Ceremonies

Rendering honors

1. Military ceremony. This section is intended to provide general information with regard to rendering of honors by both military and civilian participants and attendees at military ceremonies. For this publication, participants are defined as anyone participating in a ceremony and who would normally be on the reviewing stand or located with the host of the ceremony. Attendee is defined as anyone attending a ceremony as a guest or onlooker and who is not located on the reviewing stand or with the host. Neither definition applies to units participating in a ceremony (that is, platoons, companies, batteries, troops, color guards, and so forth). For information on the actual conduct of ceremonies, see Field Manual (FM) 22–5, Drill and Ceremonies, and obtain additional guidance on parades and reviews from Commander, Military District of Washington (ATTN: ANC&SE), Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC 20319.
2. Cannon salute accompanied by musical honors.
   1. Participants. Military in uniform—render the hand salute; military and civilians in civilian attire—stand at attention, and if wearing headdress, remove it (except that women never remove their headdress).
      Note. Individuals being honored will salute as well.
   2. Attendees. Military in uniform—face the ceremonial party and render the hand salute; military and civilians in civilian attire—face the ceremonial party and stand at attention and if wearing headdress, remove it (except that women never remove a headdress).
3. During the national anthem and foreign anthems.
   1. Participants. While outdoors, military in uniform stand at attention and render the hand salute, while indoors they stand at attention. While outdoors or indoors, civilians stand at attention holding their headdress over their left shoulder with their right hand over the heart, if no headdress, they hold their right hand over their heart. While outdoors or indoors, military in civilian attire stand at attention holding their headdress over their left shoulder. If no headdress, they stand at attention.
   2. Attendees. Same as for participants
4. During passing of colors.
   1. Participants. Military in uniform—(outdoors) stand at attention and render the hand salute when the Colors come within six paces and hold the salute until the Colors are six paces beyond; (indoors) stand at attention six paces before and after the Colors. Civilians—(outdoors) stand at attention holding headdress with the right hand over the left shoulder and with the right hand over the heart (if no headdress, hold the right hand over the heart); (indoors) stand at attention.
   2. Attendees. Same as for participants.
5. During a military funeral (flag draped casket).
   1. Participants. Military in uniform—(outdoors) stand at attention and render the hand salute when the Colors come within six paces and hold the salute until the Colors are six paces beyond; (indoors) stand at attention six paces before and after the Colors. Civilians—(outdoors) stand at attention holding headdress with the right hand over the left shoulder and with the right hand over the heart (if no headdress, hold the right hand over the heart); (indoors) stand at attention
      Note. For more definitive guidance, see AR 600–25, appendix A.

Sequence of events

1. Standard sequence of events. The outlined below is a standard sequence of events followed at the greater majority of ceremonies. In some cases, a modified sequence of events is used to fit the particular ceremony at hand.
   Pre-Review Concert
   Formation of Troops
   Arrival of Reviewing Official
   March On
   Honors
   Sound Off
   Inspection
   Honors to the Nation
   (Presentation of Award, promotion, retirement)
   Remarks
   March in Review
   
   
2. Modified sequence of events. The following outlines are suggested sequences for the appropriate ceremonies. In some cases, a modified sequence of events is used to fit the particular ceremony.
   
   1. Retirement ceremony.
      Pre-ceremony concert/entertainment
      Ceremony begins
      March On
      Honors
      Sound Off
      Inspection
      Colors Advanced
      Honors to the Nation
      Presentation of Award (if applicable) then Retirement Certificate to the Retiree
      Presentation of Award (if applicable) then Certificate of Appreciation to Spouse
      Colors Posted
      Remarks by:
      Host
      Retiree
      March in Review
      Final Musical Salute
      Receiving Line
      
      
   2. Award ceremony.
      Ceremony begins
      Official Party is announced
      Remarks by Host (Award Presenter)
      Presentation of Award
      Remarks by Award Recipient
      Receiving Line
      
      
   3. Promotion ceremony.
      Ceremony begins
      Official Party is announced
      Remarks by Host
      Promotion Orders are read
      Rank Insignia is pinned on
      Remarks by Promoted Individual and presentation of flowers/gifts to spouse/family members (if applicable)
      Receiving Line
      
