There is so much information to learn when it comes to flag protocol. A flag is called a color when posted in a stand and carried by a color guard.
For the National Ensign/Color/American Flag, military and other color guards will always hold its staff vertical (Marine Corps, Navy, & Coast Guard and US Certified Ceremonial Guardsmen) or slightly incline it forward (Army only), depending on the service drill and ceremonies manual for regulation or ceremonial drill. The minimum color guard compliment requirement is the American flag and two guards armed with rifles, shotguns, or ceremonial fire axes. Sword, sabers, and fixed bayonets are not authorized for American color guards.
Fringe on the American flag is mandatory for all Army and Air Force color guards. Fringe is not authorized on the national ensign for Marine Corps, Navy, & Coast Guard color guards and displays.
DoD Instruction 5410. Vol. 4 states military color guards can hold foreign national colors for a ceremony on US soil when a foreign government official attends and takes part in the ceremony and also rates honors. This includes arrival ceremonies by all foreign national dignitaries.
At right you can see Old Guard Soldiers carrying the flag of Australia. They are headed to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where the Prime Minister of Australia laid a wreath on behalf of his country.
Three or more foreign national flags can be carried in a separate block or line formation. Foreign national flags are put in order alphabetically in English.
When it comes to the service departmental flag (the flag with the coat of arms or seal of the service), it is only dipped in salute for the Star Spangled Banner, foreign national anthem of a friendly nation, to the Secretary and Chief of Staff/Commandant of that service, to individuals of equal or higher rank, and at military funerals. At no other time is the service departmental color dipped. On the commands of Present Arms or Eyes Right, if the above requirements are not met, the departmental flag remains vertical (Army-slightly inclined), no exceptions. Departmental colors are always carried with the American flag and never carried on their own or in the second rank of a massed color guard. Click here for information on Joint Service Order. For Joint Armed Forces, read here, here, and here.
All service departmental colors are required to have fringe. This also extends to JROTC, Sea Cadets, Civil Air Patrol, and Young Marine organizational flags. However, unit colors for the Navy using the historic Navy Infantry Battalion flag, pictured below, do not have fringe. This was the first US Navy flag.
The service departmental colors should not be carried by a cadet program. The program’s organizational/institutional colors should be carried.
Protocol presents an interesting dilemma for service cadet program color guards that compete since part of the competition sequence is to execute Present Arms and Eyes Right to include a flag dip. But the head judge for the drill deck does not warrant a salute.
JROTC and other cadet programs are authorized to carry the program organizational/institutional colors and facilitate the competition’s command sequence while not breaking protocol. Many teams carry their state flag as the second flag. However, this also breaks protocol since the color guard is required, by service regulation, to carry the organizational colors.
My suggestion is to carry the service JROTC, Young Marine, Sea Cadet, or Civil Air Patrol organizational flag, respectively, at all times. These colors should not be dipped automatically at any time. The colors commander gives “Present, ARMS!” and the guards execute Present. I suggest the head judge then calling out “First note!” as in the first note of the Star-Spangled Banner, the org bearer dips, the judge then calls out “Last note!” and the org bearer returns to Carry.
The colors of other youth programs (Pathfinders, Scouts, etc.) should dip any time Present Arms or Eyes Right is given unless specific guidance is provided within the organization for that flag.
It’s quite possible that this has not necessarily been considered before, but the police or fire department or sheriff’s office flag should only be dipped for the Star Spangled Banner, foreign national anthem, police/fire chief or sheriff, those of equal or higher rank, and at the funeral for a first responder. Click here for First Responder Joint Service Order information.
Each state and territory creates it’s own laws and standards for their flag. Interestingly, when the Founding Fathers of the USA decided to call each Colony a State, other countries were a bit angered. A state = a country, which is a community under one government (yes, our state governments were supposed to have much more control).
With that knowledge, and short of reaching out to all 50 states and 16 territories to find their specific requirements, we can begin to understand that state and territory flags probably should not be dipped just any old time.
The State, Territory, and Tribal flag should be dipped for the Star Spangled Banner, foreign national anthem, and for the funeral of a member of the state, territory, or tribal government, and anyone ranked higher and a member of the US military.
