You can submit your questions to Dr. Drill via e-mail to : DrDrill@CadetStuff.org.

Dr. Drill,

C/2nd Lt Travis Baxter

And Dr. Drill responds...

Dear Cadet Baxter,

You thought you had Dr. Drill going there for a minute, didn't you! You're trying to fool everyone by asking a question that the world-famous (if not totally unknown) AFMAN 36-2203 doesn't specifically address!

Well HA! Phoey on you! Dr. Drill is better than that. Take a look at the first two paragraphs of the illustrious AFMAN 36-2203:

1.1.1 This manual includes most Air Force needs in drill and ceremonies, but it does not cover every situation that may arise.

1.1.2 Units or organizations required to drill under arms will use the procedures in US Army Field Manual 22-5, SECNAV5060.22, or USAF Academy Cadet Wing Manual 50-5. The types of weapon used will determine the appropriate maual.

So, the Air Force does tell you where to look. "But Doctor Drill," you wail... "The CAP bookstore doesn't sell those manuals!" No problem. The good Doctor has a prescription for what ails you. If you want a purely Civil Air Patrol Reference, examine CAPP 3 (Guide to CAP Protocol). On page 6, under the heading CEREMONIES, a very simple but elegant flag ceremony is described. It does not go into much detail, so there is considerable room for variation.

If you want specifics ad nauseum, take a look at this.

This is an online version of the entire US Army Field Manual (that's FM, but not like the radio) 22-5. If you want to get down to specifics for posting and retiring the colors, you'll have to look deeper - all the way to Chapter 9 of that Army manual. Here's a link that will point you to exactly where to look!

We're talkin' specific paragraphs here, folks. Start reading at paragraph 9-49, and all your questions will be answered. For the internet-ignorant, Dr. Drill will now perform a medical miracle, and explain how to post and retire the colors right here for all to read. Try to contain your amazement. Polite applause is always appreciated. Donations are gladly accepted.

Ok... so you're the color sergeant. It was a dark and stormy night... (Oh, wait -- wrong story.) You form your detail just outside the banquet hall for the dining-out or military ball. The moment is almost upon you. The palms of your hands are sweating underneath those bleached white gloves. You can taste the anticipation!

Permutation #1

The audience will be directed to stand. Let's say, for the sake of argument, that there will be a head table at this function. No, I'm not talking about a banquet attended by cannibals where the front of the room has a table full of shrunken heads! I'm talking about a long table full of shrunken heads on top of the commanders and dignitaries attending the function.

Before the actual event, you and the head dude of the banquet have agreed upon a location just inside the hall, or in front of the head table and facing the host (a.k.a. head dude). This post will henceforth be known as the "predesignated position." (This may come up a lot, so take good notes!) You should march your color guard to this predesignated position, and command, "Colors, HALT." You then command the colors to, "Present, ARMS" (all except the US Flag, of course) and indicate to the head table, "The Colors are Present." The host will then direct you to, "POST THE COLORS."

The color sergeant then commands, "Order, ARMS;" "Right, FACE;" and "Forward, MARCH." On the command MARCH, the colors detail marches to the rear of the head table where the flag stands are located. Once the color guard is centered on the flag stand, they mark time, and the color sergeant commands, "Colors, HALT;" and "Right, FACE." Presuming the head table is elevated on a platform, this should work... this is important, because if the head table (and a speaker, etc.) are on the same level as the audience, flag placement will be different! On an elevated platform, the US Flag should end up behind the speaker's right shoulder. Other flags (The USAF Flag, the CAP flag, etc.) will end up in the proper order, moving to the speaker's left (or the audience's right). Clear as mud? GOOD! Moving on!

Without command, the color bearers place the flags in the flag stands. Once the flags have been placed, the color sergeant commands the color guard to, "Present, ARMS;" and "Order, ARMS." On the command "Order, ARMS," the rifle bearers return to right shoulder arms.

The color sergeant still has his detail on stage, and everybody is hungry. It's time to get the heck out of the way! Command, "Left, FACE;" and "Forward, MARCH" to exit the area. Time to eat!

Permutation #2

OK -- so this time there's NO head table. Now the color guard moves to a predesignated position (I told you this would keep coming up!) in front of the audience... but facing the audience this time. This may require the color guard to use column and facing movements in order to keep the US Flag at the head of a column, and at the right when in line. Very important! Don't screw this up! Once you arrive at this predesignated position, command the colors to HALT and face them toward the audience using either Left or Right FACE. The color guard is then commanded to "Present, ARMS." Now is the appropriate time for music or the Pledge of Allegiance. At the conclusion of music or the Pledge, command the colors to "Order, ARMS." The color sergeant then instructs the color guard to face right or left (depending on which way you're going...) and then commands, "Forward, MARCH." March to a position behind the flag stands, and continue as indicated above. Time to eat again.

Now everybody's belly is full, and it's time to dance until you puke. Before the dancing starts, we had better retire those colors. The color guard is moved into position at the predesignated position (Again! Yikes!) in front of the head table. Halt the color guard and have them "Present, ARMS." The color sergeant then says to the host, "Sir, (or ma'am -- use good judgment here) request permission to retire the colors. The host acknowledges the request and directs, "RETIRE THE COLORS." Here comes a bunch of commands:

"Order, ARMS."
"Right, FACE."
"Forward, MARCH."

The only difference if there is no head table is this: The color guard marches directly to the flag stands (that is, not reporting to any host or head dude), and retrieves the colors. Exit as described above.

If you've gotten this far, and your eyes aren't spinning counter-clockwise from all the facing movements, salutes, and shrunken heads at the head table, then you're a better man than I am! I'm sure there are still questions out there about color guards, and how to position them; questions about facing movements and counter marching the colors; questions about how to handle the rifles and what to wear while serving on a color guard. You know what Dr. Drill has to say about that? NOTHING right now. You'll just have to keep submitting questions for Dr. Drill to answer -- right here on this very website! Thanks for reading, and happy drilling!

Dr. Drill