While watching an older video of Morning Colors at Marine Barracks Washington, I initially heard the preparatory command as: “Colors, ATTENTION.”
“I’m From the Honor Guard and I’m Here to Help”
One of the recurring problems on Air Force installations is the unintentional transfer of ceremonial drill into environments where regulation drill is the governing standard. It usually begins innocently.
How Pregame Productions Reduce a National Ceremony to a Visual Afterthought
With the football games come the pregame and halftime shows. During pregame, the band creates excitement, expresses school identity, and prepares the audience for the game. Cheerleaders, twirlers, dancers, and the marching-band color guard add movement, color, and spectacle. The combined production may involve hundreds of performers, carefully written drill, and weeks of rehearsal.
Selected for Potential, Not Crowned as Superior
A service Honor Guard represents that service at the highest levels of military and governmental ceremony. Its members perform demanding duties in highly visible settings where mistakes can carry consequences far beyond the individual ceremony. The mission requires discipline, precision, endurance, maturity, and a serious understanding of ceremonial responsibility.
Fire Axes and Military Color Guards for 9/11 Ceremonies
Every year as September 11 approaches, military installations and civilian public-safety agencies begin planning Patriot Day and 9/11 remembrance ceremonies. Firefighters understandably want the fire axe represented. It is immediately recognizable, historically meaningful, and visually communicates the fire service in a way few other objects can.
The Difference Between Land and Sea Services and Carrying State Colors
A realization finally clicked for me while responding to a Navy JROTC color guard issue.
The team presented the colors with the National Color, the state flag, and the Navy departmental flag. On the surface, many people would look at that and think, “That seems reasonable. National, state, service. What is the problem?” The problem is not simply the order of precedence. The problem is authority.
Ceremony Sequence of Events
Should the Invocation Come Before or After the National Anthem?
Beyond Performance: Restoring Meaning and Standards to the Honor Guard Mission
Speech given by John K. Marshall, The DrillMaster, at the 2026 US Air Force Honor Guard Leadership Summit in Orlando, FL. The complete prepared speech and supporting documentation. The version delivered at the Summit was condensed to meet the allotted 30-minute speaking time.
The Body Speaks Before the Movement Begins
Just like in dance and other physical performances, posture is the first thing the audience sees. It is the first visible evidence of discipline.
Honor Guards Day Was Celebrated Once—Its Mission Did Not End
Don Crutch, founder of Honor Guards of America, designated July as the month in which ceremonial guardsmen would be recognized through Honor Guards Day. The first—and only—celebration was held in 2017. This article remembers the man, the observance, and the mission that remains worthy of continuing. A personal note: I have been a manager of the Honor Guards of America …