The flag

[dan]

As I see all of the flags being flown, over the last 4 weeks, it makes me feel good!

But it makes me sad when I see the flags hung out in the rain and not retired at night. All of the vehicles I see with flags, school bus, autos, semis, trucks, and vans it looks great! But that is not the way to treat the flag! It destroys them! And what in the heck is with the pickem up trucks and the confederate flags! Oh I am in Illinois.

 

Make take on saluting the flag and saying the pledge, how I read the code is that the color guard does not say the pledge or salute during the pledge, they hold the flag during the pledge than post it after the pledge, the entire color guards takes one step back and salutes the flag. But this is my take on it and I could be wrong, I used the method with my 2nd year Webelos and boy did I get an earful from parents and other leaders! Good Thing I had the ceremony in writing. Now If I can only get the Boy Scout troop to spend at least 2 minutes preparing for an opening.

 

 

[eisely]

A common mistake with color guards is that the boy holding the flag often will try to hold the staff with one hand and salute with the other. The member of the color guard holding the US flag does nothing but hold the flag. A scout carrying a troop or state flag should dip that flag during the national anthem. I don't know what the rule is for "subordinate" flags during a pledge of allegiance. I would probably have such flag bearing scouts not salute, but dip their flag. If the color guard includes scouts not carrying the flag they, in my mind, should certainly salute and partipate in the pledge. Likewise they should salute when the national anthem is played or sung. If you have ever watched a military color guard during the national anthem, you will see the two members carrying weapons come to "present arms" during the national anthem. It is also correct for the guard to step back and give one final salute together after placing the colors in a stand or raising the colors to the top of a flag pole.