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Presentation High School

Top Ranked CA School
Grades: 9-12
Enrollment: 550 students
Yearly Tuition: $27,250
Average class size: 22 students
Application Deadline: Dec. 15 / rolling
Source: Verified school update
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Pres is the right size for high schoolers to engage deeply in learning-to think big, collaborate, and dive into a variety of interests. Small by design, we know each student well, so we can provide access to many choices.
We show up for each other every day and encourage participation and healthy debate, creating both a variety of challenging experiences and lasting connections. Accessing all there is to offer and the best of themselves, Pres students discover what's possible.
During their time at Pres, students will shine as they develop what they uniquely bring to the world, guided by our culture of service and growth.
With a team of educators, mentors, spiritual role models, and coaches, students will grow even more into what makes them unique. One class, game, project, performance, and relationship at a time, students inspire others to follow as they shape the world around them.

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Sports shorts: Vision Volleyball camps at Presentation High School - Marin Independent Journal (2016) The 17th annual Del Mar girls field hockey camp for beginning players in grades 1-9 will be held on June 27-30 at Del Mar High School. The cost is $70 per player for the camp ...
Sports shorts: Vision Volleyball camps at Presentation High School - San Jose Mercury News (2016) The tourney, a fundraiser for the Pioneer High School Athletic Booster Club, is limited to 132 players and the entry fee is $185 per player ($165 for members of th ...

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DrillMaster University

presentation national high school uniform

All About Posting or Presenting Colors

DrillMaster January 20, 2018 Ask DrillMaster , Color Guard/Color Team , Honor Guard , Honor Guard Training 145 Comments

There is quite a bit of information and several situations that every color team needs to know to maintain the American flag in the position of honor – on the marching right or in front. The American flag never marches any other position . Never . Military and para-military (just about every organization that has its members in uniform) should follow military guidance.

Never march the American flag in the center. The position of honor is to the right- not the center . All flags are marched so that the finial (top ornament, the spade) is as close to the same height as possible. All flagstaffs must also be the same length.

Color Guard Formations

There are only two authorized formations for a color guard. Only two, Line Formation and Column Formation. Everyone who has served even a day in the military is familiar with both. We fall-in for a formation in line formation and when we are going to march somewhere, the formation is given Right Face into column formation and we can then march any necessary distance.

Notice in the graphic above that Inverted Line and Column Formations takes the American flag out of the position of honor. A color guard can never perform these two formations. Never.

What Flags do we Carry and in what Order?

Military, Civil and Citizen teams have different requirements. The colors listed are in order from the marching right (viewer’s left):

All services must always march with their service color, it may not be replaced by any other flag.
The Army is authorized to add a state, territory or foreign national color (only one) and can carry up to four flags, the rest being unit colors. Read here for more information .
The Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard are only authorized to carry the National Ensign and the service color. They may add another three-man color guard for a foreign national or US territory color only. Read here for more information .
The Air Force and Space Force are authorized to add a state, territory or foreign national color (only one) and can carry up to four flags, the rest being unit colors. Read here for more information .
Civil teams (law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS) carry the American, state, municipal, organizational and even fraternal colors. The fraternal color can be omitted when presenting for local government functions.
Tribal teams , on Tribal lands, would carry the Tribal Nation’s color, American, and state colors. Outside of Tribal lands, the American would be first and then the Tribal Nation’s color. Some Tribal teams also carry service colors.

Side note: When an Army, Air Force, or Space Force color team carries the following colors, this is the order. No exceptions.

American flag
Foreign national, state, or territory flag (in that order)
Military departmental flag
(Unit flag)

Please read The Why of the Military Color Guard series of posts.

Carrying More Than One National Flag?

Let’s say you are part of an Emerald Society Pipe and Drum Corps and Honor Guard (a first responder fraternity). Many of these teams carry not only the American flag, but also the Irish flag. Why? The first law enforcement officers and firefighters were Irish. The tradition continues. Back to our situation of two national flags: All national flags are treated the same on American soil – they are not dipped in salute. Both remain upright even during both national anthems, if they are played. All other colors dip in salute.

Joint Service Order for Military Colors

This is the only order for service flags, service emblems, etc. For more information on why this is the order, click here to read Joint Service Order of the Colors . The right/lead rifle guard is a Soldier and the left/rear guard is a Marine.

Right rifle guard, Army
Marine Corps
Space Force
Coast Guard
Left rifle guard, Marine Corps

Note: While service color position remains the same, if all service personnel are not able to be present for the team, their order should go as follows as far as knowledge is concerned: regardless of service or rank, the most knowledgeable (as far as color guard experience) member should be the US color bearer and the second most knowledgeable should be the right rifle guard. Third in this sequence should be the left rifle guard with descending familiarity following from there.

Joint Service Order for First Responders

Full disclosure: I developed this. While this is not a hard-and-fast rule, I thought it necessary to create an order of precedence based on the implementation of each service. Read this for complete first responder joint service information :

Law enforcement officer (LEO)

Using the guidance from the military, team make up might look like this:

Right/lead rifle guard: LEO armed with a rifle/shotgun, second-most experienced member
American flag: LEO, most experienced member
Other flag (State, etc.): Firefighter/EMS, can be least in experience
Left/rear guard: Firefighter/EMS armed with a ceremonial fire axe, third in experience

Keep in mind the guidance that the most experienced member should be the US color bearer, regardless of service/profession.

