There is quite a bit of information and several situations that every color team needs to know to maintain the American flag in the position of honor – on the marching right or in front. The American flag never marches any other position. Never. Military and para-military (just about every organization that has its members in uniform) should follow military guidance.
Never march the American flag in the center. The position of honor is to the right- not the center. All flags are marched so that the finial (top ornament, the spade) is as close to the same height as possible. All flagstaffs must also be the same length.
There are only two authorized formations for a color guard. Only two, Line Formation and Column Formation. Everyone who has served even a day in the military is familiar with both. We fall-in for a formation in line formation and when we are going to march somewhere, the formation is given Right Face into column formation and we can then march any necessary distance.
Notice in the graphic above that Inverted Line and Column Formations takes the American flag out of the position of honor. A color guard can never perform these two formations. Never.
Military, Civil and Citizen teams have different requirements. The colors listed are in order from the marching right (viewer’s left):
Side note: When an Army, Air Force, or Space Force color team carries the following colors, this is the order. No exceptions.
Please read The Why of the Military Color Guard series of posts.
Let’s say you are part of an Emerald Society Pipe and Drum Corps and Honor Guard (a first responder fraternity). Many of these teams carry not only the American flag, but also the Irish flag. Why? The first law enforcement officers and firefighters were Irish. The tradition continues. Back to our situation of two national flags: All national flags are treated the same on American soil – they are not dipped in salute. Both remain upright even during both national anthems, if they are played. All other colors dip in salute.
This is the only order for service flags, service emblems, etc. For more information on why this is the order, click here to read Joint Service Order of the Colors. The right/lead rifle guard is a Soldier and the left/rear guard is a Marine.
Note: While service color position remains the same, if all service personnel are not able to be present for the team, their order should go as follows as far as knowledge is concerned: regardless of service or rank, the most knowledgeable (as far as color guard experience) member should be the US color bearer and the second most knowledgeable should be the right rifle guard. Third in this sequence should be the left rifle guard with descending familiarity following from there.
Full disclosure: I developed this. While this is not a hard-and-fast rule, I thought it necessary to create an order of precedence based on the implementation of each service. Read this for complete first responder joint service information:
Using the guidance from the military, team make up might look like this:
Keep in mind the guidance that the most experienced member should be the US color bearer, regardless of service/profession.
I encourage and enjoy joint work, but there is an issue that must be addressed: Technique.
Nothing addresses this subject specifically. However, we don’t necessarily read manuals to see what is forbidden or not authorized as that would be a never ending list, we look to the service manuals for what is authorized and we have our answer already. Military sticks with military and that’s it.
For the military, the Class A or ceremonial uniform is it. On base, the utility uniform is an option but only if the official party is wearing it. Never wear mess dress. For more read this article.
Experience before aesthetics, always. Not if you have the luxury of each member of the team being around the same height, but for cadet and civil teams, it should come second to knowledge and experience. Yes, the team might look “off”, but it’s best to have knowledgeable members of the team in key positions rather than have aesthetics. Click here and read this article.
Problem during the Performance? That’s why God invented the right and left guards for the team! The guards are there to fix whatever issue they can. For more, read this article here.
Waiting for the ceremony still requires proper protocol.
*An example of how NOT to stand around. This is a USAF Base Honor Guard team, I have pictures of other services, this is just an example.
For horse and ice rink arenas, see The Arena/Rink Colors Presentation article.
For baseball, basketball, football/soccer, see this article and this article.
Left Wheel, Right Wheel and About Wheel. These are terms that honor guards use to describe turns accomplished by the color team most often outside. Right/Left Wheels use the center of the team as the rotation point which means half the team marches forward and the other half marches backward to rotate the team 90-degrees in an average of eight steps for teams with four to six members.
This is joint service technique from the Marine Corps and ceremonial technique. The Army Wheel is just like the Marine Corps Turn with the rotation point on the guard position.
The team executes the About Wheel in the same direction as the Right Wheel rotating the team 180-degrees in 16 steps.
