This information affects all bases overseas for all services.
A Little History
For decades the conventional wisdom has been that when we are overseas, we are told that when we are on US soil (the base, an American cemetery, etc.), the US is on the right and as soon as you step onto foreign soil (outside the gate), you have to switch the two nationals so that the host nation color is now on the right. That has been a hard-and-fast rule that was made up most likely right after World War II. This “rule” is not printed anywhere and is not based in fact at all.
Full Disclosure
I have posted photos on my social media accounts (#DrillMasterHistory) of me on the Spangdahlem (GE) Air Base Honor Guard and we have the Belgian, French, German, or Luxembourg colors to the right of the US when downtown for various ceremonies. On what we would consider American soil, those colors would be carried to the left of the US, we would switch. Back then guidance was sparse and this tradition came from the Army, as far as I can tell. I definitely understand word-of-mouth tradition passed along because “overseas is different”. I’ve been there, 20 years ago. Now, let’s concentrate on the readily available published standards and do the right thing.
The Images Here
The photo at the top of the page is from 2025 of the Spangdahlem Air Base Honor Guard color guard in Luxembourg for the celebration of the liberation of Vianden with the wrong colors in the wrong positions. When my wife and I were stationed at Spang, I did this very same ceremony as a member of the BHG, our colors set up was just like this because of “common knowledge” , and we were also wrong. We just didn’t know we were wrong back in 2009 because of the lack of guidance.
Military color guards overseas cannot carry the country’s color just because you’re in a foreign land. Strict requirements must be met, and those requirements are found in Department of Defense Instruction 5410.19 Volume 4.
Another thing about the Spang team above. The USAF Honor Guard has restated that the USAF flag will always be carried for color guards of this nature*. That is plainly shown in AFPAM 34-1203, Drill and Ceremonies.
*Two rifle guards with only the national color is the minimal team authorized for all services. It’s not usual and most often is solely for foreign national arrival ceremonies but it is an option.
First
We look first to DoDI 5410.19 Vol 4:
SECTION 5: CEREMONIAL SUPPORT AND MILITARY SERVICE EXHIBITS
DoDI 5410.19-V4, September 29, 2021 (underline and asterisk emphasis mine)
5.1. CEREMONIAL SUPPORT.
b. National Flag of Foreign Nations and Other Organizational Flags.
(1) U.S. military personnel in a foreign location may carry the official national flag of foreign nations participating in official civil ceremonies sponsored and conducted by the U.S. Government or a State, county, or municipal government.
(a) An official of the foreign nation concerned must be present in an official capacity to receive such honors.
(b) The official must be an individual to whom honors normally are rendered.
(2) In all other public programs or ceremonies, Service members in uniform and in an official capacity must not carry flags of foreign nations, veterans’ groups, or other non-military organizations**.
**This is the key phrase that forbids the POW/MIA from every being carried outside of a funeral for a former POW.
When the representative is present and rates honors, civilian or military, AFI 34-1201, paragraph 2.11 states the order of precedence for the colors. The US is ALWAYS first and the foreign national is next.
Next
We look to the applicable service standard:
AR 840-10 for the Army
2–5. Order of precedence of flags
AR 840-10
The following is the order of precedence of flags:
a. The flag of the United States.
b. Foreign national flags. Normally, these are displayed in alphabetical order using the English alphabet.
MCO 5060.20 for the Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard
e. The national colors of foreign countries will not normally be carried by the same color guard carrying the United States colors. When necessary, refer to reference (j).
MCO 5060.20
j. All colors carried by the color guard are attached to staffs of equal height. The standard color staff consists of a 9 ½-foot, hardwood pole capped at each end by metal ferrules. A metal spearhead screws into the top of the staff.
AFI 34-1201 for the Air and Space Forces (replaced by AFI 90-1201 the 34 series version in Oct 2024. It is written so badly that it’s almost unusable).
2.11. Order of Precedence of Flags.
AFI 34-1201
2.11.1. The United States Flag.
2.11.2. Foreign national flags. Normally, these are displayed in alphabetical order using the English alphabet. At the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Headquarters, NATO member country flags are displayed in alphabetical order by their native country name (i.e., Deutschland vice Germany).
So, What Can You Do?
Display the nation’s flag for ceremonies and do not carry it unless the above stated requirements are met. In the Ramstein photo, you can see the colors are all preposted on the stage and that means the team entered for what we call a “Shoe-n-Go” where the team enters, formally present, and then departs. All of the colors that need to be displayed are displayed and the color guard should then only present the authorized colors (US and AF).
Your Job
Spread the word. We need to get every Protocol office and ceremonial team in the DoD educated about this and stop violating instructions.
When I write articles, I sometimes duplicate the information in another article and state it a different way. I’ve written about this here.
The Ramstein team pictured above is also in the wrong because the team is carrying the German flag (and a whole host of other issues).