LEO/Fire/EMS Working Together

I encourage and enjoy joint work, but there is an issue that must be addressed: Technique.

What about Military and Civil working together?

Nothing addresses this subject specifically. However, we don’t necessarily read manuals to see what is forbidden or not authorized as that would be a never ending list, we look to the service manuals for what is authorized and we have our answer already. Military sticks with military and that’s it.

What About the Uniform?

For the military, the Class A or ceremonial uniform is it. On base, the utility uniform is an option but only if the official party is wearing it. Never wear mess dress. For more read this article .

Does Height Matter?

Experience before aesthetics , always . Not if you have the luxury of each member of the team being around the same height, but for cadet and civil teams, it should come second to knowledge and experience. Yes, the team might look “off”, but it’s best to have knowledgeable members of the team in key positions rather than have aesthetics. Click here and read this article .

Flag Stuck, etc.?

Problem during the Performance? That’s why God invented the right and left guards for the team! The guards are there to fix whatever issue they can. For more, read this article here .

Hangin’ Around

Waiting for the ceremony still requires proper protocol.

Arrive at the site at least one hour early
Practice while in your travel uniform (this ensures no one thinks the ceremony has already begun and gives the team time to figure out their movements)
Change into ceremonial/Class A uniform
Hang out* with equipment ready in-hand and all team members in their proper place (American flag at right or in front of other flags- yes, even just hanging around – cameras are everywhere)
Ten minutes prior to show time, line up at staging position at Stand at Ease (or Parade Rest) ready to perform

*An example of how NOT to stand around. This is a USAF Base Honor Guard team, I have pictures of other services, this is just an example.

base honor guard, color team, color guard, honor guard training

Sporting Events

For horse and ice rink arenas, see The Arena/Rink Colors Presentation article .

For baseball, basketball, football/soccer, see this article and this article .

Left Wheel, Right Wheel and About Wheel . These are terms that honor guards use to describe turns accomplished by the color team most often outside. Right/Left Wheels use the center of the team as the rotation point which means half the team marches forward and the other half marches backward to rotate the team 90-degrees in an average of eight steps for teams with four to six members.

This is joint service technique from the Marine Corps and ceremonial technique. The Army Wheel is just like the Marine Corps Turn with the rotation point on the guard position.

The team executes the About Wheel in the same direction as the Right Wheel rotating the team 180-degrees in 16 steps.

Posting/Presenting

While colors can be and sometimes are posted outdoors (read that link), my experience leads me to recommend that you present and not post. The wind just never plays well with other others. We, in the military try to avoid this as much as possible with the alternative being a color team that posts near the podium for the event. The members present and then stage the team for everyone to see. Sometimes this may not be a viable solution and you will have to have the event and location dictate how the color team handles the colors. See also, How to Present the Colors at an Event , What is Authorized when Presenting the Colors , and How to Plan and Coordinate a Color Guard Event . This article, How to Present the Colors at an Event , has great information.

Note: As a rule of thumb, colors enter at Right Shoulder (Carry) and depart at Port Arms. Entering at Port is fine if necessary.

Halt in front of and facing audience
Present Arms for (foreign national anthem and then) the Star Spangled Banner or Pledge of Allegiance (not both see the next paragraph)
(Color bearers move to post colors and rejoin guards)

The Announcement

“Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the presentation (and posting) of the colors.” Every time a color guard presents the colors, it’s called a presentation. At a formal event, the colors may be placed in stands, that is posting. The colors will always be presented, just not always posted.

Music to Present to

Why not both the anthem and pledge.

Having both is not necessary. The Star-Spangled Banner is a salute to the flag and we render the military hand salute, stand at attention, or place our right hand over our heart, and dip flags.

We will not find anything that specifically forbids having the Star Spangled Banner played or sung and then having the Pledge of Allegiance in the same ceremony. The military oath supersedes the Pledge from our first day of Active Duty so we in the military hardly ever recite the Pledge if at all. There are times we do recite it and that is explained in our protocol manuals. What we read in TC 3-21.5 (MCO 5060.20 and AFMAN 36-2203) and related manuals is that the only music to honor the flag is the national anthem.

If you are told that the anthem and Pledge will be part of a ceremony and have no say, a great way to facilitate that is to formally present the colors, go to Present for the anthem, (post the colors- for more formal ceremonies,) and then have the color guard depart. Once the team is off stage, the audience can be led through the Pledge.

If the point of contact insists on both the anthem and Pledge and the team remaining for both, have the team return to Carry/Right Shoulder and remain for the Pledge. After recitation, the team departs at Port (Port, ARMS; Colors, Colors Turn, HARCH).

Music Played on Entrance and Exit

A military march can be played for the color guard when entering and exiting and no other time. The usual music for military color guards is the Trio section of the National Emblem March. T his YouTube video from the US Navy Band is perfect (also below) and at the correct tempo (around 90 beats per minute is best when presenting/posting indoors). If you have a live band, you can coordinate when to cut the music off. If you play this or another recording, you can halt and let the music play out. If you can get in place before the repeat, please don’t let the whole thing play while everyone stands around waiting for the music to end.

Dipping Flags to the Pledge

US military departmental and organizational flags do not dip for the Pledge. The same goes for the JROTC organizational flag, which is dipped in salute in all military ceremonies while the national anthem of the United States, “To the Colors,” or a foreign national anthem is played, when rendering honors to the Chief of Staff or Secretary of a US military branch, his or her direct representative, or an individual of higher grade, including a foreign dignitary of equivalent or higher grade. Organizational colors are also dipped when rendering honors to organizations and individuals for which the military ceremony is being conducted.