While colors can be and sometimes are posted outdoors (read that link), my experience leads me to recommend that you present and not post. The wind just never plays well with other others. We, in the military try to avoid this as much as possible with the alternative being a color team that posts near the podium for the event. The members present and then stage the team for everyone to see. Sometimes this may not be a viable solution and you will have to have the event and location dictate how the color team handles the colors. See also, How to Present the Colors at an Event, What is Authorized when Presenting the Colors, and How to Plan and Coordinate a Color Guard Event. This article, How to Present the Colors at an Event, has great information.
Note: As a rule of thumb, colors enter at Right Shoulder (Carry) and depart at Port Arms. Entering at Port is fine if necessary.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the presentation (and posting) of the colors.” Every time a color guard presents the colors, it’s called a presentation. At a formal event, the colors may be placed in stands, that is posting. The colors will always be presented, just not always posted.
Having both is not necessary. The Star-Spangled Banner is a salute to the flag and we render the military hand salute, stand at attention, or place our right hand over our heart, and dip flags.
We will not find anything that specifically forbids having the Star Spangled Banner played or sung and then having the Pledge of Allegiance in the same ceremony. The military oath supersedes the Pledge from our first day of Active Duty so we in the military hardly ever recite the Pledge if at all. There are times we do recite it and that is explained in our protocol manuals. What we read in TC 3-21.5 (MCO 5060.20 and AFMAN 36-2203) and related manuals is that the only music to honor the flag is the national anthem.
If you are told that the anthem and Pledge will be part of a ceremony and have no say, a great way to facilitate that is to formally present the colors, go to Present for the anthem, (post the colors- for more formal ceremonies,) and then have the color guard depart. Once the team is off stage, the audience can be led through the Pledge.
If the point of contact insists on both the anthem and Pledge and the team remaining for both, have the team return to Carry/Right Shoulder and remain for the Pledge. After recitation, the team departs at Port (Port, ARMS; Colors, Colors Turn, HARCH).
A military march can be played for the color guard when entering and exiting and no other time. The usual music for military color guards is the Trio section of the National Emblem March. This YouTube video from the US Navy Band is perfect (also below) and at the correct tempo (around 90 beats per minute is best when presenting/posting indoors). If you have a live band, you can coordinate when to cut the music off. If you play this or another recording, you can halt and let the music play out. If you can get in place before the repeat, please don’t let the whole thing play while everyone stands around waiting for the music to end.
US military departmental and organizational flags do not dip for the Pledge. The same goes for the JROTC organizational flag, which is dipped in salute in all military ceremonies while the national anthem of the United States, “To the Colors,” or a foreign national anthem is played, when rendering honors to the Chief of Staff or Secretary of a US military branch, his or her direct representative, or an individual of higher grade, including a foreign dignitary of equivalent or higher grade. Organizational colors are also dipped when rendering honors to organizations and individuals for which the military ceremony is being conducted.
What about other organizational (veteran groups and first responders) and state flags? Dipping state, territory, city, and county flags along with private/national organization and law enforcement, fire, and EMS department flags is appropriate.
Foreign national anthems are played first and the Star-Spangled Banner is played last. An example of this is a Canadian hockey or baseball teams plays an American team here in the USA. If the American team traveled to Canada, the Star-Spangled Banner would be first with Oh Canada! played last.
While there may be other anthems representing certain people groups, they are not afforded the same protocol as a national anthem. The public is not required to stand or place their hand over their heart. Let’s take the Black Anthem as an example.
While I am in no way suggesting disrespect should be shown to a piece of music that may have meaning to a number of people, it is not at the same level as a national anthem and is not accorded the protocol of standing and placing the right hand over the heart, a military hand salute, or even the color guard going to Present Arms with the rifle guards at the position of Present and the non-national flag dipped forward. If this other music is played, the color guard should only stand at the position of Attention if on the court/field and after that music has finished, the commander of the team gives “Present, ARMS!” and the Star-Spangled Banner is then played or sung.
