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 …
When a Cemetery Will Not Let the Military Carry the Casket
A military honor guard arrives at a cemetery prepared to perform funeral honors. The team has trained pallbearers available, but cemetery personnel refuse to let them carry the casket. Instead, the cemetery requires the casket to remain on a church truck.
When Period Uniforms and Modern Flags Do Not Match
I recently received an image from an organization asking for guidance about its color guard.
Rifle Exhibition Safety: The Scoresheet Is Where Culture Changes
The article on rifle spinning, tosses, immediate stops, and adolescent injury risk has done exactly what I hoped it would do: it has made people think.
The Why of the Color Guard: The “Joint Civic/Armed Forces Color Guard”
The term “Joint Civic/Armed Forces Color Guard” sounds official. It sounds inclusive, cooperative, and appropriate for a major public event.
It is none of those things.
The 8.5lb Elephant in the Room: Armed Exhibition, Teenage Bodies, and Long-Term Damage
Armed exhibition drill has been part of military drill for decades. It is exciting, demanding, and when performed well, it shows timing, confidence, coordination, control, and strength. But we need to address the health aspect of an 8.5-pound rifle repeatedly slamming into a teenage body because that is what the activity often rewards. That is the problem. The M1903 rifle, …
One Casket, One Flag: Do Not Combine Flags
I recently saw an image of a casket with the U.S. flag and the Texas flag folded in half and laid on top together. That is not a minor mistake. It’s a complete breakdown of ceremonial understanding.