What about other organizational (veteran groups and first responders) and state flags? Dipping state, territory, city, and county flags along with private/national organization and law enforcement, fire, and EMS department flags is appropriate.

Foreign Anthems?

Foreign national anthems are played first and the Star-Spangled Banner is played last. An example of this is a Canadian hockey or baseball teams plays an American team here in the USA. If the American team traveled to Canada, the Star-Spangled Banner would be first with Oh Canada! played last.

Other Music?

While there may be other anthems representing certain people groups, they are not afforded the same protocol as a national anthem. The public is not required to stand or place their hand over their heart. Let’s take the Black Anthem as an example.

While I am in no way suggesting disrespect should be shown to a piece of music that may have meaning to a number of people, it is not at the same level as a national anthem and is not accorded the protocol of standing and placing the right hand over the heart, a military hand salute, or even the color guard going to Present Arms with the rifle guards at the position of Present and the non-national flag dipped forward. If this other music is played, the color guard should only stand at the position of Attention if on the court/field and after that music has finished, the commander of the team gives “Present, ARMS!” and the Star-Spangled Banner is then played or sung.

The announcer can say, “Ladies and gentlemen, the Black Anthem.” After it is finished the announcer should say, “Ladies and gentlemen, please rise, (men remove your hats, and place your right hand over your heart) for the Star-Spangled Banner.” Here is where the color guard would go to Present Arms and the anthem would then begin. The Star-Spangled Banner must be last.

Standard Entrance and Departure

To Present or Post, that is the Question!

Posting the colors is for special occasions. How special? That is up to the organization. Graduations are a special time, that would call for posting the colors. Weekly events would probably warrant pre-posted colors at the least or presenting the colors only.

The Show-n-Go . This is the honor guard term for presenting the colors for an informal/semi-formal event. The colors are pre-posted on the stage/front of the room and the color team enters, formally presents (Anthem), and then departs. No posting.

This happens at all sporting events where a color guard enters the field and should be a regular occurrence for every color guard in the USA and Americans abroad. Formally presenting is reserved for formal events.

With the Show-n-Go, the colors do not matter. As long as the American flag pre-posted, the color team can present whatever they carry as their standard colors (American, State, etc.).

How to Enter

The standard entrance is to enter from the viewer’s right, present to the audience (then post) and depart. See the image above.

To enter from the viewer’s left, use Every Left On . Also, read this article . This avoids Inverted Line Formation explained above.

Flag Stand Positions

Below, is an example of different stand positions behind a podium. For more on which flags should be in which stands, read this article on The Logical Separation of Colors .

How to Exit

The standard exit is to the viewer’s left. See the standard entrance/departure image above.

To exit to the viewer’s right, use Every Left Off . The commander calls, “Step!” and the left rifle guard steps across, as close as possible to the team member on their left. Step any further away and the departure for the team looks terrible.

Asked to post another organization’s color(s)? Don’t! Read this !

Entering and Departing to Music

Music is not mandatory. If you are going to have music, it is best that it be live. If not, a recording can sound quite unprofessional. The standard entrance and exit music for presenting/posting the colors is the Trio section of the National Emblem march by Edwin Eugene Bagley. Here is the YouTube video of the USAF Heritage Band playing the march. The link begins the video at the Trio section . This tempo is about 120 SPM (steps per minute). For the colors, you want a tempo of about 90 SPM.

When to Retire/Retrieve the Colors

Retrieving the colors is reserved for the extra, extra formal occasions. Do not retire the colors for weekly or even monthly meetings. Retirement is for very formal galas or balls. Use the posting sequence in reverse.

Color bearers retrieve colors and rejoin guards
Present Arms for a few seconds ( military flags do not dip )

In a similar vein, my pastor has asked me to carry and hold the flag during a short Memorial Day remembrance during our upcoming Sunday service (I’m a veteran). He wants to play Taps, and has asked me to dip the flag while Taps is played. I’m aware the Flag Code stipulates the flag should never be dipped — would there ever be an exception to this rule for a religiously-themed Memorial remembrance such as this? Thanks

Sir, I have been scouring the Internet for the proper sequence (if there is even a proper sequence). As I remember it, while on active duty, when Posting the Colours / Retiring the Colours for a formal military event (All Academy Ball, as an example), the sequence is Invocation, Post, Retire, Benediction. Is this correct or does it even matter?

SFC Loewen,

It’s not mandatory to have a colors presentation. Colors can be preposted and no color guard present if there is no room or other circumstance.

For some situations: Colors preposted Star-Spangled Banner (played or sung) Invocation Ceremony Benediction

For most situations: One set of colors preposted and another set carried for a formal presentation (show-n-go) Star-Spangled Banner (played or sung) Departure of the color guard Invocation Ceremony Benediction

For formal situations: Colors presentation Star-Spangled Banner (played or sung) [posting of the colors] Departure of the color guard Invocation Ceremony Benediction

For very formal situations: Colors presentation Star-Spangled Banner (played or sung) Posting of the colors Departure of the color guard Invocation Ceremony Benediction Color guard retrieves colors Honors to the American flag

I hope this is helpful.

