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Pack 42 Flag Ceremony
This is a description of the way Pack 42 has adapted the standard
scouting flag ceremony to our meeting room at the GUM Church. The
Color Guard Commander must be well-rehearsed in order to control the process
with the correct timing.
The American Flag is always flown on its own
right -- that is, if it were a person it would march on the right front
corner of the formation in which it is marching. If that "person" were
standing against a wall looking out across a room, other flags would be to
that "person's" left.
So, when we march north across our meeting room, the
American Flag is on the right side of our formation, but it must cross the
pack flag before the two are placed at the head of the room as if the flags
were looking south across our meeting room. This is shown in the
diagram below. The red symbols are waypoints along the route of the American Flag
and the blue symbols are for the Pack 42 Flag. The green represents
the chairs.
Opening Ceremony:
Cubmaster (indicated as "CM" in the diagram above) says:
(Scout's name), front
and center.
(The scout in
charge of the Color Guard (the Color Guard Commander, indicated as "CGC" in
the diagram above) leaves his seat with his den and approaches the
Cubmaster. The CGC stands in front of the podium, faces the Cubmaster
and salutes the Cubmaster. The Cubmaster, from his place behind the
podium, returns the salute.)
CM:
Prepare to present the
colors.
(The CGC turns around
to face the audience.)
CGC:
Will the audience please
rise for the presentation of the colors.
(The two flag-bearers have been holding their flags at the south end of
the room, behind the chairs. (Other members of the den are seated in
their regular chairs.) At this time, they move inside the ring of
chairs, across the room from the podium. The other members of the den
(the "escort") assemble with the flag-bearers. The CGC must wait
for them all to assemble.)
CGC:
Colorguard, advance!
(The two flag-bearers and the escort move from the diamonds to the stop
signs in the diagram above where the Pack Flag bearer and the escort halt.
(Note that the stop signs are imaginary and the stop sign locations must be
explained to the scouts in advance of the ceremony.) The American Flag
bearer does not stop. He turns at the red stop sign and moves toward
the red star where his flag pole base has been placed.)
CGC:
Cub Scout salute!
(Ideally we will be saluting only when the American Flag moves from the
red stop sign to the red star.)
CGC:
Two!
(As soon as the American Flag passes between the CGC and the Pack Flag
bearer, the Pack Flag bearer begins to move and walks from the blue stop
sign to the blue star. The escort remains at the stop signs. All
members of the colorguard are now at the positions where they will remain
until they are dismissed and return to their den chairs.)
CGC:
Prepare to post the
colors!
(The two flag-bearers
lift and hold their flagpoles so that the end of the pole is resting on the
top of the hole in the base.)
CGC:
Post the colors!
(The flagpoles are dropped into the holes of the flag pole bases.)
CGC:
Will the audience
please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Cub Scout salute!
I pledge allegiance...
Two!
Will the
audience please join me in the Cub Scout Promise.
(CGC displays the
Cub Scout Sign.)
I promise, to do my best...
(CGC drops the CubScout Sign.)
Will the audience plese join me in the Law of the Pack.
(CGC displays the
Cub Scout Sign.)
The Cub Scout follows Akela...
(CGC drops the
CubScout Sign.)
Colorguard, return to post! The audience may be seated.
(The flag-bearers (standing at the stars) and the escort (standing at
the stop signs) walk directly to the den chairs and sit. The CGC then
turns to the CM and salutes. The CM returns the salute and dismisses
the CGC who then returns to his den chair.)
Closing Ceremony:
CM:
(Scout's name), front and center.
(The scout in charge of the Color Guard (who may be different from the
Opening Ceremony, indicated as "CGC" in the diagram above) leaves his seat
with his den and approaches the Cubmaster. The CGC stands in front of
the podium, faces the Cubmaster and salutes the Cubmaster. The
Cubmaster from his place behind the podium returns the salute.)
CM:
Prepare to retire the
colors.
(The CGC turns around to face the audience.)
CGC: Will the
audience please rise for the retiring of the colors.
(The CGC waits for everyone to stand. The scouts from his den take
this cue to stand
and move to the location of the diamonds.)
CGC:
Colorguard, front and
center!
(The scouts from his
den walk from the diamonds to the stop signs. Notice that the scout
who will bear the American Flag is first on the LEFT. They all stop
and salute and hold their salute. The CGC salutes and they all drop
their salutes together.)
CGC:
Prepare to retire the
colors!
(The two flag-bearers
walk straight ahead to their respective flags without crossing. They
grasp their flagpoles but do not lift them yet.)
CGC:
Retire the colors!
Cub Scout salute!
(The two
flag-bearers lift their flags from the bases and immediately walk the length
of the room to the south end, beyond the chairs. The American Flag
should slightly lead the Pack Flag. As the two flag-bearers pass the
escort, the escort falls in behind the flag-bearers (making a U-turn -- the
scout first behind the flag-bearer walking north should be the first behind
the flag-bearer walking south) and follow. The CGC waits until the
flags pass through the chairs.)
CGC:
Two!
(The CGC turns to the CM and salutes. The CM returns the salute
and dismisses the CGC. The CGC turns and walks to the south end of the
room. The CM ends the meeting.)
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