A flag ceremony can be used as an opening, a closing, or as part of a larger ceremony or program. You should include the Pledge of Allegiance, reciting the Girl Scout Promise and/or Law, patriotic song(s) and/or readings whenever the flag is posted (or flying). Girl Scouts usually assemble in a horseshoe formation. The Color Guard is the group of girls who carry out the ceremony. It is made up of:
- Girl Scout-in-Charge – stands at the head of the horseshoe or front of the room and gives the commands
- Color Bearer(s) – carries the flag(s)
- Color Guards – protect the flag(s) - two or more girls walking in pairs behind the Color Bearer(s) or walking directly to each side of the Color Bearer(s)
The Color Bearer(s) may wear a red sash over the right shoulder, tied in a square knot at the left side of the waist. Color Guards may wear red sashes around the waist, tied in a square knot on the left side.
The members of the troop/group or assembly stand quietly at attention with nothing in their hands.
Raising Flag/Bringing the Flag into the Assembly
Commands:
- "Girl Scouts, attention! The flag of our country. Please stand. ”
- "Color Guard, advance." The Color Guard comes forward with the flag to the open end of the horseshoe or front of the room and halts.
- "Color Guard, post the colors." The Color Bearer(s) steps forward, places the flag(s) in the stand and steps back into position. If there is more than one flag, the American flag is the last to be put into its stand. (In an outdoor ceremony, the flag is raised "briskly" and girls/audience place right hand on heart when the flag is attached to the first clip and as flag is raised to top of the pole.)
- "Color Guard, honor the colors." The Color Guard and Color Bearer(s) salute briefly with the civilian salute of putting right hand over heart then dropping hand back down.
- "Girl Scouts, the flag of your country. Pledge allegiance." Girl Scout-in-Charge leads the assembly in saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Color Guard and Color Bearer(s) neither salute at this time nor speak.
- (optional) "We will now sing "America" (or other patriotic song.) Girl Scout-in-Charge leads assembly in the song.
- (optional) "We will now say the Girl Scout Promise (and Law if girls decide)." Girl Scout-in-Charge leads the assembly in the Promise (and Law) using the Girl Scout salute.
- "Color Guard, open rank." When the Color Guard is standing directly behind the Color Bearer(s) in pairs, they turn to face their partner and take one step back at this command. If they are to each side of the Color Bearer(s), this command is not given.
- “Color Guard, dismissed." The Color Bearer(s) turn and walk down the path the Color Guard has created; the Color Guards then turn and follow the Color Bearer(s) out of the horseshoe or to the back of the room. If the Color Guard is to each side of the Color Bearer(s), on this command, together they wheel to the right and walk from the horseshoe or front of the room side-by-side.
- "Girl Scouts, dismissed."
Note: If girls do not wish to post the colors, omit "post" and "salute" commands. Use "open rank" followed by "Color Guard, retire the colors" in place of "dismissed." Flag is then carried out to be folded and put away.
Note: Check “Standards of Respect” section for flag etiquette if there is more than one flag.
Lowering the Flag/Taking the Flag from the Assembly
Commands:
- "Girl Scouts, attention!" All in the assembly stand.
- "Color Guard, advance." The Color Guard and Color Bearer(s) come forward to where the flag(s) are placed and halts.
- "Girl Scouts, the flag of your country. Pledge allegiance." Girl Scout-in-Charge leads the Pledge of Allegiance. Color Guard and Color Bearer(s) neither salute nor speak. Others in the assembly use the civilian salute (right hand over heart) as the pledge is recited.
- (optional) "We will now sing "America" (or other patriotic song). Girl Scout-in-Charge leads assembly in song.
- (optional) "We will now say the Girl Scout Promise (Law)." Girl Scout-in-Charge gives the Girl Scout salute and leads the assembly in the Promise.
- "Color Guard, honor the colors." The Color Guard and Color Bearer(s) salute briefly (civilian salute, right hand over heart, back to side).
- "Color Guard, retire the colors."
When flag is on a flagpole: The Color Bearer(s) slowly lowers the flag on the flag pole without stopping until the bottom corner of the flag can be held. The Color Guards step forward to catch the rest of the flag and to prevent it from touching the ground. (Color Guard then folds the flag following the directions below.)
When flag(s) are in flag stand(s) in an assembly room: The Color Bearer(s) remove the flag(s) from the stands and wait for the next command. If more than the American flag is used, the American flag is the first flag to be removed from the stands. - "Color Guard, open rank." When the Color Guard is standing directly behind the Color Bearer(s) in pairs, they turn to face their partner and take one step back at this command. If they are to the sides of the Color Bearer(s), this command is not given.
- "Color Guard, dismissed." The Color Bearer(s) turns and walks between the Color Guard; the Color Guard turns and follows the Color Bearer(s) out of the horseshoe or to the back of the room. If the Color Guard is to each side of the bearer, on this command, together they wheel to the right and walk from the horseshoe or front of the room side-by-side.
- "Girl Scouts, dismissed." All in the assembly may leave.
The Pledge of Allegiance
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands—one Nation, under God, indivisible—with liberty and justice for all.
Standards of Respect
The display of our American Flag is governed by law to ensure that it will be treated with the respect due the flag of a great nation. Public Law 829, enacted by the 77th Congress on June 14, 1923, sets forth rules for the display and care of the Stars and Stripes, and prescribes penalties for violations. Some of the rules most useful for Girl Scouts are:
- The American Flag should be placed in the center, and higher, when displayed with a group of state, local, or organizational flags flown from staffs. It may also be positioned to the right of other flags (if you were to hold the flag while facing your audience, your right side would be the flag's own right).
- When flown from a staff on a speaker's platform, the flag should be placed on the speaker's right. If placed elsewhere than on the platform, it should be to the right of the audience as they face the platform.
- The flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered slowly with dignity.
- The flag should never be allowed to touch anything beneath it, nor should it ever be carried flat or horizontally—always aloft and free.
- Never use the flag as a cover or place anything on top of it.
- No disrespect of any kind should be shown to the flag of the United States. It should be kept clean.
- When carried in a procession, the flag should be to the right of the marchers. When other flags are carried, the flag of the United States may be centered in front of the others or carried to their right. When the flag passes in a procession, or when it is hoisted or lowered, all should face the flag and salute.
- When you display the flag on a wall or in a window where people see it from the street, it should be displayed flat with the blue part at the top and on the flag's own right (which is the observer's left).
- When displaying the flag against a wall, vertically or horizontally, the flag's union (stars) should be at the top, to the flag's own right, and to the observer's left.
- Ordinarily it should be displayed only between sunrise and sunset. When displayed after dark, the flag should be illuminated.
Folding the American Flag
Special care should be taken that no part of the flag touches the ground. The Flag is then carefully folded into the shape of a tri-cornered hat, emblematic of the hats worn by colonial soldiers during the war for Independence. In the folding, the red and white stripes are finally wrapped into the blue, as the light of day vanishes into the darkness of night. This custom of special folding is reserved for the United States Flag alone.
To properly fold the Flag, begin by holding it waist-high with another person so that its surface is parallel to the ground.
Fold the lower half of the stripe section lengthwise over the field of stars, holding the bottom and top edges securely.
Fold the flag again lengthwise with the blue field 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 a second triangle.
The triangular folding is continued until the entire length of the flag is folded in this manner.
When the flag is completely folded, only a triangular blue field of stars should be visible.
