Title 14Coast GuardRelease 119-73

§2748 Presentation of United States flag upon retirement

Title 14 › Subtitle SUBTITLE II— - PERSONNEL › Chapter CHAPTER 27— - PAY, ALLOWANCES, AWARDS, AND OTHER RIGHTS AND BENEFITS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - AWARDS › § 2748

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

When a Coast Guard member retires from active duty, the Secretary must give them a free U.S. flag. They can't get another flag if they already received one when leaving active service.

Full Legal Text

Title 14, §2748

Coast Guard — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Upon the release of a member of the Coast Guard from active duty for retirement, the Secretary 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

2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 516 of this title as this section. 2012—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 112–213 struck out “of Homeland Security” after “Secretary”. 2002—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–296 substituted “of Homeland Security” for “of Transportation”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–314 substituted “this section” for “his 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, 6141, and 8681 of title 10.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2002 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 107–296 effective on the date of transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, see section 1704(g) of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as a note under section 101 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Effective Date

Section applicable with respect to releases from active duty described in this section and section 7251, 8261, and 9251 of Title 10, Armed Forces, on or after Oct. 1, 1998, see section 644(e) of Pub. L. 105–261, set out as a note under section 7251 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

14 U.S.C. § 2748

Title 14Coast Guard

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73