For POW/MIA Recognition Day, the third Friday in September, the US flag is not lowered to half-staff.
A DrillMaster Study of Sea Service Flag Protocol
Initially, the issue of US Navy and Coast Guard flagstaff finials can be complicated, but we will go through this systematically. A finial is the ornament or topper that is on the top of a flagstaff or mast. A flagstaff is only for static indoor display and to be carried by a color guard and a flag mast (flagpole) is …
The Flag Drapes What?
Apparently, the Flag Code and military manuals are not enough for Americans to understand that the flag is special and needs to be treated with honor at all times.
A DrillMaster Study of Arm Swing
For American Regulation Drill, we must follow the standards that is outlined in TC 3-21.5, MCO 5060.20, and AFPAM 34-1203. Arm swing has changed slightly since the early days of our armed forces. Let’s take a close look and see how we actually swing our arms the same way, no matter the service.
“Praise in Public” and Flag Protocol
Not long ago I received a private message, one that I have received, in essence, a few times before over the years. However, this time it was from an O-10 (Colonel/Captain).
Flag Protocol and the Marching Band Color Guard
Marching band and drum corps directors, color guard instructors, and flag printing companies have a very big responsibility to not violate Title 4 of the US Code, the Flag Code.
A DrillMaster Study of The Cupped Hand
The US military did not consider the hands until the early 1900s and at that time the description has an open hand curved inward. Below, you can see the development of the cupped hand from the earliest writings to the fully cupped hands of today.
Obtaining Proper Step Length
In this article, I tell you how you can teach someone to march with a 30” step.
Reader’s Digest, you are Partially Wrong
Andy Simmons wrote an article entitled, 12 Flag Etiquette Mistakes You Didn’t Realize You Were Making. He does a good job of identifying 9 subjects but has no idea about three of them.
Olympic Flag Protocol
For international flag protocol, this is accepted. This image is from the International Olympic Committee when the organization announced the USA would have the 2034 Olympic games in Salt Lake City, UT. I am not a fan of this in the least. The Olympic flag is placed to the right of national flags as far as the IOC is concerned. …