I am writing the script for a promotion ceremony. We intend to use the show-n-go method. Flags will already be posted on stage and the color guard will present the colors, National Anthem will be performed, and the color guard will exit, followed by the invocation. I am looking for the proper commands. Please advise on the below: MC: “Honor Guard, parade the Colors!”

[Honor Guard presents the Colors.] [SSG approaches and sings National Anthem.]

[Following National Anthem, SSG returns to seat]

MC: “Retire the Colors.” [Is this correct, or does the honor guard march the colors back down the isle without a command from the MC?]

[Honor Guard marches the colors to the back of the room and MSG will be preparing to come on stage to podium and provide invocation]

MC: “Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain standing for the invocation by retired Master Sergeant XX.”

The MC should say, “Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the (entrance of the official party,) presentation of the colors and remain standing for the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner by SSG X, the departure of the color guard, and the invocation.”

That’s a bit for the audience to remember, so you can cut it into pieces.

The soloist waits for the color guard commander to give Present, Arms, and then begins to sing.

When the singing monsters s finished, the color guard departs on its own, no prompt given. As soon as the team is out of site (through a doorway), then the invocation.

If hope that’s helpful for you.

Would this be correct: Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the Knights of Columbus (insert Council name/number) and the presentation of the colors and remain standing for the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner by SSG X, the departure of the color guard.

Yes, adding a personalization is fine.

Hello, forgive me if I thought wrong. I thought the our American flag would be vertically straight toward heaven and all others would be dipped forward at 30 degrees or so. I thought that was the place of honor. Thank you.

Mr. Venzke,

The position of honor is on the marching right for the a colors guard. The American flag is ALWAYS on the marching right in Line Formation and at the front in Column Formation. It is never anywhere else. The Army, Air Force, and Space Force require a “slight” angle forward for the staffs while the other services require the staffs to be vertical.

All staffs match in direction at all times except for Present Arms/Eyes Right. For that, all organizational flags dip with a full arm extension. If more than one flagstaff is dipped, those staff angles also match.

That’s the standard for the US military.

When doing a closing flag ceremony (I’m a Cub Scout Den Leader), when the flag bearers have retrieved the flags and are told to return to ranks, do they go to what is now the back of the line upon exiting or in the front of the line after the color guard has done an about face toward the back of the room. We use a two column formation. We generally have however many scouts are in a den participate as the color guard so everyone has a chance to be in the ceremony. I can find all kinds of videos online with the opening indoor ceremony, but not closing.

Ma’am,

Color guard members do not execute About Face to (To the) Rear March.

There are several ways to enter and depart with the flags that are shown above. The color guard (in your case your two flag bearers and, if you choose, two unarmed guards) usually keep to themselves not joining the rest of the membership until after the colors are secured. The bearers should go and put the colors up and then can return to the others, but retrieval of the flags is the last thing that takes place, there’s nothing accomplished after (unless it’s a formal event where there will be dancing). I’m not sure if this is helpful.

Rotaton of flag bearers through den membership is a very good idea as it promotes better understanding of responsibilities we have toward rendering honor and respect to out flag.

I am a member of a law enforcement HG. We are often short on members due to shift work, court and other requirements. We normally have four members to post colors, however is it ever acceptable to post with two and not have guards?

I just talked about this on my social media. Here’s the text from that post.

Sent in with a question: Aren’t the colors always escorted/guarded?

The answer is yes and there are exceptions. I’ll explain. For the military, yes, absolutely all the time the flag(s) will have two guards. First responders are paramilitary and should follow the same principle, but they don’t always have the manning in their honor guard team at many departments across the country. So, for representation, some teams march flags-only.

To add to that, scout programs do not carry a weapon, so if the team even has guards, they are unarmed.

Guards are not mandatory for civilian and civil teams because the Flag Code does not make that a requirement. Only the military manuals make it a requirement and that only applies to the military.

I hope that helps.

Good morning and thank you for this wonderful information. I cannot find a page that addresses who gets honors at a funeral. For example we have a Commonwealth Attorney who has recently passed. Technically he was considered “the highest law enforcement official” in the Commonwealth since they have law enforcement powers. He was retired from his position at the time of his passing… would a color guard be appropriate?

Having a law enforcement agency honor guard post a color guard for the graveside service is appropriate, if they have the time and manning.

Since he did not die while in office, there isn’t a protocol to support his funeral.

Is it ok for a civilian group…..no military affiliation nor civil, to have a flag presentation for members returning from an Honor Flight? To me it seems wrong and a plain civilian should only have the little hand waving flags. Please advise.

Mr. Resing,

While not necessarily “wrong”, I do see your point. Having said that not just anyone who wears a uniform should think it proper to pick up a flagstaff or rifle and think they are being patriotic without training and practice. It would certainly be inappropriate to have a fast-food restaurant throw four employees together in a color guard just because. That definitely seems wrong.

What standards will this civilian team follow? What training do that have? While the Flag Code sets forth the basis, the military takes standards much further. Finally, why? Why does this group of Americans find it necessary to pull out flagstaffs (and rifles) and not have one of the organizations mentioned below invited to render honors? Why not, as you have written, pick up small flags and wave them as we see many of our fellow Americans do at many parades. Americans take part in patriotic occasions all the time, I see no need for a group of civilians to try to do something others have been doing for decades as part of their job.

I would hope that color guards would be left to the military, cadets, first responders, and veteran organizations.

I am making a bulletin for a funeral at my church. The deceased is a veteran. We will have an honor guard from the Air Force base to play Taps and present a flag to the widow. What should this be called in the order of worship?

