As The Cavaliers Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps marched onto the field, at Naperville, last Sunday, with the American flag in the very front of the formation, being carried, smartly, by a corps color guardsman, should we not have stood up, headgear off, to honor the flag of the United States of America?

Of course, Bill! But, in the new America, this doesn't count for squat. Now, we WEAR the flag on shirts and pants.. hats too.

The flag is noting but a piece of cloth. Just decoration.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Among the 4,000 there, 3 stood for our flag. Hat in hand, too. God!

God bless America!!

How well I was taught this, by Mrs. (Dorothy) Teufel, at drum and bugle corps shows and parades, in 1955. I'll never forget the emphasis on standing for the colors, as each corps colors guard first presented the colors (til posted). The whole crowd would rise, as I recall. America was beautiful. Well... except for widespread racism and a few other little problems. Things are better now, tho. (tongue in cheek)

I don't think that you would stand until the flag passes in review.

Please explain what that term means. I think I know what you mean, but I'm not sure, Scott.

In this case, 4 Cavies Alums, 4 abreast, carried the American flag with 3 other flags, at the head of the corps, as they entered the field. Then, those 4 marched to the 50 yard line, off of the field, proper, and barely onto the track, and there they stood. They had come from the audience's right and never went beyond the 50. Maybe that doesn't count. Maybe standing in respect of the flag wasn't called for in this situation. No one seemed to think so, anyhow, apparently... and there were plenty of Civil War vets there... well, early corps years vets, anyhow (said lovingly). So... stand or sit? You tell me, folks.

Common protocol for showing respect to the US flag is to rise and salute when the flag passes you. The people there had that ability but chose to NOT show respect.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Correct, Dave! The right answer is contained in the flag code, which can be found at http://www.legion.org/national/americanflag/flagcode and many other web sites. Specific language that applies:

During the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the flag or when the flag is passing in a parade or in review, those present in uniform should render the military salute. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute. All other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, or if applicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Citizens of other countries should stand at attention. All such conduct toward the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes.

What did you do in the Corps? Drumline

What years were you a Corps member? 1960-1965

3 in the audience stood, as far as I know: my two grandkids and I. I explained to them why we should stand. I'm still not sure if that was a formal presentation of the colors, tho. I really believe that someone should explain, via the P.A. system, before the colors ever reach the field... explain one way or the other. I AM CERTAIN THAT THE CROWD WOULD STAND IF WE KNEW THAT THIS WAS A PRESENTATION OF COLORS AND THAT IT IS PROPER TO STAND. It was confusing to me, I know, so I stood (when in doubt, stand, is what I was taught). What about all those people at the other end of the stands? The flag never paraded in front of them; it never made it past the 50 yard line. The thing is, also, that this is different from all of the corps' shows that we are used to viewing, with zero presentation of the colors. All of a sudden, the flag is on the field. People just aren't used to that happening any more. Youngsters, generally, I think, are clueless as regards flag etiquette. There are many young poepl at these events. Well... this oldster was confused; I'll say that.

As for the P.A. system, a short explanatory "reminder" would be very nice. God knows, they use the P.A. for every other thing on earth, over and over again, too, sometimes. What do you all think? I'm not sure what to think of all this.

Obviously the crowd didn't get it and a reminder from the announcer would have been good. I think I would've said something like "Stand up! It's the flag." to my invisible friend next to me and see if motivated the crowd to honor the flag. It's hard to say, but it sounds like it was confusing, Bill. I'm still thinking that the crowd at a Cavalier show would not be anti-American, so they were probably confused.

1) Was THAT a presentation of the colors? I don't know. I'll bet next to no one knew. If it is not clear to us, in the stands, then we sit, I guess.

2) If it was, what do we, Americans, in the crowd, do? I'll bet that almost half don't know any more, in 2008.

3) Flag etiquette is all but dead. About the most ya get, from a crowd, during the national anthem, is that they stand up. That's about it! Some walk around, to and from their seats, etc., during the nat. ant.

4. Either dump flag etiquete altogether, or teach it. How about a page in the program book, at all DCI events, about it? There's plenty of other things in there; why not a blurb about flag etiquette. Every DCI event opens with the nat. ant.

When corps used the American flag in their drills, did everyone stand every time it went past them? This would have been hilarious to watch as the American squad moved around the field.

After a corps performed, they would generally "troop the stands", and then everyone WOULD stand up (as we counted to see who had the largest horn line). And maybe people stood for the flag pres in everyone's show? I honestly don't remember that, but that's because I watched most shows from the back stands after performing myself.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

Presentation, shmeshintation ..... the flag code (and my reply) were clear and simple ....

when the flag is passing in a parade or in review, stand and salute.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Actually, if you are in the service, and in uniform at the time, you salute. The rest of us, place the right hand over the heart... hat in right hand is fine, too.

Bill, placing your hand over the heart and standing at attention IS a salute.

You Stand!

It makes me sick at parades when these lazy, good for nothings sit on there tails and take liberty for granted.

If every other unit walks with a flag you stand.

Ok now that I have that off my chest.

What did you do in the Corps? horn

What years were you a Corps member? 82-84

At a parade it is easy to distinguish... the flag approaches = stand up. The flag is now gone = sit down.

At Naperville, in the football stadium, the flag entered the field and then that foursome marched to take up their eventual positions, for the corps' performance. At what point, if any, does the crowd stand, in this case? At what point does the crowd sit down? The flag is staying there, at the side of the field, throughout the corps' entire performance.

Then, when the performance is over, the flag is marched off the field. More questions? I don't know any of the answers... still.

Bill

What I mean is, When the corps has finished there show and the corps troops the stands, then you would stand for the flag as it passes.
When we were setting up on the starting line or the flag is passing from side 1 to side 2 you wouldn't stand because the flag was just going across the field.
As for the flag presenation (the 2nd number) I don't know for sure what the etiquette for that was other then, if done properly a stand "o" would be happening anyway.