The announcer can say, “Ladies and gentlemen, the Black Anthem.” After it is finished the announcer should say, “Ladies and gentlemen, please rise, (men remove your hats, and place your right hand over your heart) for the Star-Spangled Banner.” Here is where the color guard would go to Present Arms and the anthem would then begin. The Star-Spangled Banner must be last.
Posting the colors is for special occasions. How special? That is up to the organization. Graduations are a special time, that would call for posting the colors. Weekly events would probably warrant pre-posted colors at the least or presenting the colors only.
The Show-n-Go. This is the honor guard term for presenting the colors for an informal/semi-formal event. The colors are pre-posted on the stage/front of the room and the color team enters, formally presents (Anthem), and then departs. No posting.
This happens at all sporting events where a color guard enters the field and should be a regular occurrence for every color guard in the USA and Americans abroad. Formally presenting is reserved for formal events.
With the Show-n-Go, the colors do not matter. As long as the American flag pre-posted, the color team can present whatever they carry as their standard colors (American, State, etc.).
The standard entrance is to enter from the viewer’s right, present to the audience (then post) and depart. See the image above.
To enter from the viewer’s left, use Every Left On. Also, read this article. This avoids Inverted Line Formation explained above.
Below, is an example of different stand positions behind a podium. For more on which flags should be in which stands, read this article on The Logical Separation of Colors.
The standard exit is to the viewer’s left. See the standard entrance/departure image above.
To exit to the viewer’s right, use Every Left Off. The commander calls, “Step!” and the left rifle guard steps across, as close as possible to the team member on their left. Step any further away and the departure for the team looks terrible.
Asked to post another organization’s color(s)? Don’t! Read this!
Music is not mandatory. If you are going to have music, it is best that it be live. If not, a recording can sound quite unprofessional. The standard entrance and exit music for presenting/posting the colors is the Trio section of the National Emblem march by Edwin Eugene Bagley. Here is the YouTube video of the USAF Heritage Band playing the march. The link begins the video at the Trio section. This tempo is about 120 SPM (steps per minute). For the colors, you want a tempo of about 90 SPM.
Retrieving the colors is reserved for the extra, extra formal occasions. Do not retire the colors for weekly or even monthly meetings. Retirement is for very formal galas or balls. Use the posting sequence in reverse.
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Thanks for a great article. During a Navy ceremony when colors are paraded, does the MC also render a hand-salute?
Yes sir, that would be appropriate.
Copy. Thanks DrillMaster.
In a similar vein, my pastor has asked me to carry and hold the flag during a short Memorial Day remembrance during our upcoming Sunday service (I'm a veteran). He wants to play Taps, and has asked me to dip the flag while Taps is played. I'm aware the Flag Code stipulates the flag should never be dipped -- would there ever be an exception to this rule for a religiously-themed Memorial remembrance such as this? Thanks
Sir,
I have been scouring the Internet for the proper sequence (if there is even a proper sequence).
As I remember it, while on active duty, when Posting the Colours / Retiring the Colours for a formal military event (All Academy Ball, as an example), the sequence is Invocation, Post, Retire, Benediction.
Is this correct or does it even matter?
SFC Loewen,
It's not mandatory to have a colors presentation. Colors can be preposted and no color guard present if there is no room or other circumstance.
For some situations:
Colors preposted
Star-Spangled Banner (played or sung)
Invocation
Ceremony
Benediction
For most situations:
One set of colors preposted and another set carried for a formal presentation (show-n-go)
Star-Spangled Banner (played or sung)
Departure of the color guard
Invocation
Ceremony
Benediction
For formal situations:
Colors presentation
Star-Spangled Banner (played or sung)
[posting of the colors]
Departure of the color guard
Invocation
Ceremony
Benediction
For very formal situations:
Colors presentation
Star-Spangled Banner (played or sung)
Posting of the colors
Departure of the color guard
Invocation
Ceremony
Benediction
Color guard retrieves colors
Honors to the American flag
I hope this is helpful.