Thank you for your time,

Whether graveside or in the church, the religious service usually happens first followed by Military Honors. Military Honors consists of a firing party firing the Three Volley Salute and the sounding of Taps. For Veteran Funeral Honors, most often the military provides two service members to fold the flag and then sound Taps (in that order). You still call this Military Honors.

How would you recommend we handle a memorial service that is NOT part of a funeral? My church is hosting a memorial service for my dad but he will not be buried until much later. Is it appropriate to post colors in a situation like that? How would you handle it? Thanks very much

My condolences to you and your family on the passing of your father.

While the military, including veteran organizations, cannot render honors more than once (presentation of the flag, firing party, and Taps), the community/church membership can have the colors present for the memorial and have a nice service that centers around the stories each one can tell, a less formal occasion. Then, when the time comes to bury the deceased, the formal military honors can be performed.

That’s how I see it. I hope that is helpful for you.

The VFW and American Legion are conducting a Veteran’s Dinner. The local JROTC will post the colors at the beginning of the dinner but the colors will not be retrieved prior to the dinner ending. What is the protocol when not retrieving the colors? Does the National Anthem get played? As the Master of Ceremonies do I just announce an end to the formal portion of the dinner followed by attendees either staying to socialize or leaving the building?

The Star-Spangled Banner is only played or sung on the presentation of the colors and that is always at the beginning of a ceremony.

The colors are posted at formal occasions and retrieved only at very, very formal occasions.

At the end of the formal part of the evening, you can simply announce that and that guests are invited to socialize (and that the dance floor is open) for the rest of the night.

Good evening,

Recently my colorguard was performing at a high school football game. Do to some technical problems they couldn’t play the National anthem so they did a moment of silence. In the moment I kept my CG at present during the moment of silence. If this happens again what is the proper way to go about it?

First of all, you did an excellent job at the spur of the moment thinking. If you know there’s a technical issue at the outset, march on, guards go to Present on your command and that’s it. The departmental or organizational flag would not dip since it would only dip for the Star-Spangled Banner. I hope you are aware that military flags don’t dip every time you give the command to Present.

If a technical problem happens in the moment, just use your best judgment again.

Drillmaster,

Is there a certain requirement for the color guard on number of members for nber of flags being raised? We are a Girl scout group that dies regular flag ceremonies at annual girl scout events seasonally and we include the US flag, the state flag and the GS flag, it has come under question recently if there should be at least a certain number of girls in the color guard for that number of flags. Any information would be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you!!

There’s no requirement other than one color bearer per color. That’s it. If you want to provide guards to march at either end, you most certainly may. Civilian organizations like Scouts are not required to provide anything else.

I know this question may make someone’s eye twitch, but can veterans perform color guard duties in civilian clothes for an informal event? Over the past 15+ years, a local organization has had a very successful veteran golf outing which included a color guard to kick it off. There has always been support by either a local National Guard or Reserve unit, VFW post, or American Legion post (all in uniform). This year we have completely exhausted trying to find a group that can do it. We have veterans who are golfing who have volunteered to do the color guard, but only 1 still has a dress uniform (which doesn’t fit well). We’d still like to continue the tradition, but I don’t want anyone having heart attacks when they see 4 guys in polos and shorts posting the colors. Thanks for any insight…

No eye twitching here. What you describe sounds like the perfect solution. Four guys in polo shirts and shorts (a uniform of sorts) presenting the colors just before the golf tournament in which they will participate works.

I am organizing a parade in a small town of Arkansas. I would like to include a color guard. I’m wondering whom I could contact to arrange this. Any information you could provide would be helpful. Thank you & thank you for your service.

Ms. Pierron,

Your local police department, sheriff’s office, fire department, veteran group, and high school JROTC are all liable to have a color guard each.

RE: White Gloves

I’ve heard that white gloves are only to be worn with long sleeve uniform. I’ve also heard that they may be worn with short sleeve as well. Which is it? Both? Is there a proper white glove etiquette?

Traditionally, military members have always presented the colors in the Class A or ceremonial uniform and both only have long sleeves. This is probably where the “white gloves are only worn with long sleeves” idea comes from. There’s no rule that I’m aware of. It is best, however, to tuck the sleeve of the glove into the the hand so that the glove’s crease is at the wrist. That presents a professional image. DM

I belong to a Veterans Group and we are having our 40th. Anniversary. I need some help on placing the following flags

American Pow/Mia Org flag Agent Orange

Any assistance would be so appreciated.

Mr. Davison,

As you look at the flags (audience’s perspective), the American will be on your left, (state flag goes here, if you choose to display it,) the organization’s flag is next (at the American’s left, viewer’s right), the Agent Orange flag, and then last is the POW/MIA flag.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

I am the clerk of the school board for a school system in Virginia. Our board holds twice-monthly meetings. We have five high schools in our county, so on a rotational basis we have a high school JROTC color guard unit come in to present the colors for our Pledge of Allegiance at each board meeting.

I have no military background myself, so please forgive my ignorance about protocols. My question for you is this: How should I refer to the color guard unit’s presentation? Is it “posting” of the colors or is it “presentation” of the colors? (Or something else?)

We’re located next door to Quantico. Out of respect for our local military families, I want to be accurate in how I refer to the color guard presentation on our meeting agendas. Thanks in advance for your help.

