Casket Watch Procedures
Some Resources
How an individual died should not reflect on the honors received.
Here are some DrillMaster Casket Watch procedure videos to help you to get a better understanding.
What is Casket Watch?
From my book, The Honor Guard Manual.
For some the term casket watch, is unknown. That is unless you are on a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or EMS honor guard member. These members have known of and performed a casket watch for many years for their fallen, formally and informally. Let’s get into what casket watch is and how it is performed.
Is the casket being “watched”?
I’m quite sure that we could get ten random people and ask their opinion on this and get twelve different opinions. This isn’t about opinion, it’s about the history that goes into the tradition.
What is the purpose? Thousands of years ago, Roman and Greek times and even before that, the body of the deceased, usually a commander or political official, the body might be draped in the flag, displayed for mourners for a time, and then escorted by guards to the burial site. To get an idea of this, please see The Personal Color.
Throughout the proceedings, the body, and subsequently the flag, would be guarded against the body being desecrated by enemies, wild dogs, and even birds.
We don’t need to literally protect the body or urn anymore, but casket watch is a symbol of protection of the deceased. Standing watch is more comforting for the department and especially the family. To know that the deceased has someone with him/her 24 hours a day, someone who worked alongside the deceased, is very comforting until the remains are taken care of.
There are three parts to first responder casket watch:
- Watch Guard Entrance/Initial Post
- Watch Guard Change
- Watch Guard Final Watch
The members of the casket watch are:
- Watch Commander (not a rank or ranking position, necessarily, just a position).
- Watch Guard(s).
If selected as part of the funeral protocol, two unarmed (armed with a rifle/shotgun/axe is considered inappropriate inside a chapel) honor guard members watch over the casket of the fallen during the viewing or wake. In most cases these members take their positions at the foot and head of the casket at Attention/Stand at Ease. Depending on the duration of the viewing or wake, watch shifts established. If a WC is not present, either of the watch guards will call subdued commands.
Watch Guards: Please DO NOT bow your heads while posted. This eliminates your ability to receive communication. Read, Making Things “Ceremonialer”.
Watch Guard Initial Post
At the beginning of the first watch, two guards and the Watch Commander (WC) enter the room (from either side or the front) where the watch is taking place. For this manual we will assume an entrance from the front. All commands are subdued. No facing movements (except Three-Count About Face) or flanking. (If unarmed, ignore weapon commands.)
- The Watch Guards and the Watch Commander enter the room and form up at the back of the chapel at Attention. The WC gives the subdued command, Step, and all three members begin marching toward the casket at Slow Time (60-90 steps per minute).
- Within approximately four steps away from the casket the WC gives the subdued command “Haaalt” with a step and close. The elongated “aaa” sound is to prevent the command being drowned out by a cough or sneeze.
- All three automatically salute (with a three-second count up and down). You are saluting the flag.
- Upon dropping their salutes, both watch guards step off and move directly to their positions in the same amount of steps by rounding all corners, no flanking.
- When each guard arrives, they simultaneously execute a Three-Count About Face and remain at Attention.
- The WC executes a slow salute, three seconds up, pause, and three seconds down.
- Upon the WC dropping his salute, the guards go to Stand at Ease.
- WC executes a Three-Count “T”, “L” and Step and departs.
Initial Posting
Guards Go to Stand at Ease after salute, WC departs.
Watch Guard Change
The time between changes of the guard is entirely up to you. It is an honor to stand watch over a fallen comrade and as many who would like to should be given the opportunity. The usual timeframe is about 20 minutes.
NOTE: When changing Watch, the guards DO NOT salute each other, there is no precedent for exchanging salutes for guards. They are to only salute the flag/deceased.
- The Watch Guards and the Watch Commander enter the room and form up at the back of the chapel at Attention. The WC gives the subdued command, Step, and all three members begin marching toward the casket at Slow Time.
- Within approximately four steps of the casket the WC gives the subdued command “Haaalt” with a step and close.
- When the oncoming team halts, the guards posted at the casket come to Attention.
- All three oncoming guards and WC automatically salute (with a three-second count up and down). Again, DO NOT SALUTE EACH OTHER, the salute is for the flag. The guards at the casket do not salute.
- Upon dropping their salutes, all four guards march forward and over to exchange places in the same amount of steps without flanking and execute a three-count about face. When the guards turn, the off-going team salutes, and after dropping their salutes the newly placed guards go to Stand at Ease while the WC and relieved guards execute a Three-Count “T”, “L” and Step and depart.
Casket Watch Guard Change: Entrance
Casket Watch Guard Change: New Guards Posted
Casket Watch Guard Change: Old Guards Move Inward
Final Watch Departure
The ceremony can be used before the pall bearers enter the room to retrieve the casket for transportation to the burial site.
- The WC enters the room and marches to a position approximately six paces from the casket and halts. Guards assume Attention.
- The WC renders the slow hand salute.
- When the WC drops his salute, the guards come to Attention and posts in front of the WC to each side and all three execute a slow salute a modified Three-Count About Face (“T”, “L” Step) and depart.
Final Watch: WC Arrival
Final Watch: Final Salute of the Flag
Final Watch: Departure
Final Watch with Casket Removal
An alternative to the above Final Watch is to have the final two guards push the casket out of the chapel to the pallbearers who either join them or replace them. The WC does not have to enter the room, he can signal the guards who then take care of the process.
After the WC drops his salute, the guards face inward.
The guards step into the casket and reach out both hands to grasp the corners of the casket.
The casket is rotated so that it will travel feet-first.
When rotation is finished, the guard at the foot at the WC execute a Three-Count About Face and the guard places his hands behind him on the corners of the casket. The guard at the head then gives the subdued command, Step, and all depart
Does the Military Perform Casket Watch?
The simple answer: it isn’t tradition for veteran funerals. The exception is in special circumstances like when a President dies and lies in state at the rotunda of the Capitol building. There is a joint service team that stands facing the casket off of each of the four corners. There is also an officer or NCO/CPO who stands at the head of the casket. The guards stand watch at Attention (they are armed with a rifle- not loaded and stand at Order) for one hour and are then changed. As the guards enter and exit they carry their rifles at Trail Arms, but at an angle, it’s more of a ceremonial look to this standard position. A group of ceremonial guardsmen from each service can rotate through a 24-hour period standing watch every few hours, it’s up to the ranking individual who stands at the head of the casket. There are also two more ceremonial guardsmen standing off to the side ready to move in if something happens to one of the guards.
The Marine Corps and Casket Watch
The Marine Corps does, on occasion, perform this duty with one or two Marines.
All information and images are from The Honor Guard Manual (DrillMaster Press) and are (c) John K. Marshall