Troop 331 Honoring and Properly Retiring the American Flag

Troop 331 Honoring and Properly Retiring the American Flag  

A note from Kaj C. Current Rank – Star Scout,

On September 2nd, Troop 331 will be starting a retired flags donation box at Northwest Presbyterian Church at 3320 Cypress Creek Pkwy, Houston, TX 77068.  The Boy Scouts are one of the few organizations that know the proper way of retiring a flag. The flag is the symbol of our country and needs to be honored after service, that is why we continue to retire flags today.  Once a flag is heavily soiled, torn or faded it is no longer fit to serve and therefore must be retired.  We will be having a ceremony to retire flags by way of cremation at an upcoming camp out.  Please support us by donating your old American flag to our donation box, which will be available at Northwoods Presbyterian Church administration Building Thank you.

A Note from the Scoutmasters:

Feel free to Drop off flags Monday thru Friday during normal Church Business Hours in the Administration Building in the front hallway. You may also drop flags off during any regular Monday Troop 331 Meeting from 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm at the Scout building at the back of Northwoods Presbyterian Church.

 

 

 

 

How Boy Scouts Troop 331 honors the and displays the American flag with the Opening and Closing Flag Ceremony

Every Troop should conduct an opening flag ceremony to start each meeting or event and closing flag ceremony to signify the end of a meeting or event. Each Troop may include different troop traditions so long as they respect the flag and all it stands for.

The below are Commands given by the Senior Patrol Leader or Ranking Scout. Locations and situations may cause variations in Color Guard formation. 

“Color Guard attention, Scouts attention, Audience please rise.” – This signifies the beginning of the meeting and requires the full and undivided attention of everyone in the room.

“Color Guard, forward march” – the designated color guard will move from the rear of the meeting room or camp ground field, typically through the audience with the flags either on poles to be placed or properly folded and carried with two hands held firmly to the chest.  

“Color Guard, Halt” – the designated color guard will come to a complete stop while at attention in front of the location where the flag(s) will be displayed.  

“Prepare to post the colors” – if there are folded flag, this is where they are unrolled and presented. If they are carried poles, they will be brought to the designated location or flag stand.

“Post the colors” – The American flag is posted or Clipped in the flag pole cable and raised first, then the state flag, and finally the troop flag.

“Scout Salute” – this is the Index, middle and ring fingers grouped together on the right hand and brought up over the right eyebrow. The left hand should be straight at your side. for audience members, the right hand may be held over your heart.    

For the Opening ceremony the Senior Patrol Leader or Designated Scout will make the following command:

“Please join me in the pledge of allegiance”

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

After the Pledge the Senior Patrol Leader or Designated Scout may ask to room to participate in other scout creeds such as the Scout Law, Outdoor Code, or Scout Oath.

“Please join me in the Scout Law”:

A scout is TRUSTWORTHY, LOYAL, HELPFUL, FRIENDLY, COURTEOUS, KIND, OBEDIENT, CHEERFUL, THRIFTY, BRAVE, CLEAN and REVERENT.

Once the Opening specific commands have been give and preformed, the Senior Patrol Leader or Designated Scout will make the following commands to the color guard:

“Two” a command given to end a salute while still remaining at attention

“Color Guard, Reform” – Once the colors have been posted, the color guard will return to their post while at attention in front of the location where the flag(s) are displayed. (This is the same location where they were halted prior to being commanded “Prepare to post the colors”

“Color Guard, about face” Color guard members will about face to their right, with the left foot remaining planted and the right foot crossing behind the left then pivoting clockwise 180 degrees facing away from the flags.

“Color Guard, return to post” the designated color guard will move from the front of the meeting room or camp ground field to their original position, typically a reversal of the same route that was taken under the initial command. “Color Guard, forward march”. Special Note: Never use the term “retreat” in any flag ceremony.

“Color Guard, Halt”– the designated color guard will come to a complete stop while at attention. Typically, at the same location they started the ceremony.  

“Color Guard at ease, Scouts at ease, Audience at ease and you may be seated” – This signifies the end of the flag ceremony and the beginning of troop business or an event.

The Closing Flag Ceremony is very similar and is treated with the same respect as the opening ceremony  

“Color Guard attention, Scouts attention, Audience please rise.” – This signifies the ending of the meeting and requires the full and undivided attention of everyone in the room.

“Color Guard, forward march” – the designated color guard will move from the rear of the meeting room or camp ground field, typically through the audience with the flags either on poles to be placed or properly folded and carried with two hands held firmly to the chest.  

“Color Guard, Halt” – the designated color guard will come to a complete stop while at attention in front of the location where the flag(s) will be displayed.  

“Scout Salute” – this is the Index, middle and ring fingers grouped together on the right hand and brought up over the right eyebrow. The left hand should be straight at your side. for audience members, the right hand may be held over your heart.

For the Closing ceremony the Senior Patrol Leader or Designated Scout may ask to room to participate in other scout creeds such as the Scout Law, Outdoor Code, or Scout Oath (typically a different one than that was performed during the opening ceremony.)

“Please join me in the Scout Oath”

On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

Once the Closing specific commands have been give and preformed, the Senior Patrol Leader or Designated Scout will make the following commands to the color guard:

“Two” a command given to end a salute while still remaining at attention

“Prepare to remove the colors” – If there is a fixed flag pole the flags will be lowered with the American flag being drawn down last and unclipped from the pole. If there are individual flags on poles, the color guard will place both hands on the flag poles. Ready to remove the flags.

“Remove the colors” – If there is a fixed flag pole the flags will properly folded with the American flag being folded first and held with both arms crossed against the chest. . If there are individual flags on poles, the American flag is removed first so that when the color guard is called to reform, the amrican flag is first to the audience.

“Color Guard, Reform” – Once the colors have been removed and or folded the color guard will return to their post while at attention in front of the location where the flag(s) were displayed. (This is the same location where they were halted prior to being commanded “Prepare to remove the colors”

“Color Guard, about face” Color guard members will about face to their right, with the left foot remaining planted and the right foot crossing behind the left then pivoting clockwise 180 degrees facing away from the flags.

“Color Guard, return to post” the designated color guard will move from the front of the meeting room or camp ground field to their original position, typically a reversal of the same route that was taken under the initial command. “Color Guard, forward march”. Special Note: Never use the term “retreat” in any flag ceremony.

“Color Guard, Halt”– the designated color guard will come to a complete stop while at attention. Typically, at the same location they started the ceremony.  

“Color Guard at ease, Scouts at ease, Audience at ease and you may be seated” – This signifies the end of the flag ceremony and the end of troop business or event.