Sir/Ma’am,

I very much appreciate you wanting to use the correct terminology. I just updated the article to include that information and I’ll provide it for you here.

All colors presentations are a Presentation. When the occasion is more formal, the colors are posted. Your meetings are not in the formal category, so your announcement would be, “Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the presentation of the colors by XYZ high school Junior ROTC.”

Again, thank you for your attention to detail!

At the beginning of our University’s Women’s Basketball game, it has been customary that an ROTC Color Guard enter the Arena, formally, and present the Colors, followed by the National Anthem. During the first game of this season, the Color Guard entered , as usual. The PA announcer directed the audience to join in the playing of the Black Anthem, which was followed by the National Anthem. The audience was standing, holding their right hands on their hearts, expecting the National Anthem. The Black Anthem is a beautiful song with inspirational lyrics, but is it expected that the audience be showing the same respect by standing as if the National Anthem was being played?

Thank you for your question. From a protocol standpoint, the public is asked to stand for national anthems. These anthems represent nations and not just people based on any other factor (language, skin color, etc.). It is respectful to stand for the anthems of friendly foreign countries at sporting events in the USA where a Canadian or Mexican team might play an American team. The foreign anthem is played first and the home anthem, our Star-Spangled Banner is this case, is played last.

I hope you find this helpful. Protocol and military standards are both very specific.

Hi DrillMaster,

First, thanks for a wonderful website and your time in effort maintaining it.

I am an adult leader and our Boy Scout Troop has been asked to provide the color guard to present the colors for the Veteran’s Day opening day ceremony of our chartered organization school. I’ve read about what you describe as a Show-n-Go, which is what they are asking for. This will take place in the school courtyard where no colors are previously posted. Our Scouts (both Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts) will be in Class-As.

Our color guard would use our American flag on our flag pole. They would enter from audience front left, walk to the center, pivot right, go up some stairs and then use Every Left On to present the colors on the right of the speaker. The Cub Scouts would lead in Pledge of Allegiance, then the school would sing the Star Spangled Banner. Finally we would exit.

I’ve only previously posted colors for our weekly Troop meetings or seen color guard posting colors at Summer Camp.

How does this sound? Anything to improve or change? What would an example script look like for something like this look like?

Thanks for your help!

Sir, Excellent plan!! I’m very impressed that you have read so much of my website and then formulated the process that fits your situation best. Well done! The script might go:

Announer: ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the presentation of the colors, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the (playing/singing of the) Star-Spangled Banner.

Colors enter and post.

Pledge and anthem. (Note, both are not necessary. The anthem takes precedence.)

Colors depart.

Announcer: please be seated.

I hope that’s helpful and that you and your Scouts have a great time.

Our Girl Scout troop is excited to participate in their school’s Veterans Day program and has the honor of being the Color Guard. This will be the girls second time and they take this very seriously. The teacher responsible for coordinating the program has requested they both raise the flag and present the Colors. My concern is there is no official “protocol” for this and we may inadvertently offend someone or disrespect the flag/Veterans in attendance in some way by doing this.

Is there a protocol for this? Or should we respectfully push back on doing both? Your guidance is greatly appreciated.

Girl Scout troop leader

Ms. DeLoach,

What a great opportunity for your girls!

There isn’t a protocol problem with having both, but it is out of the norm.

For the colors presentation, the Star-Spangled Banner is played and for the flag raising (called a Flag Detail), the anthem is also played. I suggest only the Flag Detail for this reason.

You can present the colors, have the team remain, bring the Flag Detail in, but if you don’t have enough members to do both simultaneously, the color guard can present and depart.

Please let me know if you require any information specific to the color guard or Flag Detail. I’m more than happy to assist.

I am the director of a community youth choir and we are presenting a Veteran’s Day Concert in a few weeks. I have invited a color guard to present the flags to open the program. I am planning to follow with the Star Spangled Banner. Should the flags be presented in a quiet auditorium or with music in the background? Also, once the flags are on stage should they be retired at the end of the program since this is not a formal event? I’ve read many comments but wasn’t sure. I was wondering about having taps played at the end of the program following a song which honors our veterans. The reason was to honor friends and family of our veterans who may no longer be with us. A veteran told me this should be all right. Is this appropriate (I understand Memorial Day is in memory of those we’ve lost) and should taps be played before flags are retired if at all? I am putting the program together and wanted to make sure we were following correct protocol. Thank you!

Ms. Hesinch,

What a thoughtful question. I appreciate it when my fellow Americans care about doing the right thing.

Here is my suggestion for you to begin the program: Announcer: “Ladies and gentlemen, we will begin in just a few minutes. Please silence all cell phones.” The color guard posts to their staging position and stands at Parade Rest. At the scheduled time: “Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the presentation (posting) of the colors.” This is the cue for the color guard to come to Attention, Carry Colors, and to march forward to center on the audience (on stage). Background music is not appropriate but the Trio section of National Emblem is a great military standard. You can find it here: href=”https://youtu.be/xJGATbPTy7E” title=”Trio to National Emblem” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”> the link opens a new tab in your browser. Playing this section of the march (this slowly) can be very awkward for color guard members who do not have experience. If the team has not marched to music before, I suggest silence.

When the team commander gives “Present Arms!” (it needs to be a loud command), that’s when the Star-Spangled banner is played. When then the music finishes, the team can depart if an American flag is already in view, or they can post the flags in stands on the stage. Once the team posts the flags, they depart and the announcer tells the audience: “Please be seated.”

