Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73
§9251 Presentation of United States flag upon retirement
Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle D— - Air Force and Space Force › Part PART II— - PERSONNEL › Chapter CHAPTER 933— - MISCELLANEOUS RIGHTS AND BENEFITS › § 9251
Summary
When an Air or Space Force member retires, the Secretary of the Air Force must give them a free U.S. flag unless they already received a retirement flag under any law.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §9251
Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Upon the release of a member of the Air Force or the Space Force from active duty for retirement, the Secretary of the Air Force 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
Amendments
2021—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–283 inserted “or the Space Force” after “member of the Air Force”. 2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 8681 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 6141 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 8261 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. § 9251
Title 10 — Armed Forces
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73