For those of Colorguard...

cullion

Active member
I've seen many colorguards perform, including the Naval Academy, Joint Colorguards, West Point colorguard, and many schools as well. And I myself am our colorguard commander, but, I've noticed many different hand positives. I suppose this is two questions..

1.) What is the proper way of holding your hand on the colors?

2.) What is the way you do it, or prefer it to be done?

(Like I've said, many schools and colorguards do it differently. I'm just wondering how some of you do it. I want something that'll look different and look neat, but not something that is wrong. Seeing as so many colorguards do it differently, and most don't get points deducted, there must be lenient ways on the matter.)
 
1) I don't think it matters, so long as it's all uniform with all your flag bearers. If one cadet has right over left, then all the flag bearers have to go right over left.

2) My color guard flag bearers usually goes right over left.
 
cullion said:
1.) What is the proper way of holding your hand on the colors?

At what position? Carry or order?

Carry by the AFMAN 36-2203 your right hand is on basically where your nose is and arm is at a 90 degree angle parallel to the ground.

Order, taco grip. Basically it

cullion said:
2.) What is the way you do it, or prefer it to be done?

Refer to Question 1

Thats for my Detachments CG
 
Interesting, Gorfour20. Some of the colorguards at competition do the 90 degree parallel thing. Ours doesn't. We use more like 75 degrees, ish. But, thanks for the help.
 
ok It's always right over left, the right hand being parallel with your eyes. The Branch/ Unit flag is always dipped to about a 45 degree angle at present arms. And when just carrying the colors, the branch/ unit flag is always dipped about 5 degrees, because it is always lower then the national ensign.
 
Sea_Cadet said:
ok It's always right over left, the right hand being parallel with your eyes. The Branch/ Unit flag is always dipped to about a 45 degree angle at present arms. And when just carrying the colors, the branch/ unit flag is always dipped about 5 degrees, because it is always lower then the national ensign.

Not really....

In Navy rules most likely, but army/air force your left hand does nothing, you're either marching (arm swing) or stationary. The branch/unit/pow/school/etc... flag is ONLY dipped at carry. Per AF Regs the flag bearer(s) not holding the US flag will bring their hand and rotate it 90 degrees. And I have never heard this "dipping" of the flag, can you state the reg on it? I know there is to be no flag raised higher then the US flag except the UN flag. All other nations are at the same level.
 
cullion said:
Interesting, Gorfour20. Some of the colorguards at competition do the 90 degree parallel thing. Ours doesn't. We use more like 75 degrees, ish. But, thanks for the help.

Usually its either 90 degrees or 45 degrees, never heard of 75...
 
Gorfour20 said:
Sea_Cadet said:
ok It's always right over left, the right hand being parallel with your eyes. The Branch/ Unit flag is always dipped to about a 45 degree angle at present arms. And when just carrying the colors, the branch/ unit flag is always dipped about 5 degrees, because it is always lower then the national ensign.

Not really....

In Navy rules most likely, but army/air force your left hand does nothing, you're either marching (arm swing) or stationary. The branch/unit/pow/school/etc... flag is ONLY dipped at carry. Per AF Regs the flag bearer(s) not holding the US flag will bring their hand and rotate it 90 degrees. And I have never heard this "dipping" of the flag, can you state the reg on it? I know there is to be no flag raised higher then the US flag except the UN flag. All other nations are at the same level.

well after being instructed by a cadet who went to Honor Guard School, I will listen to him, you a JROTC cadet, do not seem to have the experience. JK, but the left hand is usually at the base of the flag where it is in the harness.
 
Nope AFROTC "The real deal" as well as CAP in the past. I just have my major insignia on my avatar. Yea, but Honor Guard school is all well and good but thats word of mouth. I have more experiance then you can imagine here...

Per AFMAN 36-2203 Figure 7.10 "Position of the flag at carry" I don't see left hand doing anything.

carry.JPG


Oh by the way, I was trained by an Air Force MTI with experiance as well as the "Chief's own" Honor Guard. The true task of anyone is competence, listen to your peers but check the source. Go to the manuals and you will become better.
 
Depends on the branch.

Navy and Army JROTC's in our area have their right hand in a 45 degree angle down from the colors.

Air Force JROTC's here have it parallel to the ground.


That's all I know on this subject.
 
By 75 degrees, I did not mean the dipping of the flag, I meant the angle of the right hand-elbow. We don't quite bring it 90 degrees, but it's not 45. By dipping the flag, never heard of it except at Carry, I'm not sure how that could be.

When presenting any flag during the playing of the natonal anthem or at Present, every other flag besides the US flag is dipped 45 degrees. Same for eyes right.

A note on presents, many schools don't seem to know this: According to the Marine Corps Drill and Ceremonies Manual (Navy and Marine JROTC standard operating manual), on the prepatory Present from Order, the National flag is brought to Carry and the hand is cut, when finished, the command of execution, Colors, everyone else moves. Just a note. (Per List of Significant Changes to the Marine Corps Drill and Ceremonies Manual as of 2003.)
 
Hah. Doesn't matter anymores!

We won First Place New Cadet Colorguard, and our score was higher than the 1st Place Varsity, so, we probably could've won that if we entered with the same people. Bwahaha.
 
cullion said:
Interesting, Gorfour20. Some of the colorguards at competition do the 90 degree parallel thing. Ours doesn't. We use more like 75 degrees, ish. But, thanks for the help.

I think 90 degrees looks absolutely ridiculous(parallel AND perpendicular). It makes your arm stand out like a sore thumb. Did I mention that it looks absolutely ridiculous? I like a natural angle. Whatever the flagmen are comfortable with and whatever looks the same. It's just more graceful.
 
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