Adam Smith of Washington wrote in an email, "the guidance makes clear that there is no place for that symbol in public settings, which is an important change in policy that I strongly support."Įsper's directive authorizes the U.S. "By omitting the Confederate flag from the list of approved flags," U.S. The Democrat who chairs the House Armed Services Committee praised Esper's exclusion of the Confederate flag, calling it "a good first step in the right direction as our government and our military grapple with our shared history of racism." Nate Christensen, "that would prohibit the Confederate battle flag from all public spaces and work areas aboard Navy installations, ships, aircraft and submarines." Mike Gilday, has directed his staff to begin crafting an order," said Gilday's spokesman, Cmdr. I cannot have that division inside our Corps." "This symbol has shown it has the power to inflame feelings of division. "I have determined it is time to act to exclude from our Corps public displays of the battle flag carried by the Confederate Army during the American Civil War," Berger wrote.
Ordered an explicit ban on displays of the Confederate flag last month at all Marine installations worldwide.Īn April letter to the Marines he commands, Berger made clear his intention to banish the battle flag.
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The new policy would not prohibit displays of "unauthorized flags" - which would include the Confederate banner - on state-issued license plates, gravesites, monuments or museum displays, "where the nature of the display or depiction cannot reasonably be viewed as endorsement of the flag by the Department of Defense."Įsper had been under growing pressure from his military commanders to outlaw the symbol of the Confederacy from military installations. "With this change in policy, we will further improve the morale, cohesion, and readiness of the force in defense of our great Nation." "The flags we fly must accord with the military imperatives of good order and discipline, treating all our people with dignity and respect, and rejecting divisive symbols," Esper wrote in the memo. Reported that an earlier version of the Pentagon policy memo had specifically banned the Confederate flag. With this change in policy, we will further improve the morale, cohesion, and readiness of the force in defense of our great Nation. Today I issued a memorandum to the force on the display of flags at facilities.