The lack of formality of the event requires the flags to not be formally retired. The color guard can informally gather the flags after the event is finished. Flags are only retired at “white tie” type events and those are quite rare.

Veterans Day recognizes living veterans, we do not collectively mourn the loss of veterans who have died on this day. It is inappropriate to sound (not play) Taps for the event. The veteran who told you it would be alright is incorrect. Taps is sounded for deceased veterans at their funerals, they are recognized then. As you noted, Memorial Day is for the veterans who did not return home alive and Taps is appropriate then.

Please let me know if you have any further questions and, again, thank you for being diligent in seeking to follow protocol.

Thank you! Your response is very helpful and much appreciated!

Is it ok to present the colors in a uniform other than dress uniform? For example OCPs (Operationl Camouflage pattern)?

The color guard should be in the same uniform as the official party. On a military installation, presenting in the utility uniform can be perfectly accessible. Off base, it’s not a good choice. Class A should be the standard.

What would be the appropriate way to present an Armed Forces Color Guard and a foreign national flag at an event.

The Army, Air Force, and Space Force, according to their regulations, can include the foreign national flag in the formation.

The Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard, according to their regulations, must have a separate three-man team to carry the foreign national flag.

So, whichever standards you follow, or, if you are a mixed (veteran) group, choose to follow, you are covered.

Thank you for the response. To elaborate it is an active duty Armed Forces Color Guard (9 Person with all services). I’ve heard that with joint service teams the senior service manual is used, however I haven’t seen any clear guidance or regulations for Joint Service Color Guards.

The joint service color guard made up of the service honor guard units in and around Washington DC use the Army ceremonial techniques.

The same goes for any time two or three teams perform at the same ceremony. The senior service always leads.

From this we can take note that the senior service is the one to follow.

Hello, we are wanting to have a flag posting for the first day of school, we have two options for an outdoors ceremony: Have color guard advance with folded standard which is then presented and then hoisted, recite pledge, and then sing school song. OR; Have standard posted on outdoor pole, and then have color guard advance with U.S. flag and school flag, present the colors, say pledge, sing school song, and then dismiss flags, then carry on the rest of the ceremony. Which would be the best alternative? And perhaps the wording of the best alternative-“please stand for the presentation of the colors”, etc.

Mrs Peterson,

Thank you for your question. What great ideas!

Your first idea is for a Flag Detail (not called a color guard). The flag detail brings in the national (state, school) with one bearer per flag and two team members to work the halyard. I would stick with just raising the national on one pole if you have separate poles and then raise the others after the ceremony or, if you have one pole and two flags, that would work just as easily. The procedure would be: Announcer- “Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the advancement and raising of our national flag (nation’s colors).” Everyone stands, flag detail enters, attaches flag, commander gives “Present, ARMS”, flag is raised to the top, halyard secured, halyard bearers salute, commander gives “Order, ARMS”. Flag Detail remains at pole (can be dismissed, but adds to the timing and can seem awkward for what follows). Announcer-“Please join in the Pledge of Allegiance.” Recitation. Sing school song. Dismissal. If you are going to have the color guard, same procedure as above except for the following. Announcer- “Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the presentation of the colors.” Color guard is centered and facing the audience, commander gives “Present, ARMS”. Pledge, song. Announcer- “Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the dismissal of the colors.”

If everyone is standing and no one is seated, then the announcement could be, “Ladies and gentlemen, please direct your attention to the front (flag pole) for the…”

I hope that helps. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Our City is organizing a 9/11 event and would like our Color Guard team to perform. We are always first up to start off any event we attend. They have us scheduled for the end. What is your take on that? Thank you!

MSgt Piccolo,

Thank you for your question. I first thought you were going to say that the team would be second, maybe third, but last?

It’s quite possible that another color guard will formally present the colors for the anthem and that your team will have a special presentation (akin to retrieving the colors possibly) to close out the event.

I know that many event organizers try to include as many local organizations as possible and even rotate through these organizations for yearly events.

I do think you should contact those in charge and see what their thinking is and how your team fits in as presenting last is unusual. You want to guard against thinking that puts the honor of the flag and the team at risk.

Please let me know what happens as I am quite curious!

Dear sirs We are having a family reunion and would like to have a flag presentation of some kind. We have no scout troops and no one in uniform. What would be acceptable.

May I suggest either mount the flag on a building or post or have a pole, permanent or temporary, in the ground and raise the flag and have everyone recite the Pledge.

OK US Flag is prePosted at stage on left about fron left of table-podium with Eagle facing away from assembly. To present or is it Post the colors, they rotate the Eagle towards the assembly. And we salute during the Turning saying “PRESENT ARMS” then when done say “TWO”.

We are being told that US Flag should be PUSHED BACK away from Podium-Table to RETIRE IT?

Where is this WRITTEN as FLAG ETIQUETTE? To Move US FLAG forward to Front of Podium-Table at beginning of a Meeting and then Push it Back to RETIRE it? This has caused some negative comments as to what is the right way to PRESENT prePosted US Flag and then to RETIRE a PrePosted US FLAG???? I trust my questions about situation makes sense as to how to CORRECTLY prsent and retire a prePOSTED US FLAG. Thanks.

Neither rotating nor pushing a posted flag back and forth has anything to do with flag etiquette. Whoever thought this up did just that- thought it up. It has no basis in reality as far as protocol is concerned.

