Flag Flap

I spent 1997-2001 as editor of the Killeen Daily Herald, a small daily located near one of the world's largest military installations, Fort Hood. Many who retired from military service made their home in Killeen and surrounding area.
When you're the newspaper in a military town, you better know U.S. flag protocol. Otherwise, some crotchety old retired colonel, still bitter from not making general, will call and give you an ass-chewing. You don't make it to colonel unless you're an elite ass-chewer.
Today, I got a call from a Beaumont resident who noticed that many flags around town are not flying at half staff. (She said "half mast," but I'll get into that in a second.)
When a sitting or former U.S. president dies, American flags are to be flown at half staff for 30 days after the death date, according to http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html, your one-stop shopping for flag etiquette. The site has every little rule there is regarding U.S. flags. It also notes that you don't need to burn your American flag if it touches the ground.
Now, back to half staff versus half mast.
People - including some of my reporters over the years - have incorrectly said "half mast" when referring to flags flown in a community. Obviously, a "mast" is part of a ship, so the correct term is "staff" for land-based flags.
But even the big-league news services get it wrong sometimes:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061228/pl_afp/uspoliticsford_061228094131
Anyhoo, you should fly your U.S. flag at half staff - or half mast if you're on a boat - until Jan. 25.
I'm sure I'll get a call first thing in a morning if I've got that date wrong.