When carrying all state (and territory) flags are carried as a separate formation (block or line), referred to as “S&Ts”, these flags have their own commander who is outside the formation. Guards are not necessary. The commands should be separate from the color guard, but executed at the same time. The preparatory command for the color guard is, “Colors!”, for the S&Ts, its “Flags!” as in “Flags, Carry, Flags!” It may sound strange, but it helps to create the separation. State flags are put in order by entry into the union or alphabetically.
For American Indian tribal flags, read here.
Use these guidelines, but I highly encourage you to research your state, territory, and/or tribal requirements. Begin with the Attorney General and National Guard Adjutant General.
The POW/MIA flag is not authorized to be carried in ANY military color guard formation nor paraded on it’s own because it is a private organization’s flag. It is only carried as a personal color for the funeral of a former prisoner of war or military member who was missing in action.
The only authorized flagstaff for all military color guards is the guidon staff topped with the flat, silver Army Spearhead (spade) finial, pictured (Navy and Coast Guard units may use the battle-ax with local funding only).
Any civilian organization carrying flags may use any staff they choose (it’s best to use the guidon staff since it’s more rugged and made for color guards) with the flying eagle as the finial. The spread eagle is exclusively for the President of the United States. Note: NTP 13B, Flags Pennants, and Customs, states the spread eagle is for civilian officials and flag officers whose official salute is 19 or more guns.
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Hey Drill Master,
I was recently competing in a Color Guard State JROTC competition as the front rifleman and the flag was in my face and preventing me from seeing, as a result my alignment was thrown off slightly. I was wondering if there is a protocol for a rifleman to move the flag from their face while marching in a Color Guard formation?
V/R
c/SFC Dotson
Cadet Dotson,
Very good question! Then answer is, there isn't at least an official protocol for any member of the color guard.
However! It's better to quickly move the color out of your face with your left hand, that goes for every team member, than be out of alignment and/or have incorrect spacing for any length of time.
Color bearers in column formation in the service honor guards in Washington DC pull the silk out of their face as necessary. It's quite common, just not well known.
I work at an arena that hosts many different sporting events. We have a US flag hung in the rafters that we spot light during the national anthem. Some of these event have a color guard present during the national anthem. I have been told that it is disrespectful to spot light the US flag that is in the rafters when the color guard is present. Is this true?
Mr. Luppino,
It's not necessarily disrespectful, but it is inappropriate.
The flag that is in the arena is there all the time. If you don't have a color guard for the event, that's the flag everyone faces. When a color guard is involved, the team is formally presenting the colors and only the flag they are carrying should be the focus while the Star-Spangled Banner is played or sung. Once the color guard is finished, the focus reverts back to the arena flag.
From now on, please have the spotlight on the team for the duration of the anthem.
DM
When the color guard is present we spotlight the color guard and the arena flag. I will discontinue spotlighting the arena flag when the color guard is present. Do I understand correctly?
Ron
Yes sir, that would be most appropriate.
What are the military color guard rules in regards to using the Garrison Flag at sporting events? I have received different feedback from various individuals. Is there a regulation or code that I can refer to when in discussions about it? There are many examples of it being used in that manner but I am being told that flag rules that the flag cannot be flat.
Thank you.
Ms. Shannon,
The Flag Code states that the American flag is not carried flat, but aloft and free. That is the symbol of our freedom. None of the flag guidance at the DoD or military service level makes any mention of a military flag being carried flat because the guidance only tells us what is authorized. Flags are displayed hooked to a halyard on a flagpole and colors are mounted on flagstaffs for indoor display or to be carried by a color guard. Again, these are the only authorized methods of display.
I suggest not carrying any military flag flat based on this information.
DM
POTUS and a foreign leader of a communist country enter a US facility. POTUS is on site and awaiting the arrival of the FORNLDR with USMC and USA colorguard receiving. The US flag is left of the entry pt and communist flag is to the right - perspective; facing the entry (external > internal).
Is it protocol for a communist flag to be presented in this manner? Is it protocol for two Marines to salute the arriving FORNLDR?
V/R
Mr. Burrell,
AR 600-60, Army Protocol; and AR 840-10, the Army's flag manual, apply.
After reading the description a number of times, I think it's the audience perspective that you are giving of the entrance so, the US is on its own right. That setup is good.
