Flag Ceremony

The color guard is made up of the flag holders, the caller and any guards who walk with the flag holders. The flag holders wear a red sash across the chest, knot at left hip and they wear white gloves. Other members of the color guard wear red sashes tied around their waist (in my troop, we just all put them across the shoulders.)

The flag holders (and their guards, if any) start in the back of the room. The flag stand is in position where the flags go.

Here's the "caller's" commands (and then what is supposed to happen):

"COLOR GUARD ATTENTION" - (flag holders get "ready" to proceed - stop playing around with the flags).

"GIRL SCOUTS - ATTENTION" - everyone stands up.

"COLOR GUARD - ADVANCE" - color guard moves up to the flag stand.

"COLOR GUARD - POST THE COLORS" - flags are put in their stands.

"COLOR GUARD - HONOR THE COLORS" - color guard pats their sides 3 times, then puts their right hands over their heart, then drops their hand.

"COLOR GUARD - RETREAT" - color guard goes to their places, chairs, whatever.

In my troop, we don't do the pledge, but we follow the flag ceremony with the GS promise and GS law. You would do the pledge after "honor the colors" and the color guard does NOT say the pledge - they are there to guard the flags. Hobby Lobby has American Flags, Texas Flags and solid color bandanas that are easy to make into troop flags.