
Have you ever noticed that the national flag on top of the Presidential Office’s 11-story tower always seems to be flying perfectly, no matter how harsh the wind or rain? The Military Police’s 211th Battalion is responsible for this invisible task. They swap the battered flag out every month, threading wires through the fabric by hand to secure it. It seems easy, but it requires a team of four or five people working together to pull it off.
The Presidential Office Building stands proud along Chongqing South Road, the national flag fluttering elegantly under blue skies.
Lin Yen-chun
FTV reporter
Looking up behind me, you can see the national flag flying 11 stories high on top of the Presidential Office tower. It looks to be fluttering easily in the breeze. But what’s the secret to keeping it that way?
Inside the tower—an area off-limits to the public—officers with the Military Police’s 211th Battalion assemble once a month to change the flag. To keep it from ripping or tangling in high winds, they forego the standard ropes in favor of more sturdy wires along the edges.
Wang Kun-huang
Battalion sergeant
After some testing, we found that if the wire is too thick, the holes it leaves in the fabric are too large. When the winds are strong, it actually wears out the flag faster. If they’re too light, they rust easily in the wind and rain, causing them to break.
To seamlessly fuse together the flag and wire, they must use pliers to twist them tightly. They must also be flush with the fabric so that when a flag bearer runs a gloved hand over the joint, it won’t catch on the fabric. It may seem simple, but it takes four to five officers all working in tandem.
Huang Wei-ting
Battalion flag bearer
The hardest part is threading the wire through the halyard, because the rope is incredibly stiff. There’s no need for us to rush. Our only priority is making sure that every wire is affixed well.
It’s not just the officers’ skill that ensures the flag flies perfectly. The four corners are also extra thick and reinforced with double stitching to prevent tearing. For this elite group of officers, even a single tear is unacceptable. They take pride in ensuring that the nation’s greatest symbol of honor flies high and proud.
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您有注意到嗎,聳立在總統府塔樓頂端、11層樓高的國旗,不論風雨多大,都能展現最完美的飄揚姿態,這背後其實隱藏著憲兵211營的一項秘密任務,為了對抗強風,旗手每一個月都會更換國旗,徒手用鐵絲穿過旗面綁緊,工作看似簡單,但一次就需要出動4到5人合力完成。
藍天白雲,總統府聳立在重慶南路上,抬頭一看,國旗始終飄揚。
[[民視記者 林彥君]]
“從我這個角度往後看,可以看到總統府,高掛在11樓的國旗,看起來隨風飄揚,非常的輕盈,不過您不知道這背後,其實有一個小秘密”
來到一般人進不去的總統塔樓頂端,憲兵211營旗手,每個月都要進行一次換旗任務,為了防止國旗被吹斷或捲縮,他們捨棄一般的旗繩,選擇用鐵絲穿透旗面。
[[211營上士 王昆皇]]
“我們經過測試,是過粗的鐵絲會導致旗面的孔隙過大,然後導致強風在拉扯的時候,會將國旗的壽命剪短,太輕的話,會經過風雨摧殘之後,它容易生鏽,導致它沒辦法穩固斷裂”
為了要讓國旗和旗繩合而為一,必須要靠旗手用老虎鉗把鐵絲轉緊,緊到旗手帶著手套,親自滑過鐵絲接口,都不會被鐵絲勾住,這個工作看似簡單,其實需要出動4到5位憲兵合力。
[[211營旗手 黃唯庭]]
“最難的部分是要穿過旗繩,因為那個旗繩真的很硬,我們沒有必要去搶快,確保每一個鐵絲都有綁好就好”
國旗完美飄揚在塔樓上,不只是技術,四角也都特別加厚,強化車縫防止破損,對於這群憲兵來說,國旗不能有半點折損,這份榮譽才能永遠高掛空中。
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