Effective November 7, 2019, an amendment to 36 U.S.C. § 902 requires Post Offices to fly the Prisoner of War (POW)-Missing In Action (MIA) flag on the same days that the United States flag is flown.
Although the statute states that “Post Offices” must fly the POW-MIA flag, the Postal Service™ has historically interpreted this statute to extend to postal facilities. The Administrative Support Manual (ASM) has been edited to reflect this new requirement (see section 476.1). As edited, section 476.1 of the ASM now states that “postal facilities must display the POW-MIA flag each day on which the flag of the United States is displayed.”
Additionally, section 472.22 describes when the flag of the United States must be displayed at postal facilities. Concerning placement of the POW-MIA flag, section 471.21 states that “other flags,” including the POW-MIA flag, “are flown below the U.S. flag if displayed on the same flagstaff and at the same level or lower if displayed on a separate flagstaff.” Section 476.23 further provides that, if the POW–MIA flag is displayed on a separate flagstaff and at the same level as the U.S. flag, it must not be placed “to the right of the United States flag.” Section 476.3 describes the process for ordering a new POW-MIA flag:
To order, use the FEDSTRIP Activity Address Code (as you would for any normal supply requisition) on PS Form 7380, MDC Supply Requisition, to the following address:
MATERIAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER
ATTENTION: SUPPLY REQUISITIONS
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
500 SW GARY ORMSBY DRIVE
TOPEKA KS 66624-9607
— Ethics and Compliance, Law Department,
Office of the General Counsel, 12-5-19