The Marines and everyone else should salute. We are technically not at war with the visiting FORNLDR or POTUS would not be receiving him. That the requires a salute/honors rendered for the appropriate times.
FYI, the only communist country the USA is actively at war with is North Korea since the Korean War ended with a cease fire and is still officially active. Therefore, they don't warrant an official state visit and the North Korean Flag wouldn't be present.
DM
I work for a county police department, and am on the Honor Guard. The Honor Guard is a volunteer unit and not a full-time job for us. There are times when we only have two members to present colors. While I know there needs to be four, we have to use what we have.
In the situation where there are only two members, do they carry the US and state flag, or the US flag and a rifle? If it's the latter, does the rifle lead, or does the US flag lead? Thanks.
Dan
Hello sir,
I can appreciate your situation. Manning is an issue in many departments and offices.
So, with just two members, two flags is most appropriate.
DM
Thank you, sir. I appreciate the advice.
Dan
Maybe I’m overlooking information elsewhere, but is there any protocols for using a non-military flag as a “practice” flag and hoisting it during practices ? (Navy color guard)
CeeB,
You can do that, no problem. It's a great idea to reserve the national for the real thing preserving it's honor and respect.
DM
This question is not related to color guards specifically but about flag protocol which perhaps you can answer. I am a volunteer at a historic army seacoast fort which is now a national park. Occasionally we will have a parade of warships pass by headed for the harbor. Would it be appropriate to "dip the flag" as a sign of respect to the ships as they pass by?
Mr. Johnson,
I'm so glad you are searching for the correct protocols! US Navy Regulations, Chapter 12 is where this information is found. You can download the PDF from my Resources page.
DM
Drill Master, Thank you for you quick reply. I did look through the Navy Regulations but it only described dipping the colors from vessel to vessel on certain occasions. I will continue my research, and thank you for this website and for your service.
Good afternoon, I was confused reading one specific part of your instructions & couldn't find it in 3-21.5. When you stated "State and territory flags are carried immediately to the left of the American flag, and to the right of the departmental flag." Would a correct order be: US, State, Departmental(Army for me), and Organizational(Battalion for me) ? Trying to include more college cadets than the common US & state combo.
Thank you
I apologize for any confusion. Yes, what you have written is the correct order.
lightning response awesome. In another article of yours, you stated "These service color guards can also add a foreign national, territory, county, and/or city flag. Since TC 3-21.5 has information for Colors Reverse for a team of six, we can then understand that up to four flags may be carried by these three services.", probably not, but would a flag of the school be able to be carried in the last position since our ROTC program is based under that organization? assuming we could find one with fringe, a spade, & everything else needed.
Second question, I've been doing it for years but forgot if I learned it from the manual, an old high school instructor, or it was passed down, the spade finial needs to be flat at all times? (because angled means heading into war)
Lastly, the max size of a team can be 6 personnel meaning maximum 4 flags correct?
School flags could be considered an organizational, I my view.
Yes, spade is flat 100% of the time. Read the Spade Marker article on keeping it flat (I can't link when I respond on my phone). "Going to war" is a myth.
So, I wrote that article before I found the DoD Instruction that allows a single service to carry all service departmental flags. I think that would be the only instance to go past 4 color bearers, but there isn't a stated restriction. My best guess is 6 on the team, max. Four on colors with two guards. You can have more Bearers if you really want.
I am a member of an organization that will soon be hosting an event honoring Military veterans. We will have a joint service color guard. My question is: Does the moderator of the event announce "post the colors" before we have the prayer, pledge, and national anthem, or does the color guard hold the flags while we do all that and then post them? We would really like to do this correctly.
Thank you.
I wrote an article about presenting the colors. The announcer doesn't give commands, he/she preparaes the audience. Please read more about it here. Prayer should be after the colors presentation and the team leaves the stage.
There is no need for the Pledge and anthem. Please read more here: the Pledge and Star-Spangled Banner at an event.
If you have any more questions, please let me know.
DM
Is it proper for a high school color guard to the American flag with only one rifle? If so which side of teh flag should the rifle be on?
Can the rifle be substituted for a saber?
Thank you.
Absolutely not to both questions. I have written several articles that discuss both. Start with The Why of The Color Guard series that I posted.
DM