And depending on your installation, you may be expected to act when "Retreat" plays at the end of the day. When receiving an invitation, you'll see the details of an event and whether an RSVP is requested. Please respond. There's nothing more frustrating than trying to guess how many people are attending.
Consult the invitation for information on the dress code, and if you have questions, ask the host. A good rule of thumb is to match your service member's formalness.
If they are wearing their daily uniform, you can go business casual. If it's their uniform, dress it up a bit more. Don't bring your children or other guests if they weren't included in the invitation. And always arrive on time. While not quite as antiquated as the rest of the world may think, military formal dinners -- often called Dining Outs -- can be a lot of fun.
But you'll want a quick refresher on the protocol. Most of the time, you'll need to wait for the dining room to be opened officially. You may sneak in and put your purse down, but don't sit down immediately. Work your way in when using the silverware and, when in doubt, let someone else grab a water glass first so you know which one is yours.
And please, no matter how boring you find the speaker to be, don't go to the bar during the speech. In fact, they close those down most of the time during the speeches to prevent this. Receiving lines can be a lot of fun and give your service member a chance to introduce you to the hosts of the event. This is not the time for long conversations, though; you're just passing through. Your hands should be empty, so don't take any drinks with you or appetizer plates.
Your service member will hand a calling card with your names on it or present you to the first person in line, who will pass your name to the next one. The first person in line is not part of the receiving line, so don't shake their hand.
Sometimes you will receive an invitation for an informal get-together. These are often the events because you can relax and really get to know someone. While not required, a gift for the host is encouraged, but keep it small and practical.
Ideas could be a tea towel, a bottle of wine, cocktail napkins or even a box of stationery. And yes, a thank-you note is appropriate and appreciated after attending an event at someone's home.
Handwritten and popped in the mail is the best, but if not practical or you don't have the address, it's OK to send an email. The bottom line on military events and protocol is to be respectful of tradition and the people around you. Ask if you have questions, but above all, have a good time.
Post Nominals on Invitations. Addressing the Invitation and the Envelope. To a defence member and his wife Brigadier B. Mummery is an Officer of the Order of Australia :.
To a Defence Member and his friend:. To a civilian and his wife:. All ranks are written in full. Brigadier and Mrs A. Mummery: b. Captain B. Reading and Miss D. Wilson: c. Warrant Officer Class One T. Austen: d. Mr and Mrs R. Orr: Invitations to the Governor-General 4. Table 4—2: Example of an Acceptance to an Invitation.
Table 4—3: Example of a non-acceptance to an invitation. Responsibilities for Invitations 4. Thank you Letters 4. The reply should be handwritten and, if possible, sent off on the day following the occasion. Introduction 5. However, if a member is unable to attend, the Invitations Officer is to be advised personally of the circumstances by telephone on 02 This is the time guests are both admitted and welcomed into the House.
This is the time for guests to depart. It is expected that all guests depart at this time. Invitations to Royal or Vice-Regal Personages. Personal Standard 5. There are two different size flags and the size required will depend on the size of the flag pole it will be flying from. The sizes available are:. The flags vary in design, from state-to-state see chapter 22 of the Ceremonial Manual However, there are times when it would be appropriate for Service personnel to use other post-nominals eg civil academic post-nominals and these are covered at paragraph 6.
It may be necessary, for a particular reason, to mention a person's postnominals but, having mentioned them once they would not be used again when the name appears. Intro ductions. Academic postnominals eg BA or PhD may also be used on appropriate occasions such as academic conferences. Corps Abbreviations. Honorary aide-de-camp. Once the officer ceases to hold the appointment the postnominal is no longer used. Royal Australian Navy Postnominals.
Hornblower, RAN Jones-Smith invite Captain and Mrs C. Williams Retd. The Australian Army still deals with a number of personages who hold Imperial and Australian titles; below is an abbreviated list of these titles in order of precedence and their corresponding postnominals:. KG Knight of the Order of the Garter; b. KT Knight of the Order of the Thistle; c. Knight Bachelor 1. Any other postnominals held are shown. Good quality stationery should be used, preferably plain A4 size writing paper folded to A5 size.
The detailed form of each will vary and depend on the person being addressed. The style used in private letters is a matter for the individual to decide but, as a rule, such letters should not be typed.
The style used in a demi-official letter should be friendly but, not familiar, particularly with persons senior to, or not well known by, the writer.
Ensure that the details are correct, since it is discourteous to use incorrect initials or spelling, or to omit a postnominal. They are peculiar to Commonwealth Armies and lack exact counterparts in other armies.
There is no record of officers dining together on a regular basis, with a common shared bill of fare, prior to The mess is the place in which all members may meet on a more-or-less equal social footing. Although the mess is the home of the officers, and the warrant officers and senior noncommissioned officers, of a corps, regiment, or a unit, it is also very much the home of the living-in members. The conduct of members follows a pattern based on traditional customs and procedures.
These rules are not unnecessarily restrictive but, they ensure the smooth operation of the mess for the benefit of all the members and their guests. It is the individual responsibility of each member to be familiar with these local rules immediately on entering a mess. Mess Staff. All mess staff are to be addressed by their rank or title.
Civilian or contractor's employees are to be referred to as Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms The staff are not to be employed on personal errands. Entry to the Mess. Hosts are responsible for their guests, including their conduct, and is to ensure that the guests are familiar with the mess customs and procedures. Local mess rules, based on Army Standing Orders for Dress, are to stipulate the standard of dress that is acceptable.
