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A Real American Hero!

Dr. Drill

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

Doc,

I am a Patriot Guard Rider, and we are at military funerals with our American flags. Some of us hold the flags, some of us have longer poles so that we can set the pole on the ground, and still have flag in front of us (we may stand for long periods of time). I am not sure what about the attention command when holding a flag, and what might be correct when a flag is on a longer pole that is sitting on the ground. Any insight would be appreciated.

Thank you

Mike Allumi

Dr. Drill responds


Mike,

Without going into the controversy: Thanks for everything you guys do. The Doctor is all about the First Amendment (everyone's right to take advantage of the First Amendment), and I'd rather fight freedom with freedom than step on one of those First Ten.

Anyway, on to your question, I looked in the new Army drill manual FM 3-21.5. I went with the Army drill manual because they're the senior service. There was an interesting note in the section on Color Guards:

15-4. f. When in formation with the Color company, and not during a ceremony, the Color bearers execute At Ease and Rest, keeping the staffs of the Colors vertical. The Color guard executes Right Shoulder Arms, Order Arms, and Present Arms with the Color company. During ceremonies when the Colors are not forward and remarks are to be made, the Color guards and Color bearers execute Order Arms and Parade Rest on command of the Color company commander. During any ceremony when the units are At Ease, the Color guard and Color bearers are at Parade Rest.

And this:

15-13. POSITION OF THE COLORS AT THE ORDER At the Order, rest the ferrule of the staff on the marching surface touching the outside of the right footgear opposite the ball of the right foot. Hold the staff in the right hand with the back of the hand facing outward and the fingers wrapped around the staff. Rest the staff against the hollow of the shoulder (Figure 15-6, page 15-14).

And, finally:

15-15. POSITION OF THE COLORS AT PARADE REST Parade Rest with the Colors is executed with staffs vertical. The Order and Parade Rest are executed with the Color company except during ceremonies when the Colors remain at the Carry Position (Figure 15-8).

Now, I'm not sure what the length of the staff has to do with anything. Your staffs should be nine feet, six inches from spear to ferrule, as proscribed. But, if the ceremony is being conducted, the color guard (and in this case we'll extend that to anyone in your party who's carrying a flag) should stand a parade rest. That is, with the ferrule on the outside of the right foot and the flag held vertically, left foot extended and left hand behind the back.

Like so:
Color Guard at Parade Rest.jpg

Okay, well, that ought to about cover it. You guys keep up the good work!

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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