Receiving or Dismissing the Colors by Color Company

The designated Color company receives the Colors as follows:
The Color company should receive the Colors before it forms with the battalion.

The Color company forms at attention with the commander facing to the front as the Colors near the Color company.

The Color guard, guided by the senior sergeant, approaches from the front and halts 10 steps from the company commander.

The company commander then faces about and commands Present arms, faces the Colors and salutes. He terminates his salute, faces about and commands Order, ARMS.

The specialists or privates of the Color guard execute present arms and return to right shoulder arms on the commands of the company commander (present arms and order arms).

The senior sergeant then marches the Color guard to its position within the company formation. If the company is in column formation, the Color guard forms at the rear of the company. When the company is in line or mass, the Color guard forms at the left of the company. The Color company may join the battalion before the battalion forms at the ceremony site or join with the battalion at the ceremony site. When the Color company joins the battalion, the senior Color sergeant marches the Color guard to its appropriate post in the battalion formation.

The Color guard is dismissed at the conclusion of the ceremony. This can occur in the vicinity of the ceremony site, in the Color company area, or at the battalion headquarters. At the designated area, the senior sergeant marches and halts the Color guard 10 steps in front of and facing the commander of the Color company. The actions for dismissing the Colors are the same as receiving the Colors. After being dismissed, the Color guard marches to the office, headquarters, or tent of the commanding officer.

The Colors are received and dismissed from organizations smaller than a company, such as a funeral escort, in a similar manner.

Casing and uncasing the Colors may be scheduled in conjunction with receiving and dismissing the Colors.

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