Each year, across the United States, rifle volleys echo on Memorial Day, presidential birthdays, and civic remembrance ceremonies. The sound is familiar. It is also, in most cases, not doctrinally authorized.
There Is No Such Thing as “Draping an Urn”
Not long ago, I received a comment attempting to justify a photograph of a folded flag partially unfolded and draped over an urn.
When the Route Forces Your Back to the Audience
For more than a decade, one particular competition scenario has generated persistent confusion among instructors, judges, and competitors alike: the U-shaped posting route commonly used in Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and American Legion (AL) color guard competitions.
USAF Ceremonies Now Mishandled:
When an Airman or Guardian dies, the nation makes a visible promise: no one will be forgotten, and every honor will be rendered with precision, dignity, and certainty.
That promise is not symbolic. It is operational. And today this duty is in danger of not being met.
The Origins of the Modern White House State Arrival Ceremony
This article outlines the ceremony’s historical development and the origins of the specific ceremonial units that participate. It is written for instructors, historians, ceremonial planners, and drill and ceremonies professionals.
Should a Color Guard Bow Their Heads During Prayer?
This question arises frequently at ceremonies, particularly when a chaplain invites those present to bow their heads. The answer depends on a critical distinction: who is acting as an individual—and who is acting as a representative.
The “Wrong” Committal Shelter Set Up and the “Rule of the Foot”
The photo at the top of the page shows what is called a “Committal Shelter” or a “Committal Pavilion”. For a more modern, utilitarian structure, “Committal Terrace” is also sometimes used to describe a paved, roofed area specifically set aside for the service to take place away from the mud or grass of the grave site. Why these are used …
The “Good Idea Fairy”
The ‘Good Idea Fairy,’ the destroyer of motivation and crusher of souls, is back, and this time it’s haunting the drill field. As I detail in my previous work, ‘The Magic White Glove Effect,’ this phenomenon is all due to unrealistic expectations. Recently, I received a message detailing a ceremony rehearsal where a prepared junior NCO and his Color Guard …
Flag Protocol and Fallen Heroes—Why Compliance Is Non-Negotiable
In the somber process of bringing home our fallen servicemembers, every detail matters. The sight of a flag-draped casket signifies part of the highest honors a nation can bestow. However, a modern logistical trend is starting to undermine that dignity: the practice of draping the interment flag over the shipping container holding the casket, rather than the casket itself.
The Mechanics of Movement
This article is a continuation of Part 1, The Rhythm of Movement. Here, we go over what physically happens when taking that first step. The Gate Cycle When we talk about the gait cycle, we’re essentially describing a full rhythmic cycle of walking. Marching is a highly disciplined and stylized form of walking, so when marching, the gait cycle is …