Policy
Directive
Effective Date: February 07, 2000
Expiration Date: February 07, 2025
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NASA Policy Directive |
NPD 1020.2J Effective Date: February 07, 2000 Expiration Date: February 07, 2025 |
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1 |
01/14/2015 |
Updated to comply with 1400 compliance requirements, administrative changes, and updated Applicability and Responsibility sections. |
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2 |
01/23/2020 |
Updated to comply with 1400 compliance requirements, administrative changes. |
a. It is NASA policy to recognize the following three categories of those individuals whose deaths may be marked by displaying the United States flag at half-staff:
(1) National: Upon the deaths of any Officials listed in the Presidential Proclamation 3044 and 4 U.S.C. 7(m), NASA Headquarters and all Centers shall display the U.S. flag at half-staff for the prescribed period of time.
(2) NASA: Following the deaths of certain current or former NASA Officials, and other U.S. or Foreign Officials as specifically requested by the President, NASA Headquarters and all Centers shall fly the U.S. flag at half-staff for a designated period of time.
(3) Local: Center Directors may display the U.S. flag at half-staff at Headquarters and at each Center as a mark of respect upon the deaths of prominent state and local Officials in keeping with the directions of the state governor and the protocols of their state. As appropriate, they may also honor agreements with commanders of local military bases (with whom they share space) to show mutual respect.
b. Whenever the U.S. flag is displayed at half-staff from a single pole, no other flags should be flown on the pole. When multiple flagpoles are used, a NASA facility shall either fly only the U.S. flag at half-staff and not fly any flags on the remaining poles; or, fly the other flags at half-staff, lower than the U.S. flag. If this method is chosen, the following procedure shall be followed: raise the U.S. flag to full-staff; raise the other flags to full-staff, then to half-staff; then lower the U.S. flag to half-staff.
c. When taking the flags down, raise the U.S. flag to full-staff; raise the other flags to full- staff and then down; finally, l ower the U.S. flag. At no time will any other flag be flown higher than the U.S. flag.
a. This directive is applicable to NASA Headquarters and NASA Centers, including Component Facilities and Technical and Service Support Centers. This directive applies to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (a Federally Funded Research and Development Center), and other contractors only to the extent specified or referenced in the appropriate contracts.
b. Nothing in this directive shall be considered to limit the authorities of the Office of the Inspector General under the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended.This Directive applies to NASA Headquarters and NASA Centers, including Component Facilities, NASA contractors and grant recipients, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to the extent specified in a contract, grant, Memorandum of Understanding or Memorandum of Agreement.
c. In this directive, all mandatory actions (i.e., requirements) are denoted by statements containing the term "shall." The terms: "may" or "can" denote discretionary privilege or permission, "should" denotes a good practice and is recommended, but not required, and "will" denotes expected outcome, and "are/is" denotes descriptive material.
a. 4 U.S.C. 7(m) Position and Manner of Display(Attachment A).
b. Presidential Proclamation 3044 Display of the Flag of the United States of America at Half-Staff Upon the Death of Certain Officials and Former Officials, as amended (Attachment B).
a. The Assistant Administrator for Protective Services shall be responsible for the overall management of this policy and for notifying all NASA Centers of the requirement to display the U.S. flag at half-staff and the duration of the honor following the deaths of any officials defined in paragraph 1a(2).
b. Center Directors will designate a Flag Protocol Officer (FPO) who will be the single point of contact for issues and decisions concerning the display of flags at half-staff. The FPO's are responsible for flying the U.S. flag at half-staff upon the deaths of any Officials defined in paragraphs 1a(1) and 1a(3). No notification will be provided by NASA Headquarters and no authorization by NASA Headquarters is required for these officials. FPO's will notify the Assistant Administrator for Protectives Services of the name and title of the individual which a local decision has been made to bestow this mark of respect.
Original signed by
/s/ Daniel S. Goldin AdministratorThe flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. On Memorial Day, the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff. By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possessions, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law. In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff. The flag shall be flown at half-staff thirty days from the death of the President or a former President; ten days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress. The flag shall be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day. As used in this subsection--
(1) the term "half-staff" means the position of the flag when it is one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff;
(2) the term "executive or military department" means any agency listed under sections 101 and 102 of Title 5; and
(3) the term "member of Congress" means a Senator, a Representative, a Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico.
ATTACHMENT B. PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION 3044--DISPLAY OF THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AT HALF-STAFF UPON THE DEATH OF CERTAIN OFFICIALS AND FORMER OFFICIALS
WHEREAS it is appropriate that the flag of the United States of America be flown at half-staff on Federal buildings, grounds, and facilities upon the death of principal officials and former officials of the Government of the United States and the Governor of the States, Territories, and possessions of the United States as a mark of respect to their memory; and
WHEREAS it is desirable that rules be prescribed for the uniform observance of this mark of respect by all executive departments and agencies of the Government, and as a guide to the people of the Nation generally on such occasions:
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, President of the United States of America and Commander in Chief of the armed forces of the United States, do hereby prescribe and proclaim the following rules with respect to the display of the flag of the United States of America at half-staff upon the death of the officials hereinafter designated:
1. The flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions for the period indicated upon the death of any of the following-designated officials or former officials of the United States:
(a) The President or former President: for thirty days from the day of death.
The flag shall be flown at half-staff for such period at all United States embassies, legations, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.
b) The Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives: for ten days from the day of death.
(c) An Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a member of the Cabinet, a former Vice President, the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Majority Leader of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, or the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives: from the day of death until interment.
2. The flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels of the Federal Government in the metropolitan area of the District of Columbia on the day of death and on the following day upon the death of a United States Senator, Representative, Territorial Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and it shall be flown at half-staff on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels of the Federal Territory, or Commonwealth of such Senator, Representative, Delegate, or Commissioner, respectively, from the day of death until interment.
3. The flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff on all buildings and grounds of the Federal Government in a State, Territory, or possession on the United States upon the death of the Governor of such State, Territory, or possession from the day of death until interment.
4. In the event of the death of other officials, former officials, or foreign dignitaries, the flag of the United States shall be displayed at half-staff in accordance with such orders or instructions as may be issued by or at the direction of the President, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not consistent with the law.
5. The heads of several departments and agencies of the Government may direct that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff on buildings, grounds, or naval vessels under their jurisdiction on occasions other than those specified herein which they consider proper, and that suitable military honors be rendered as appropriate.
This document does not bind the public, except as authorized by law or as incorporated into a contract. This document is uncontrolled when printed. Check the NASA Online Directives Information System (NODIS) Library to verify that this is the correct version before use: https://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov.