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Ground, Arms – Ready, Up

DrillMaster August 27, 2019 Leave a Comment

“Ground, Arms – Ready, Up” from Honor Guard Commands by John DrillMaster Marshall. Released: 2012.

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TAMU displaying the colors properly, thank you! He

TAMU displaying the colors properly, thank you! Here's what's going on:

There are 5 days each year where the POW/MIA flag is moved into a prominent position directly to the left of the US. For the rest of the year, the POW/MIA flag is displayed last.

Why last? It being a novelty flag of sorts is part of it, but the reason is because it's supposed to be last, it's supposed to be off in a corner (almost) forgotten. Because our POWs and MIAs are (almost) forgotten. We go about our daily routine and don't give them a single thought most days - that's OK, we don't have to think of them every moment of every day, we do need to recognize them however, every so often, just to keep the thought alive.

There is an agency that does spend every waking moment not only thinking of but working to recover our missing. The Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency @dodpaa works tirelessly each day in parts of the world to recover and identify those who have been missing for so long.

The position of last place for the flag is very significant. Bringing the flag to its highest prominence for a handful of days each year is also very significant.

-------
States that require I the flag to be above the state and below the US on the same halyard have lost sight of the very special place it needs to occupy. Our former President's signing the bill a few years ago requiring it's daily display at every federal government flagpole reduced its significance.

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The Colors Turn On is a smoother transition to fac

The Colors Turn On is a smoother transition to facing from column to line formation. It's used instead of Colors Halt, Left Face.

Colors! Present, ARMS! Is used to help the team focus on the next command. Stand by, Colors, Attention does the same thing. The first of the two preparatory commands is the "focus" command because the mind can wander. Then, with the team brought back to the current situation, the standard preparatory and execution commands are given.

The use of the two prep commands is just normal operations since changing depending on setting would be confusing.

Practice for the team is minimal as they perform across DC sometimes several times each day.

The very slow cadence for the guards is on purpose to match the slower three counts of the dipping staffs. Not exactly clicking for this one.

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I'll be by again soon!

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The Colors hallway of @marinebarrackswashington is

The Colors hallway of @marinebarrackswashington is full of history. That's an old organizational staff found in the back of a closet a few years ago. Miniature streamers on the left, and a set of older streamers on the right. Awards from years past line the walls. From my visit in 2022.

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Today's DrillMaster article, just in time for POW/

Today's DrillMaster article, just in time for POW/MIA Day, September 20th and what are you going to do? You are NOT going to carry the flag in a color guard formation or on its own unless it's for the funeral of a former POW, as shown above.

What else are we not going to do? Lower the national to half-staff or half-mast.

The POW/MIA flag is a novelty flag or sorts, a flag created and owned by a private organization and not a government flag. Therefore, no one in a military uniform, Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, cadets, and veterans, is authorized to carry it (except where noted above).

Read it here:
https://thedrillmaster.org/2024/09/19/half-staff-for-pow-mia-day/

#MakePOWFlagProtocolGreatAgain

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The @gonationalguard presenting the colors. ⭐⭐

The @gonationalguard presenting the colors. ⭐⭐I'd give more but there are a couple of serious issues that can not happen again.

❌National is lower than the state. It's close! But the socket is too low. ❌The state can be added but cannot replace an Army flag. The National Guard flag should be included and the adding the state flag would be most appropriate. Otherwise, the Army Ceremonial Flag should be carried, but it requires the battle streamers. ❌Never hold flag material to the staff. Never. If the flag gets in your face and you can't see, use your left hand to pull it out of the way to the left, as many times as you need to, do it. ❌Staffs must be angled slightly forward. I suggest 4" from the nose/chin. ❌Right hands must be on the staff at mouth level. ❌Left hands on the staff at the socket.

ℹ️US bearer's trousers must be altered properly to have the required angle rearward. ℹ️Speaking of trouser length, left/rear guard could donate extra length to the Colors Sgt without a problem. ℹ️Left rifle, you'll want to match the proper Right Shoulder technique of right rifle.

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#honorguard #ceremonialguard #JROTC #AJROTC #MCJROTC #NJROTC #AFJROTC #SFJROTC #YoungMarines #CAP #CivilAirPatrol #SeaCadets

Working for the New South Wales (Australia) Police

Working for the New South Wales (Australia) Police Academy Protocol section to create flag fold procedures. I'm updating what I've written and created for our flag fold and inserting their flags.

This is so helpful for me as I get to get back into what I've written and see if it can be improved as I rework it for their flags.

🔆Education is 🔑!
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🔹Read your manuals! Download them free at the Resources page here: www.thedrillmaster.org
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Prov 1:7b, Fools despise wisdom and instruction
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🔹https://youtube.com/@TheDrillMaster001
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🔹I educate, train, & certify cadets, military, judges, & 1st responders
.
🔹Ask about a professional critique of your performance
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#honorguard #ceremonialguard #JROTC #AJROTC #MCJROTC #NJROTC #AFJROTC #SFJROTC #YoungMarines #CAP #CivilAirPatrol #SeaCadets

The small cord and tassels that adorn some fire ax

The small cord and tassels that adorn some fire axes, ceremonial or real, gets in the way, in my view. It forces the hand to be directly under the axe head and not split the tool in thirds at Port and have the top hand about 4" below the head at Present. Both positions are much better looking than what you see here.

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Prov 1:7b, Fools despise wisdom and instruction
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🔹https://youtube.com/@TheDrillMaster001
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🔹I educate, train, & certify cadets, military, judges, & 1st responders
.
🔹Ask about a professional critique of your performance
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We don't fully open flags when raising them. We ke

We don't fully open flags when raising them. We keep the two horizontal folds and allow the flag to fall open or the wind to catch the material and open it that way.

Even for foreign national, state, territory, and the POW flag. All are raised in the same manner as the American flag.

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Prov 1:7b, Fools despise wisdom and instruction
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🔹https://youtube.com/@TheDrillMaster001
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🔹I educate, train, & certify cadets, military, judges, & 1st responders
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🔹Ask about a professional critique of your performance
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🔹If you choose to, you can learn more about D&C with my books on Ceremonial, Regulation, & Exhibition Drill: www.lulu.com/spotlight/drillmaster
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#honorguard #ceremonialguard #JROTC #AJROTC #MCJROTC #NJROTC #AFJROTC #SFJROTC #YoungMarines #CAP #CivilAirPatrol #SeaCadets

Marines from Recruiting Station Milwaukee present

Marines from Recruiting Station Milwaukee present the color guard at the Brewers vs. Phillies opening game. @rs_milwaukee

What could be improved? ℹ️Harness socket height. Many think that the socket must be a certain distance below the belt. That's not a standard. The sockets are supposed to be as close to the same level as possible without the national socket being lower. Obviously, the bearer waist levels are different by several inches and the sockets will still be at different levels, but the difference is supposed to be *minimal*.

ℹ️Rifles should be four inches (Pyle!) from the breastbone. ℹ️Cords and tassels are mandatory for both colors. I can't tell if they are attached.

What is wrong? ❌Marine Corps color guards march and stand at Close Interval only. ❌Slings are mounted through the #StackingSwivel ❌The colors harnesses are white leather, but the wrong type.

👉See MCO 5060.20.

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🔹Read your manuals! Download them free at the Resources page here: www.thedrillmaster.org
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Prov 1:7b, Fools despise wisdom and instruction
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🔹https://youtube.com/@TheDrillMaster001
.
🔹I educate, train, & certify cadets, military, judges, & 1st responders
.
🔹Ask about a professional critique of your performance
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#honorguard #ceremonialguard #JROTC #AJROTC #MCJROTC #NJROTC #AFJROTC #SFJROTC #YoungMarines #CAP #CivilAirPatrol #SeaCadets

This is how you show mourning for a flag that is n

This is how you show mourning for a flag that is not lowered. Use the mourning ribbon on:

1️⃣Colors on flagstaffs in a static display (shown).
2️⃣Carried in a color guard (the only time it has been used in a parade was durring the funerals for Presidents Roosevelt and Kennedy).
3️⃣Flagpoles mounted on the side of a building/post that do not have a halyard (some do, most don't).

AR 840-10, MCO 5060.20, and NTP 13B do authorize the mourning ribbon, it's just not used in parades/reviews.

I blame @professorflagg for getting me even more interested in flag protocol. Thanks, really! 🙂

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🔹Read your manuals! Download them free at the Resources page here: www.thedrillmaster.org
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Prov 1:7b, Fools despise wisdom and instruction
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🔹https://youtube.com/@TheDrillMaster001
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🔹I educate, train, & certify cadets, military, judges, & 1st responders
.
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🔹If you choose to, you can learn more about D&C with my books on Ceremonial, Regulation, & Exhibition Drill: www.lulu.com/spotlight/drillmaster
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#honorguard #ceremonialguard #JROTC #AJROTC #MCJROTC #NJROTC #AFJROTC #SFJROTC #YoungMarines #CAP #CivilAirPatrol #SeaCadets

Don't forget to put your national color to half-fl

Don't forget to put your national color to half-flagstaff for your color guard!

Yes, this was a question received by a friend. Colors are NEVER lowered on the staff. This photo is from the flag sliding down the staff during a performance because it was not secured properly.

I should wait and post this on April 1st.

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Prov 1:7b, Fools despise wisdom and instruction
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🔹https://youtube.com/@TheDrillMaster001
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🔹I educate, train, & certify cadets, military, judges, & 1st responders
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🔹Ask about a professional critique of your performance
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🔹If you choose to, you can learn more about D&C with my books on Ceremonial, Regulation, & Exhibition Drill: www.lulu.com/spotlight/drillmaster
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Happy birthday, Wingmen!

Happy birthday, Wingmen!

Pinky at the upper receiver. No matter what rifle

Pinky at the upper receiver. No matter what rifle you carry, Port requires the pinky to hold the upper hand guard there. The same position for Present! Just rotate the rifle clockwise.

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#honorguard #ceremonialguard #JROTC #AJROTC #MCJROTC #NJROTC #AFJROTC #SFJROTC #YoungMarines #CAP #CivilAirPatrol #SeaCadets

OK, it's here! The article that took me years of s

Timing is not evidenced only in the feet, as we kn

Timing is not evidenced only in the feet, as we know, however the feet are most probably the best form of timing to observe. There are several factors that affect timing and knowledge of those factors is a must when judging D&C.

Step size can give a false reading of bad timing. Individual height can affect timing. As always, a lack of training and practice affect timing.

Timing that is exact is said to be In Phase. You can even be out of step and in phase. The two terms mean something different.

Out of step. When your left heel strikes the marching surface while everyone else in the formation has their right heels strike.

Out of phase. When your left heel strikes the marching surface just behind or ahead of everyone else in the formation as their left heels strike.

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The Perched Eagle Finial is only authorized on Ind

The Perched Eagle Finial is only authorized on Independence Day.

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🔹I educate, train, & certify cadets, military, judges, & 1st responders
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The riflemen here are at the position of Carry Arm

The riflemen here are at the position of Carry Arms. It's the perfect position to transport a rifle at any time, but especially to and from a performance. It's out of the way which means it won't hit anything. Grasp the small of the stock from the side with your thumb in front.

The traditional grip was to split the fingers at the small for the rifles of the Revolutionary War era. That kills my fingers with today's thicker stocks.

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Prov 1:7b, Fools despise wisdom and instruction
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🔹https://youtube.com/@TheDrillMaster001
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🔹I educate, train, & certify cadets, military, judges, & 1st responders
.
🔹Ask about a professional critique of your performance
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🔹If you choose to, you can learn more about D&C with my books on Ceremonial, Regulation, & Exhibition Drill: www.lulu.com/spotlight/drillmaster
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#honorguard #ceremonialguard #JROTC #AJROTC #MCJROTC #NJROTC #AFJROTC #SFJROTC #YoungMarines #CAP #CivilAirPatrol #SeaCadets

Georgia Military College flag display. ❌Flag spr

Georgia Military College flag display. ❌Flag spreaders. ❌Finials. ❌Gold cords and tassels. The school follows Army standards, in general, so the presence of the Marine Corps colors would not affect the fringe on the national. Actually, it would be appropriate to have two nationals, one without fringe for this type of set up.

Courtesy of @armyrotc

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Prov 1:7b, Fools despise wisdom and instruction
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🔹https://youtube.com/@TheDrillMaster001
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🔹I educate, train, & certify cadets, military, judges, & 1st responders
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🔹Ask about a professional critique of your performance
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🔹If you choose to, you can learn more about D&C with my books on Ceremonial, Regulation, & Exhibition Drill: www.lulu.com/spotlight/drillmaster
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Did you know that reinforced flags, used mainly in

Did you know that reinforced flags, used mainly in nautical environments, have a rope in the header? Some are sewn in and some thread through the pole hem. This is called a rope and thimble set up. The metal eye on the inside of the loop is the thimble.

🔆Education is 🔑!
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🔹Read your manuals! Download them free at the Resources page here: www.thedrillmaster.org
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Prov 1:7b, Fools despise wisdom and instruction
.
🔹https://youtube.com/@TheDrillMaster001
.
🔹I educate, train, & certify cadets, military, judges, & 1st responders
.
🔹Ask about a professional critique of your performance
.
🔹If you choose to, you can learn more about D&C with my books on Ceremonial, Regulation, & Exhibition Drill: www.lulu.com/spotlight/drillmaster
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#honorguard #ceremonialguard #JROTC #AJROTC #MCJROTC #NJROTC #AFJROTC #SFJROTC #YoungMarines #CAP #CivilAirPatrol #SeaCadets

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