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 505; Oct. 4, 1961, Pub. L. 87–378, § 4, 75 Stat. 808, related to enlistment in Air National Guard of United States, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1662(b)(3), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2990. See section 12107 of this title.
Amendments
2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 6141 of this title as this section. 1999—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 106–65 substituted “under this section or any other provision of law providing for the presentation of a United States flag incident to release from active service for retirement.” for “under this section or section 3681 or 8681 of this title or section 516 of title 14.”
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of
Amendments
and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.
Effective Date
Section applicable with respect to releases from active duty described in this section, section 7251 and 9251 of this title, and section 2748 of Title 14, Coast Guard, on or after Oct. 1, 1998, see section 644(e) of Pub. L. 105–261, set out as a note under section 7251 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 8261
Title 10 — Armed Forces
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73