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HG: Honor Guard; FB: Flag Bearer
1. Recruit
four volunteers: one FB and three for the HG.
2.
Assemble HG and FB in the back of the room. FB is in
front, followed by two HG side-by-side behind her, and
then the final HG behind them.
Ask the rest of the troop to form a horseshoe
in the front of the room.
3. Explain to troop that flag ceremonies are usually
silent, but that you will be guiding color guard
through the ceremony, so everyone has the benefit of
the learning situation.
CALLER
(you or your designee):
“HORSESHOE ATTENTION”
(or “ALL RISE” if they are seated.)
“COLOR
GUARD, ATTENTION” (Caller looks to see if everyone
is in place.)
“COLOR
GUARD, ADVANCE”
(Color Guard moves to front of room and stops, facing
front.)
“COLOR
GUARD, PRESENT COLORS”
FB
turns and hands folded flag to HG member on her right
(HG1), then steps back to center stage. (In a flag
ceremony involving an outdoor flagpole, FB would untie
the rope and lower the clips.) HG together unfolds
flag, keeping canton (field of stars) in the upper
left position (as viewed by the audience), and flag
parallel to floor.
When flag is unfolded, HG, holding the corner with canton, passes the corner to FB and steps to her right, turning and facing the audience. HG opposite canton (HG2) takes upper right corner of flag from HG closest to audience (HG3), who now moves to left of HG2 to whom she handed the flag. Flag should be perpendicular to the ground facing the audience, with canton in upper left corner (from the audience’s view).
“PLEASE
JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE”
The color guard remains at attention and does not
speak while the audience recites the Pledge, led by
Caller.
“PLEASE JOIN TOGETHER IN THE GIRL SCOUT PROMISE”: Color guard does not speak while the audience recites the Promise, led by the Caller.
“COLOR
GUARD, RETIRE THE COLORS”
The
flag is lowered to a position
parallel to the floor, keeping the canton to the
audience’s left. To do this, the FB hands her corner
to HG1on her right, and steps back away from the flag.
HG2 hands her corner to HG3 to her left.
HG3 turns and walks the end of the flag toward the audience. HG2 picks up the remaining
lower corner to bring the flag parallel to the
ground. The flag should now be in the position it was
in when it was originally unfolded by the HG.
Flag folding begins with two of the HG folding and the third in the middle, supporting the flag. Start by folding the lower half of the stripe section lengthwise over the canton. Fold the flag again lengthwise with the canton on the outside. Make a triangular fold by bringing the striped corner of the folded edge to meet the open (top) edge of the flag. Turn the outer (end) point inward, parallel to the open edge, to form the next triangle, and so on. When the flag is completely folded, only a triangle of blue should be visible.
When
the flag is folded, it is passed to the FB and the HG
falls into their original formation, facing away from
the audience.
“COLOR
GUARD RETREAT”
The FB turns to the audience and HG1 and HG2, who are
side by side, step apart and HG3 steps aside, so the
FB can pass through the HG. HG follows in formation as
the flag passes. As they reach the back of the room,
they turn and reform, facing front.
“COLOR
GUARD DISMISSED”
“HORSEHOE DISMISSED” (or “BE SEATED”)
