You can submit your questions to Dr. Drill via e-mail to : DrDrill@CadetStuff.org.
Hello,
I'm in the Navy active duty and I'm assigned to NTTC Meridian, MS. I was fomerly at Naval Submarine School in Groton, CT. I have a question about saluting during colors:
(1) I know that during colors you are supposed to rendor a salute, however, my question is specifically related to when the salute should be lowered. At this base and probably every US Navy base, there is a series of tones issued before and after the actual music for colors is heard. I know that after you hear colors that those tones mean to "carry on". My question is this:
I was told at my last command that your salute should be dropped at the end of the music and that you do not move until after you hear the "carry on" tones described above. However, at my present command, people hold their salutes up until after "carry on" is heard.
Can you tell me where I can find information about what the actual regulations are in reference to this matter? I tried searching for an OPNAV instruction about it, but I have no idea of where to look. I assume that most of this is tradition and there may not be an actual instruction about this, however, there has to be some way of finding out what the actual regs are. Thank you.
SKSN Pioso, Scott E. USN
NTTC Meridian, MS 39309
Dr. Drill responds
Seaman Pioso,
What the heck is a 'storekeeper striker'? I mean, it's a supply rating, so I get the 'storekeeper' part. But 'striker'? Help a doctor out!
Anyway, to answer your question, I refer you to OPNAVINST 171O.7A.: Social Usage and Protocol. That's where you'll find your answer. But, rather than take the easy way out, I'll go into detail right here.
First, let's review the pertinent sections:
OPNAVINST 1710.7a
1205. Procedure during playing of National Anthem.
- Whenever the National Anthem is played, all naval service personnel not in formation shall stand at attention and face the national ensign. In the event that the national ensign is not displayed, they shall face the source of the music. When covered, they shall come to the salute at the first note of the anthem, and shall remain at the salute until the last note of the anthem. Persons in formation are brought to order arms or called to attention as appropriate. The formation commander shall face in the direction of the ensign or, in the absence of the ensign, shall face in the direction of the music and shall render the appropriate salute for the unit. Persons in formation participating in a ceremony shall, on command, follow the procedure prescribed for the ceremony. Persons in vehicles or in boats shall follow the procedure prescribed in the following article for such persons during colors. Persons in civilian clothes shall comply with the rules and customs established for civilians.
1206. Morning and evening colors.
- The ceremonial hoisting and lowering of the national ensign at 0800 and sunset at a naval command ashore or aboard a ship of the Navy not under way shall be known as morning and evening colors, respectively, and shall be carried out as prescribed in this article.
- The guard of the day and the band shall be paraded in the vicinity of the point of hoist of the ensign.
- "Attention" shall be sounded, followed by the playing of the National Anthem by the band.
- At morning colors, the ensign shall be started up at the lbeginning of the music and hoisted smartly to the peak or truck. At evening colors, the ensign shall be started from the peak or truck at the beginning of the music and the lowering so regulated as to be completed at the last note.
- At the completion of the music, "Carry On" shall be sounded.
- In the absence of a band, or an appropriate recording to be played over a public address system, "To the Colors" shall be played by the bugle at morning colors, and "Retreat" at evening colors. The salute shall be rendered as prescribed for the National Anthem.
- In the absence of music, "Attention" and "Carry On" shall be the signals for rendering and terminating the salute. "Carry On" shall be sounded as soom as the ensign is completely lowered.
- During colors, a boat under way within sight or hearing of the ceremony shall lie to, or shall proceed at the slowest safe speed. The boat officer, or the coxswain in the absence of the boat officer, shall stand and salute except when dangerous to dcl so. Other persons in the boat shall remain seated or standing and shall not salute.
- During colors, vehicles within sight or hearing of the ceremony shall be stopped. Persons riding in such vehicles shall remain seated at attention.
- After morning colors, if foreign warships are present, the national anthem of each nation so represented shall be played in the order in which a gun salute would be fired to, or exchanged with, the senior official or officer present of each such nation; provided that, when in a foreign port, the national anthem of the port shall be played immediately after morning colors, followed by the national anthems of other foreign nations represented.
Emphasis courtesy of Dr. Drill!
Okay, so, based on what I'm reading there, section 1205 specifies that you salute on the first note of the National Anthem and hold the salute until the last note. 1206 goes on to say that if the Anthem isn't played, Attention and Carry On serve as the first and last notes of the Anthem.
So, it seems as if the guys at Groton were doing it right: if the Anthem is played you salute during the anthem only. Attention and Carry On serve as indicators that you should get ready to render honors and that the ceremony is over (hence the clever names: Attention and Carry On).
I will caution you that you may be tilting at a windmill on this one. The Doctor wouldn't hesitate to make some noise about the correct way (with documentation, of course), but ultimately, if you fight with the Powers-That-Be, you're probably going to lose.
Good luck!
Dr. Drill
