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JAN 2016How To Run an AWESOME Flag Ceremony
Participating in a flag ceremony is one of the first requirements scouts have to do when earning their ranks. I think this is one of the most important requirements. Scouts should learn respect for their country and flag at an early age. I love it when I attend any event where they hold a flag ceremony! I lived outside the United States for 2 years in Chile when I was younger and gained a profound respect for our country. Our flag represents our country, and I get emotional just thinking about it seeing our country’s flag.
I remember on the plane ride home from Chile, the flight crew announced over the intercom that we were starting our decent into Miami Florida and welcoming us to the United States of America. I started crying right there in the plane just thinking about how grateful I was to be back in MY country!
To this day, every time I attend a scouting event that has a flag ceremony, I have the same feelings. When a scout troop performs the flag ceremony with distinction, and you know that they have worked hard and practiced it, it enhances the audience’s experience and emotions for the country and flag. We have all been to a scouting event where it is very obvious that it was thrown together at the last second and mistakes are made. This is better than not having one, but proper respect for the flag demands that we do better.
At my oldest son’s Eagle Court of Honor, we asked the 11 year-old scouts to do the ceremony. We emphasized that we wanted it done very well and practiced. They did AWESOME! They put in the time and practice and we had lots of comments from attendees that it was very well done. The scout who was calling, did not read from a paper. He had memorized it. The boys marched in unison with their feet synchronized and they put the flag on the correct side of the stage. Everything was done as well as it could be.
I hope that anyone reading this blog – scout, parent, or leader, will be inspired to do the same and create an AWESOME experience for their audience on all flag ceremonies they are involved in.
Below is the text of the flag ceremony I have used with our scouts, for your reference:
Opening
Colorguard, Attention!
Will the audience please rise?
Colorguard advance!
Audience salute!
(Wait for colorguard to reach the front American Flag on left of audience view)
Please repeat the Pledge of Allegiance with me
(Repeat Pledge)
Colorguard, post the colors!
Colorguard, dismissed
The audience may be seated
Closing
Colorguard advance
Will the audience please rise?
Colorguard, retrieve the colors (not retire)
Audience salute!
(Wait until flags leave the area)
The audience may be seated
