[scouter]

hello all. first time here but impressed with what i've read and learned. i'm not sure about instructions to give my scouts for an upcoming flag ceremony. we will have 4 color guards with 2 at center carrying the american and state flags. the color guards will be standing at attention in a line facing the audience on a ball field while the national anthem is being played. question is, should the 2 guards who are not carrying flags present a hand salute or just stand at attention with their hands at their sides?

[Robin Hickman]

Howdy, Scouter !

Welcome to the USA-Flag-Site forums !


I do NOT know the formal protocol for the color "guards" during the playing of the National Anthem. There. Now that I got that out of the way, I'm of the opinion that the color "guards" (the two scouts at the outsides of the line) should salute.

I went ahead and "Googled" the two terms : "Baseball Game" and "Color Guard".

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22Baseball+Game%22+%22Color+Guard%22&btnG=Goo gle+Search


There were over 5,000 pages returned (results). I quickly scanned the first 25-30. While not all of the pages pretained to your "situation", most of them did. More importantly, they had pictures!

Here's my FAVORITE !

MinnTwins-ScoutColorGuard.jpg

It's from a Minnesota Twins home game and Scout Troop 283 did the "Honors". Four out of the five color "guards" are saluting (majority rules?).

Then there's the one of the SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education provided the color guard for the July 19, 2008, minor league baseball game between the host Bowie (Md.) Baysox and the Reading (Pa.) Phillies.

PaulHallCenter-MaritimeTraining&Education-ColorGuard.jpg

And I'd be remiss if I didn't include one from the U.S. NAVY !

This is the Color Guard from guided-missile frigate USS Rentz (FFG 46) as they presented the colors during the national anthem at the beginning of a Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves baseball game at Dodgers Stadium. The USS Rentz was visiting Los Angeles in support of Navy Days LA in July, 2007.

USSRentz-ColorGuard-Dodgers.jpg

[ NOTE : The sailors acting as the color "guards" for the color "bearers" are carrying rifles. They are holding them in the "Present Arms" position which is the equivalent of saluting. ]

I don't suppose the Boy Scout Handbook can give you any guidance on this ?

Anyway, it was fun trying to find some information to help you out, I enjoyed finding the photos !!!

Please let us know if there is anything "Flag-related" that we can help you with!

Thank you for bringing your question to our forums !!!

Robin "Just An OLD Tenderfoot" Hickman

[scouter]

mahalo robin and a.f.f.! i really appreciate you taking the time to do the search. you gave me the answer i needed. that photo of the webelos cub scouts sure brought back memories of my "boys" a few years back. thanks for your help.

scouter

[Robin Hickman]

Howdy, Scouter !

You are more than welcome !

As I wrote earlier, I am NOT familiar with the "formal" protocol in such situations. I do, however, remember a few times when I was involved in similar situations, and as near as I can recall, the "guards" saluted.

I was looking for some "written" guidelines or instructions, but when those photos started showing up, it suddenly came to me that those three pictures should be worth about 3,000 words at the going exchange rate.

Glad we could be of help !

If you need any further assistance with any Flag related questions or concerns, just come on back and let us know !!!

Fair Winds & Following Seas,

Robin Hickman

PS. Pardon my ignorance, but what does, "A.F.F." stand for ???