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I Pledge Allegiance to the United States of Love!

Dr. Drill

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

Dear Dr. Drill,

There is a controversy in our troop. Should the pledge be said while the colors are still being held or after they are put in their holders (indoors)? If after put in holders, should the color guard salute or not salute?

Thanks,

Randy

Dr. Drill responds


Hi Randy!

Good questions. For your first question - should the pledge be said while the colors are still being held - the answer is no. The colors should be put in the holder first.

Since I know very few troops in CAP, I will try to stick to the US Code. Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 4 states:

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag...should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute.

It'd be tough for your color guard members to face the flag and either salute or put their right hand over their heart if they're still standing at attention in the color guard formation. So the best, and most respectful, thing to do is to post the colors so that everyone, even the color guard members, can face the flag and join in the Pledge. And for you donut-loving, Air Force-mimicking CAP types out there, AF Manual 36-2203 says basically the same thing, except that indoors, uniformed members stand at attention and do not salute.

For your second question, the US Code is not very clear, saying only

During the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the flag or when the flag is passing in a parade or in review, all persons present except those in uniform should face the flag and stand at attention with the right hand over the heart. Those present in uniform should render the military salute.

Though, AF Man 36-2203 says

7.32.3. On command of the senior flagbearer, the guards of the color guard present arms on receiving and parting with the US flag.

Which means that right after your color guard posts the colors - parting is such sweet sorrow! -, they should salute before leaving.

To confirm this, here's what FM 3.21.5 US Army Drill and Ceremonies has to say - so much for sticking to the US Code!

The Color bearers, without command, place the colors in the stand. (e) When the Colors are in the stand, the color sergeant commands Present, ARMS and Order, ARMS. The guards return to Right Shoulder Arms; the Color sergeant commands Left, FACE and Forward, MARCH; and the Color guard exits the area.

So again, after the color guard puts the colors in the holder, the color guard should salute before exiting.

And if you'd like to know what the Marines and Navy have say about it, you'll have to look it up yourself! Dr. Drill's fingers are hurting from all these questions. But keep 'um coming!

Thanks!

Dr. Drill

Caution: Dr. Drill isn't always one hundred percent serious. Please activate your Joke Detectors. And don't call us when you find yourself explaining to a membership termination board why you used a staple gun to keep a cadet's hands at his sides during "To The Rear, March". All we're going to say on your behalf is "Duh!"

And if you find yourself on the bad end of a serious counseling because you decided to go toe-to-toe with your squadron commander over the position of the guide during a squadron-in-mass formation or something similarly trivial, well, we're just going to point, laugh and call you names!

Dr. Drill welcomes comments and corrections. Nothing herein is to be construed as official policy unless quoted from an up-to-date regulation or manual and Dr. Drill is not to be used as a blunt instrument to reshape the pointy heads of your superiors. Dr. Drill has made an extensive study of the drill and knows some people who know some things, but he's not the Final Authority on what happens at your unit. That Final Authority is? That's right, kids! Your UNIT COMMANDER.

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