      
   4. Retreat ceremony.
      1. The unit is formed facing the flag five minutes (if possible) before the sounding of retreat.
      2. Four minutes before the sounding of retreat, the adjutant or other appointed officer takes his position centered on and facing the line of troops and commands, “Battalion, Attention” and then, “Parade, Rest.”
      3. The adjutant faces about and executes parade rest. On the last note of “Retreat,” the evening gun is fired. The adjutant then comes to attention, faces about, and commands, “Battalion, Attention, and Present, Arms” so that the unit is at present arms when the first note of “To the Color” or the National Anthem is sounded. The adjutant then faces about and executes present arms. The adjutant’s salute is the signal for the band to begin playing to “To the Color.”
      4. At the last note of “To the Color” or the National Anthem, the adjutant faces about, commands “Order, Arms,” and then directs “Take Charge of Your Units.”
      5. Unit commanders render the hand salute. The adjutant returns all salutes with one salute. This terminates the retreat formation.

Display of flags

Although AR 840–10, Flags, Guidons, Streamers, Tabards, and Automobile and Aircraft Plates, covers in depth the use and etiquette for flags, some common sense rules need to be emphasized.

1. When displayed in a line, flags may be set up in one of two ways: from the flag’s right to left (the most common method) or with the highest precedence flag in the center if no foreign national colors are present. When set up from right to left, the highest precedence flag always goes on the right of all other flags. In other words, as you look at the flag display from the audience, the highest precedence flag (normally the U.S. flag) is on your far left, other flags extend to your right in descending precedence. When setup with the highest precedence flag in the center, other flags are placed, in descending precedence, first to the right, then to the left, alternating back and forth (see AR 840–10, fig 2–3).
2.  Some points to remember when displaying flags:
   1. When the U.S. flag is displayed with foreign national flags, all flags will be comparable in size. The flagstaffs or flagpoles on which they are flown will be of equal height. The tops of all flags should be of equal distance from the ground (AR 840–10, para 2–4b).
   2. The Flagstaff head (finial) is the decorative ornament at the top of a flagstaff. The only finials authorized on the flag by Army organizations are the
      1. Eagle (Presidential Flagstaffs).
      2. Spearhead (the only device used with Army flags).
      3. Acorn (markers and marking pennants flagstaffs).
      4. Ball (outdoor wall mounted for advertising or recruiting) (AR 840–10, para 8–2).
   3. When displaying the Army flag, the Lexington 1775 and Kosovo Air Campaign streamers are always positioned at the center facing forward (AR 840–10, para 6).
   4. Ensure all finials are positioned in the same direction. For most Army flags, this means that the flat portion of the finial is facing forward.
   5. Ensure that general officer personal flags are hung on the staff right side up. When properly hung, the point of the star (stars) will point to the right as the flag is viewed.
   6. When displaying the flag of the Chief of Staff, Army, or Vice Chief of Staff, Army, don’t confuse the two. The Chief of Staff’s flag has one diagonal, while the flag of the Vice Chief of Staff has two diagonals.
   7. When using spreaders to display flags (spreaders are horizontal devices that allow the flag to “flair” slightly, thereby giving it a better appearance), ensure the flag is draped across the spreader from the flag’s left to right.
   8. Ensure the U.S. flag is always the same height or higher than all other flags on display. This also holds true for other national colors being used in the same display.

Seating

Seating at ceremonies has always been a cause for concern. Generally, there are two areas that must be considered: seating of the official party and seating of guests.

1. Seating the official party. Consideration must primarily begin with the reviewing officer. The reviewing officer is the key individual in the official party even though the host is in charge. Field Manual 22–5, chapter 9, clearly points out the positions of the official party and should be followed in preparation of the ceremony. 
2. Seating of guests. Normally the personal guests of the reviewing officer and distinguished guests are seated to the rear of the dais (reviewing stand) on the right side facing the line of troops. Protocol dictates that the families of both be seated first, followed by the senior ranking non-family guest.
3. Overview seating. On the left rear of the dais, VIP guest seating in the front row is normally used for overflow and to recognize the importance of the personal friends. Depending on the number of seats available, guests expected, and wishes of the reviewing officer, the personally invited guests should be as close to the reviewing party as possible.