DM
I am writing the script for a promotion ceremony. We intend to use the show-n-go method. Flags will already be posted on stage and the color guard will present the colors, National Anthem will be performed, and the color guard will exit, followed by the invocation. I am looking for the proper commands. Please advise on the below:
MC: “Honor Guard, parade the Colors!”
[Honor Guard presents the Colors.] [SSG approaches and sings National Anthem.]
[Following National Anthem, SSG returns to seat]
MC: “Retire the Colors.” [Is this correct, or does the honor guard march the colors back down the isle without a command from the MC?]
[Honor Guard marches the colors to the back of the room and MSG will be preparing to come on stage to podium and provide invocation]
MC: “Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain standing for the invocation by retired Master Sergeant XX.”
Hello sir,
The MC should say, "Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the (entrance of the official party,) presentation of the colors and remain standing for the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner by SSG X, the departure of the color guard, and the invocation."
That's a bit for the audience to remember, so you can cut it into pieces.
The soloist waits for the color guard commander to give Present, Arms, and then begins to sing.
When the singing monsters s finished, the color guard departs on its own, no prompt given. As soon as the team is out of site (through a doorway), then the invocation.
If hope that's helpful for you.
DM
Hello, forgive me if I thought wrong. I thought the our American flag would be vertically straight toward heaven and all others would be dipped forward at 30 degrees or so. I thought that was the place of honor. Thank you.
Mr. Venzke,
The position of honor is on the marching right for the a colors guard. The American flag is ALWAYS on the marching right in Line Formation and at the front in Column Formation. It is never anywhere else. The Army, Air Force, and Space Force require a "slight" angle forward for the staffs while the other services require the staffs to be vertical.
All staffs match in direction at all times except for Present Arms/Eyes Right. For that, all organizational flags dip with a full arm extension. If more than one flagstaff is dipped, those staff angles also match.
That's the standard for the US military.
DM
Would this be correct:
Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the Knights of Columbus (insert Council name/number) and the presentation of the colors and remain standing for the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner by SSG X, the departure of the color guard.
Thank you
Yes, adding a personalization is fine.
DM
When doing a closing flag ceremony (I’m a Cub Scout Den Leader), when the flag bearers have retrieved the flags and are told to return to ranks, do they go to what is now the back of the line upon exiting or in the front of the line after the color guard has done an about face toward the back of the room. We use a two column formation. We generally have however many scouts are in a den participate as the color guard so everyone has a chance to be in the ceremony. I can find all kinds of videos online with the opening indoor ceremony, but not closing.
Ma'am,
Color guard members do not execute About Face to (To the) Rear March.
There are several ways to enter and depart with the flags that are shown above. The color guard (in your case your two flag bearers and, if you choose, two unarmed guards) usually keep to themselves not joining the rest of the membership until after the colors are secured. The bearers should go and put the colors up and then can return to the others, but retrieval of the flags is the last thing that takes place, there's nothing accomplished after (unless it's a formal event where there will be dancing). I'm not sure if this is helpful.
Rotaton of flag bearers through den membership is a very good idea as it promotes better understanding of responsibilities we have toward rendering honor and respect to out flag.
DM
I am a member of a law enforcement HG. We are often short on members due to shift work, court and other requirements. We normally have four members to post colors, however is it ever acceptable to post with two and not have guards?
Hello sir,
I just talked about this on my social media. Here's the text from that post.
Sent in with a question: Aren't the colors always escorted/guarded?
The answer is yes and there are exceptions. I'll explain. For the military, yes, absolutely all the time the flag(s) will have two guards. First responders are paramilitary and should follow the same principle, but they don't always have the manning in their honor guard team at many departments across the country. So, for representation, some teams march flags-only.
To add to that, scout programs do not carry a weapon, so if the team even has guards, they are unarmed.
Guards are not mandatory for civilian and civil teams because the Flag Code does not make that a requirement. Only the military manuals make it a requirement and that only applies to the military.
I hope that helps.
