Cub Scout Basic 2 Flag Opening Ceremony

Please remember these points of U.S. Flag etiquette:

• The American flag is always displayed to its own right.

• When posting flags in stands: the American flag is always the last one posted during an opening ceremony (to the speaker’s right) and the first flag lifted during a closing ceremony.

• The American flag should not be carried flat or horizontally, should not touch anything below it, should not have anything placed on or above it, should not be used to cover anything, and should be kept clean.

• Try not to let the FLAGS TOUCH THE GROUND & THEY ARE NOT PLAYED WITH!!!

• Color guard: Hands are at sides, not in pockets. No talking, gum chewing, or goofing off. Scouts may keep on any official BSA headwear.

• If a Scout is holding any flag, he does not salute or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If the American flag is not posted until after the Pledge of Allegiance, none of the flag bearers/color guard recites the Pledge of Allegiance (the Commander does). Flag bearers/color guard (not the Commander) salute the flag together after the American flag is posted.

Now to begin…

• The Scouts need to be in 2 single file lines, one arm’s length behind the Scout in front, and shoulder to shoulder with the Scout next to them.

• Scouts begin with their left foot.

• The 1st Scout on the right, as he faces forward, carries the American flag.

• The 1st Scouts on the left carries the pack flag.

• When walking forward, the American flag is carried 1 pace ahead of the pack flag.

• The Commander stands facing audience and the color guard stands at the rear of the room facing the Commander.

“2 flag opening ceremony: American flag and pack flag”

1. Commander: “Color guard, attention!”

Flag Bearers lift flag poles up. Color guard prepares to walk forward.

U.S. Flag is on the right side and 1 pace ahead of the pack flag.

2. Commander: “Audience, please rise!”

Wait a moment for everyone to stand and be quiet.

3. Commander: “Scout salute!” All others, please prepare

yourself for the Pledge of Allegiance”.

4. Commander: “Color guard, advance!”

Scouts walk forward in two single file lines. American flag remains on the right. All

scouts keep pace w/1 another except the American flag bearer and guard…they are 1

pace ahead of the state flag.

5. Commander: “Color guard, halt!”

All flag bearers stop before the flag stands, evenly lined up, guards behind.

6. Commander: “Please cross the colors”

The scout/guards with the American flag cross to the left stand, turn and face the

audience while the scout/guard with the pack flag cross (walking between the American

flag bearers and the commander) to the right stand and stop in front of/facing the stand.

7. Commander: “Color guard, post the flag of Pack ###:

The pack flag bearer and their color guard post the pack flag, then turn and face the

American flag, standing shoulder to shoulder and they do not salute yet or recite the

Pledge of Allegiance.

8. Commander: “Color guard, prepare to present the colors.”

The American flag color guard moves into position to snap open the flag.

9. Commander: “Color Guard, present the colors.”

10. Commander: “Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance”

Commander says loud and clearly “I pledge allegiance…”

Color Guard remains quiet and facing the American flag, and does not salute yet or

recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Whatever ceremony you attempt, these guidelines will help make it go smoothly:

• • Who will carry the flag?

  • Who will be the color guards and what formation will they make?

  • Who will give the directions for the ceremony?

  • What song will be sung? Who will start the song?

  • Who will say or read any extra parts?

  • After the Pledge of Allegiance, will the Scout Law, Scout Oath, and/or Outdoor Code be recited?

  • In what order will the parts of the ceremony take place?

  • When will the group practice?

  • Where will the flags be placed at the end of the ceremony?

Remember these points of U.S. Flag etiquette:

• The U.S. Flag is always displayed to the far right of other flags, or in the center and higher than all others.

• The U.S. Flag is displayed in a stand to the speaker's right as he faces the audience in an auditorium.

• The U.S. Flag is raised briskly and lowered slowly.

• When posting flags in stands, the U.S. Flag is always the last one posted and the first one lifted.

• When raising flags on flag poles, the U.S. Flag s always the first one raised and the last one lowered.

• The U.S. Flag should not be carried flat or horizontally.

• The U.S. Flag should not touch anything below it, should not have anything placed on or above it, should not be used to cover anything, and should be kept clean.

• When displayed after dark, the U.S. Flag should be illuminated.

• When no longer suitable for display, a U.S. Flag should be burned in a special flag retirement ceremony.

Face the Flag

(Color guard brings in the flag. Read this poem before saying the Pledge of Allegiance.)

Face the Flag of stars and bars,

Of red and white and blue,

A flag that guarantees the rights

For folks like me and you.

Face the flag, friends, read what's written there

The history, the progress, and the heritage we share

Our flag reflects the past, friends, but stands for so much more

And in this age of challenge, it still flies in the fore.

It leads the forward movement shared by all mankind

To learn, to love, to live with peace in mind

To learn the mysteries of space, as well as those of earth

To love each person for what they are, regardless of their birth.

To live without the fear of reprisal for belief

To ease the tensions of the world that cries out for relief.

Face the Flag of stars and bars,

Of red and white and blue,

A flag that guarantees the rights

For folks like me and you

Face the flag, friends, take a good long look

What you're seeing now can't be found in any history book

It's the present and the future so it's being written now

And you're the one to write it, but the flag can show you how.

Do you know what it stands for? What it's makers meant?

To think, to speak, the privilege of dissent

To think our leaders might be wrong, to stand and tell them so

These are things that other folks under other flags will never know.

But, responsibility, that's the cross that free men must bear

And if you don't accept that, the freedom isn't there.

Face the Flag of stars and bars,

Of red and white and blue,

A flag that guarantees the rights

For folks like me and you.

Face the flag, friends, and face reality

Our strengths and our freedoms are based in unity

The flag is but a symbol, friends, of the world's greatest nation

And as long as it keeps flying, there's cause for celebration.

So do what you've got to do, but always keep in mind

A lot of other people believe in peace, but there are the other kind

If we want to keep these freedoms, we may have to fight again

God forbid, but if we do, let's always fight to win.

For the fate of a loser is futile and it's bare

No love, no peace, just misery and despair.

Face the flag, friends, and thank God it's still there.

Remember Me?

Some people call me Old Glory, others call me the Star Spangled Banner, but what ever they call me I am your Flag, the Flag of the United States of America. Something has been bothering me, so I thought I might talk it over with you, because it is about you and me.

I remember some time ago people lined on both sides of the street to watch the parade and naturally, I was leading every parade, proudly waving in the breeze. When your daddy saw me coming he immediately removed his hat and placed it against his left shoulder so that his hand was directly over his heart. Remember?

And you, I remember you, standing there straight as a soldier. You didn't have a hat, but you were giving the right salute. Remember little sister? Not to be outdone, she was saluting the same as you with her right hand over her heart. Remember?

What happened? I am still the same old flag. Oh, I have a few more stars since the old days. A lot more blood has been shed since those parades of long ago.

But now I don't feel as proud as I used to. When I come down your street, you just stand there with your hands in your pockets and I may get a small glance and then you look away. Then I see the children running around and shouting, they didn't seem to know who I am. I saw one man take his hat off, then looked around. He didn't see anybody else with their hats off so he quickly put his hat back on.

Is it a sin to be patriotic anymore? Have you forgotten what I stand for and where I've been? Anzio, Guadalcanal, Korea, Viet Nam, Okinawa. Take a look at the memorial honor rolls sometime of those who

never came back to keep this Republic Free. One Nation Under God. When you salute me, you are actually saluting them.

Well, it wont be long until I'll be coming down your street again. So, when you see me, stand straight, place your right hand over your heart, and I'll salute you by waving back, and I'll know that ...

YOU REMEMBER!