The only annual raising of the United States flag that is allowed at the Rota Naval Station

@DefAviation ES 6·30·2023 · 22:03 0

At all US military bases around the world, the United States flag, known as "Old Glory", is raised daily.

The vehicles of the US Military Police guarding the Spanish naval base in Rota
The Spanish insignia worn by the crew of the American destroyer USS Bulkeley

The only exception is the Rota Naval Base in Spain, a base used jointly by the Armed Forces of Spain and the United States. This is due, first of all, to the fact that the Spanish Flag Law establishes in its Article 3.3: "The flag of Spain will be the only one that flies on the pole of public military buildings and in barracks , ships, aircraft and any other establishments of the Armed Forces and State Security Forces."

Likewise, the Agreement between the Kingdom of Spain and the United States of America on Defense Cooperation (the most recent is from 2015, but the same regulations have been applied in the previous ones), establishes in its Article 16: "The bases listed in annex 2 of this Agreement will be under Spanish command. Only the Spanish flag and command insignia will fly at these bases."

However, every year, and as a courtesy gesture with our allies in view of the celebration of their Independence Day, the Spanish commander of the Rota Base issues an annual permit to raise the United States flag, exceptionally, once a year. It is generally hoisted on July 4 or the days before. This year's hoisting ceremony took place this morning at the Rota Naval Base. DVIDS has published the images of the ceremony taken by the US Army, you can see some of them here.

US soldiers line up in front of the US Naval Command building in Rota. Airmen from the Air Force and members of the US Navy and Marine Corps were present.

Commander Anthony Myers (left), executive officer of the US contingent in Rota, greets Capt. Teague Suarez (right), US contingent commander, during the flag-raising ceremony.

A guard consisting of two Marines, two Airmen, and four Marines prepare for the flag raising. The Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps are the three branches of the US Armed Forces that They have a presence in this Spanish base.

A Marine Staff Sergeant anchoring the flag for hoisting, while a Marine holds the "Old Glory."

The beginning of the raising of the flag. Note the preferential place occupied by the marines in the ceremony. The Marine Corps is the quintessential US expeditionary force and is in charge of guarding that country's embassies around the world, so they have a long tradition linked to these hoists.

The flag begins to fly as a Marine continues to raise it and the rest of the US military personnel salute it.

Members of the US Navy in NWU Type III uniforms, with AOR2 camouflage, observing their flag being raised. This must be a very special moment for the US military deployed in Rota, since they only experience it once a year.

The family photo of US military personnel with their flag raised. In the background we see the US Naval Command building in Rota.