Why could I never get a flag?

You can get one that flew over Congress if you fill out a request form from your legislator's office. They usually have request forms on their websites. You can request one that was flown over over the Pentagon, but you have to supply the flag. You can usually request a flag flown over your state capital as well. When you get the flag, it will have a letter stating when and where it was flown. Usually people request them for retirements at least 6 months in advance. Usually there is an admin person that does this with retirement packages, but you can do it yourself. The roadblock to getting one while in the service is money and someone who 1) knows how to do the paperwork, 2) has access and permission to spend the funds, and 3) is willing to do it and follow through once the request is made. There is a set amount that is allowed to be spent on a retirement (it was around $600 when I retired). You can also request flags that were flown over certain places, but it takes some digging and often some sweet talking to get one from some places like a US Embassy or military base. Basically someone has to get the flag, take it out to the pole, raise it, lower it, type up a letter authenticing it, pack it, and mail it back to you. That's a lot to ask of a E2 or E3 you don't know or some GS7. I got two when I retired and a Coast Guard Ensign, which is hard to get. I was lucky that I had a great GS12 who handled my retirement package and had a great crew that did a lot of the footwork it takes to get flags.

http://www.pfpa.mil/services/flagpnt.html

You can still get one. You should have gotten one.

You can still get one. I know that we have a program that you can get a flag flown on an aircraft. F16, RQ4, F22 and a few others flew flags at my last deployment site. If you have any contacts that are still in they might be able to get you one. I know I got my girl one flown when we first started engaging ISIL.