On Army uniforms, why do they put the US flag backwards on the right arm?

Question

Im in the air force and wear a flight suit. We wear our flag on the left arm with the stars in the top left corner of the flag. Why doesn't the Army do that?

Answer 1

if you look in a mirror its the right way

Answer 2

IT IS NOT BACKWARDS!!!!!! How many times do I have to say it? It simulates the flag flying in the wind as the soldier marches forward.

OK, imagine the battles fought back in the Civil War. They carried the flag into battle. If a soldier was marching forward or riding a horse forward, then the flag would fly "back behind him" because of his forward movement. This puts the side that the stars are on as going into the battle first. We wear the flag on our right shoulder and the stars are forward, hence, they go into battle first as the soldier moves forward. If we were wearing the flag on the left shoulder, then it would be the way you're used to seeing it.

We can't wear it on the left shoulder, because that is where the "brassards" for MP, CID, etc. are worn.

EDIT: We have always worn the brassards on the left arm ever since we started wearing them...long before we wore the flag on the uniform. We are not going to change it just so the flag looks cool on the uniform.