Members are responsible, at all times, for the standard of dress of their guests. Compliments, Courtesy and Mode of Address. Each, depending on the situation, is appropriate. As a guideline people within a mess are addressed as follows:.
Senior persons should then, upon being introduced, inform the guests of their first name. Newspapers and Magazines. It is not carried in parades. The Service Departmental Flag does not dip to anyone except the The Secretary and Chief of Staff of that service or equivalent and anyone ranked higher, including foreign nationals.
Army and Air Force. Foreign national and state flags are authorized in the color guard formation as an additional flag singular ; this additional flag will not replace the departmental. You cannot mix foreign national and state flags since the largest authorized formation is three color bearers and two guards. This extends to honor guard units. AR , 4 f. Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard. MCO P You may not carry any flag other than the National Ensign and the Departmental.
The only color guard formation authorized for these three services is right rifle guard, US color bearer, departmental color bearer, and left rifle guard. When a foreign national color is authorized for a ceremony, another color guard must be formed and is subordinate to the standard color guard team shown above. Please make every attempt to have each service represented by a member of that service carrying their service departmental flag.
Hey, i am think about join the air force and i was wondering if you know how i can get into the honor color guard. Read this article. The Color Guard of four, for the Marine Corps League, stopped in the middle of the Forth of July parade and fired a volley of three rounds. Where can I find in print that this is not proper protocol? Thank you for the question. If I understand you correctly, the color guard stopped and the two rifle guards actually fired three rounds.
The color guard members went through Boot Camp, served, and now rely completely on their memories of their training instead of digging in the manual. What we do have in Chapter 7 of Appreciate the help. Sir, AR , Chapter 8, para , letter c. Second sentence: The flagstaff for all flags in a display will be the same length. Great question! First, you would need to establish a standard and decide if your team will follow military standards and use rifles, or have your guards be unarmed.
You will also need some sort of uniform — even kahkis and a polo with a baseball cap would be good. Next, you will need at least three people — American flag bearer and two guards. Once you have the people, getting the equipment is the next step. Two flags, flagstaffs, and rifles. Two color guards units want to participate in the procession through the airport when the Vets return. What is the proper use of two color guards? One will lead the procession. What do I do with the other? Thanks, Dick.
Hi Dick, One could trail behind and then both set up near the bus door for the vets to pass through — like an honor cordon. DM, with multiple color guards CG in line 6 when the colors are retired can the CG march out in front of the others guards??
You have six separate color guard formations or you have six color bearers? Whatever the number of color bearers, they can move behind or in front of the rifle guards to facilitate posting or retrieving.
As an AFJROTC Cadet performing in a Competition Color guard, the memo the hosting school sent out said we must comply with AFM standards of holding the flags with the left hand and freely swinging our right arms while the rifles are at Right and Left shoulder.
Just wondering about your thoughts and opinions on this situation, and which way is truly the right way, as everything is contradicting itself. Cadet Losey, Great questions! Dress Right is accomplished at Order, the flag is at the right. Another unit, along with the other, will not follow this ridiculous left-hand technique. The correct way to hold the staff at Carry is with the right hand at shoulder height with the forearm horizontal and left hand at the side.
If there is strong wind, the left hand is placed on the staff under and touching the right hand. Rifle guards then use MCO Download these from the Resources page here.
Great information. Thank you. I have asked someone from each branch to carry their respective flag and I would be acting as the Color Sergeant and carry the National Standard. The only information a civilian color guard has is the Flag Code. However, through my research I find that every civilian organization has always gone to the military for further guidance. Since the Army is the senior service, a majority of that guidance has come from Field Manual , Drill and Ceremonies, which is not Training Circular The next most common regulation is Marine Corps Order Both are available for download from the Resources page here.
As veterans, we are still required to follow our service standards and since your team will be full joint service, the Army standard is required and military protocol is in force. I recommend 9. I actually have used staffs that are less than half price, if you are interested.
We are having trouble finding a coast guard representative to carry the CG flag for our event coming up. Who would be able to carry that flag in the absence of a coastie? Could a veteran of another branch carry it? For a US Army JROTC Color guard team, is the Color bearer allowed to grab the flag itself when marching outdoors in order to prevent the flag from hitting either themselves or their team members in the face?
That eliminates the problem. The material cannot be held to the staff. Good morning drillmaster. Two military color guards go to present arms during the Pledge of Allegiance or do they stay at right shoulder arms? Sorry about that, the question is do military Colorguards go to present arms during the Pledge of Allegiance or do they stay at right shoulder arms?
The guards go to Present Arms, but departmental and organizational flags do not dip. These flags only dip in certain situations, one of them being for the Star Spangled Banner.
Army Regulation and Marine Corps Order The MCO covers only one type of colors presentation and posting which does not call for any facing movements. However, color guards come across multiple situations for presenting and good judgment is called for. Facing right from line formation and facing left from column formation are acceptable. The national bearer must be at the right in line and at the front in column, no exceptions.
Band, most as a drum major on the street. I was also the drum major in the recent Maine Bicentennial Band. This unit half-stepped the entire length of the parade route, out of step with our drum cadence. It was a very hot day and this slow pace really impacted the music.
I never saw this type of cadence in all my years on the street; if anything, we often tried to keep up with the color guard. Can you tell me if things have changed for these marching units in the military?
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