DM
Good morning and thank you for this wonderful information. I cannot find a page that addresses who gets honors at a funeral. For example we have a Commonwealth Attorney who has recently passed. Technically he was considered “the highest law enforcement official” in the Commonwealth since they have law enforcement powers. He was retired from his position at the time of his passing… would a color guard be appropriate?
Ma'am,
Having a law enforcement agency honor guard post a color guard for the graveside service is appropriate, if they have the time and manning.
Since he did not die while in office, there isn't a protocol to support his funeral.
DM
Is it ok for a civilian group.....no military affiliation nor civil, to have a flag presentation for members returning from an Honor Flight? To me it seems wrong and a plain civilian should only have the little hand waving flags. Please advise.
Mr. Resing,
While not necessarily "wrong", I do see your point. Having said that not just anyone who wears a uniform should think it proper to pick up a flagstaff or rifle and think they are being patriotic without training and practice. It would certainly be inappropriate to have a fast-food restaurant throw four employees together in a color guard just because. That definitely seems wrong.
What standards will this civilian team follow? What training do that have? While the Flag Code sets forth the basis, the military takes standards much further. Finally, why? Why does this group of Americans find it necessary to pull out flagstaffs (and rifles) and not have one of the organizations mentioned below invited to render honors? Why not, as you have written, pick up small flags and wave them as we see many of our fellow Americans do at many parades. Americans take part in patriotic occasions all the time, I see no need for a group of civilians to try to do something others have been doing for decades as part of their job.
I would hope that color guards would be left to the military, cadets, first responders, and veteran organizations.
DM
I am making a bulletin for a funeral at my church. The deceased is a veteran. We will have an honor guard from the Air Force base to play Taps and present a flag to the widow.
What should this be called in the order of worship?
Thank you for your time,
Sir,
Whether graveside or in the church, the religious service usually happens first followed by Military Honors. Military Honors consists of a firing party firing the Three Volley Salute and the sounding of Taps. For Veteran Funeral Honors, most often the military provides two service members to fold the flag and then sound Taps (in that order). You still call this Military Honors.
DM
How would you recommend we handle a memorial service that is NOT part of a funeral? My church is hosting a memorial service for my dad but he will not be buried until much later. Is it appropriate to post colors in a situation like that? How would you handle it?
Thanks very much
Mr. Perry,
My condolences to you and your family on the passing of your father.
While the military, including veteran organizations, cannot render honors more than once (presentation of the flag, firing party, and Taps), the community/church membership can have the colors present for the memorial and have a nice service that centers around the stories each one can tell, a less formal occasion. Then, when the time comes to bury the deceased, the formal military honors can be performed.
That's how I see it. I hope that is helpful for you.
DM
The VFW and American Legion are conducting a Veteran’s Dinner. The local JROTC will post the colors at the beginning of the dinner but the colors will not be retrieved prior to the dinner ending. What is the protocol when not retrieving the colors? Does the National Anthem get played? As the Master of Ceremonies do I just announce an end to the formal portion of the dinner followed by attendees either staying to socialize or leaving the building?
Mr. Ellin,
The Star-Spangled Banner is only played or sung on the presentation of the colors and that is always at the beginning of a ceremony.
The colors are posted at formal occasions and retrieved only at very, very formal occasions.
At the end of the formal part of the evening, you can simply announce that and that guests are invited to socialize (and that the dance floor is open) for the rest of the night.
DM
Good evening,
Recently my colorguard was performing at a high school football game. Do to some technical problems they couldn’t play the National anthem so they did a moment of silence. In the moment I kept my CG at present during the moment of silence. If this happens again what is the proper way to go about it?
First of all, you did an excellent job at the spur of the moment thinking. If you know there's a technical issue at the outset, march on, guards go to Present on your command and that's it. The departmental or organizational flag would not dip since it would only dip for the Star-Spangled Banner. I hope you are aware that military flags don't dip every time you give the command to Present.
If a technical problem happens in the moment, just use your best judgment again.
Well done.
DM