Flagceremony

The following is for a standard flag ceremony at which we present the colors, lead the Pledge, and retire the colors.

Arrive early enough to talk with the Master Of Ceremonies. Know or find out:

• When to begin.
• Whether the audience is to remain standing after the Pledge.
• Whether you are also retiring the colors.

Place the stands at the right and left of the floor (the speaker) before things start.

The SPL or most senior Scout is the speaker (unless someone else needs to earn a requirement). At his time, he walks up to the floor (from either side), and says:

• Please stand (unless the audience is already standing).
• Color guards, advance.
• (At this time, the US flag comes up on the right side of the audience and the Troop flag on the left).
• (The flags cross in front of the audience to the US flag is on the right of the speaker.)
• Color guards, post colors.
• (The flags are place into the stands and the color guards take one step back and face the US flag. The speaker faces the audience.)
• Will everyone please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance?
• (The speaker faces the US flag.)
• Scout salute, one.
• (Make Scout salute. Begin the Pledge.)
• (At the end of the Pledge, say,) Two. (Stop saluting.)
• Color guards, dismissed.
• (The color guards exit, without crossing over.)
• (If the audience is to be seated for the next presentation, say,) Please be seated. (If they are to remain standing, say,) Please remain standing.

If asked to also retire the colors, the speaker walks up at the appropriate time, from either side, and says:

• Please stand (unless the audience is already standing).
• Color guards, advance.
• (The color guards walk up from the sides without crossing over, stopping at their respective flags.)
• (When the color guards are at their flags, say) Will everyone please stand (unless the audience is already standing).
• Color guards, retire colors.
• (When they lift the flags from the stands, say,) Scout salute, one.
• (Make the salute. The flags cross in front of the audience. When they are just about at the back of the audience, say,) Two.
• (If the audience is to be seated for the next presentation, say,) Please be seated. (If they are to remain standing, say,) Please remain standing. (Or, if this is the end of the ceremony, say,) Audience dismissed. (This is why you speak with the MC before the ceremony begins.)