Posting a flag means to bring it before an audience, present it with the Star-Spangled Banner, post it and have the individual depart. The Pledge can be a substitute, but is usually for civilian audiences. Military audiences use the national anthem since our oath covers us for life.

To retire the colors means the opposite: to retrieve the flag, salute it, and have the flag leave the presence of the audience.

The commands for rendering a salute are: “Present, ARMS!” and then “Order, ARMS!” that is the Army, Air Force, and Space Force technique. “Hand, SALUTE!” followed by “Ready, TWO!” are the commands that the Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard use. You are mixing the two and using an incomplete command.

Having a preposted flag is just fine. It should not be rotated, pushed forward, or pushed backward. As long as the flag has a prominent place during your meetings, you are following protocol. Any other time, the flag can be less prominent- pushed back to the rear of the stage.

I hope this helps. DM

Hello, Recently I was at a High School Graduation and the U.S. Flag was present on stage along with the state flag. Before the graduation started the color guard marched in with the U.S. Flag and state. The National Anthem was played and the color guard marched out with the U.S. Flag and state. Is this proper, to have two U.S. Fags present?

This is a great question, thank you for it.

I have recently found out that some believe having two American flags at the same ceremony is somehow inappropriate. I don’t know where this idea comes from but it’s not true.

What you saw is called a show-n-go in the ceremonial drill world and is perfectly acceptable. It’s performed when posting the colors would be too formal and a school graduation is not a formal enough occasion.

I hope this answers your question satisfactorily.

We may have an event where one set of flags (American flag and two organizational flags) will be pre-posted and one will be posted by the color guard. I am directing the color guard, but I am *very* low pay-grade, and this is a national organization. Our Administrator will be there. I am urging a show-and-go, but I’m not optimistic. If we *must* post the colors, where should the pre-posted colors be, and where should we post? I’m thinking pre-posted on their own left and posting on their own right. There will be a stage. Would it be better to have the pre-posted flags on the stage? If so, do we post to the left or would splitting be better (American on its right on one side of the stage; organizational flags on the other side)?

I feel your pain here. If you are unable to show-no-go (so glad you are aware of that!), I think your split post idea on the stage sounds like your best option. As I picture it in my mind, the split would have less of an impact on everyone noticing that org flag(s) will already be there. It’s bad protocol to not post all flags, but you have to work within your parameters.

Does the Color Guard dip the Service Flag when taps are being played?

Mr. Koehmlein,

Yes. Taps requires a salute when played at a funeral.

If you are posting colors at an organizational event but the aisle is not very wide, would it be appropriate to line up single file, American Flag in the front and Organization banners bringing up the rear?

Yes, that is called column formation. It is most appropriate!

I FEEL LIKE A FOOL, BUT WHAT DOES THE HONOR GUARD DO AND WHAT DOES THE COLOR GUARD DO. I HAVE TO PLAN A MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY AND I DO NOT KNOW WHAT FLAGS THE COLOR GUARD CARRIES. WE HAVE CG, ARMYNG, MAARNG, AIR FORCE, 6W SPACE SQUADRON AT OUR SERVICE. WHICH FLAGS DO WE ASK TO BE PRESENT?

Hello sir, Many people get the terms honor guard and color guard confused. An honor guard is a ceremonial unit, a team of individuals. This unit breaks down into the three ceremonial elements: color guard, pallbearers, and firing party. Team members also perform a variety of other ceremonial duties: cordon, personak escort, Missing Man Table, Flag Detail, etc. The flags of each service present would be appropriate. Depending on the ceremony, you could have all six departmental flags posted on the stage (or just the American and state flags) and have the color guard bring in the flags of the services present for a presentation only and not have them posted. That would be the easiest.

JROTC in my child’s High School practices presenting colors in the morning (by the parking lot where students get dropped off) with the USA flag fully flying. Is flying the colors during practice appropriate? I’ve been out of the military for a while, but it seems disrespectful to fly the colors during practice and see cars and students casually walk by the colors without saluting it. Seems to me that practicing presenting colors should be done with just a flag pole.

I understand how you feel about this and I wholly agree your assessment. Only the Marine Corps Order (governing the Marine Corps, navy, and Coast Guard) states that practice should be accomplished with a furled and cased flag.

The issue we come across is muscle memory. Cadets practice and rehearse the exact procedures for a color guard in competition. The techniques they use require full access to the flag for the realism of practice so that nothing is a surprise when they step onto the competition deck. TO that end, it’s my opinion that color guards should practice with two state flags or practice flags made specifically for this situation.

The last thing we want is to have the presence of the American flag to be seen as commonplace and ignored. We may be too late in that regard.

Thank you very much for your comment.

How do one person post the US Flag inside?

You would enter into the room, stand centered on and facing the audience for the Pledge or anthem, and when either (not both) is finished, turn and post the flag. It’s not ideal, but it is a situation that some are forced into.

Is it allowed for the Color Guard to prese.t the colors to any other song then the national anthem?

Just to be sure, a color guard never dips the American flag, it remains vertical or slightly angled forward, depending on the service (See “The Why of the Color Guard” series of articles for more information). A color guard carrying one or more US military service colors only dips those colors in salute to the national anthems of the US and friendly nations. These requirements are spelled out in AR 840-1, MCO 5060.2, and AFI 34-1201 and apply to all services. All state flags are dipped to the anthems as well. There is no other music where dipping flags would be appropriate.

We post the colors at our Catholic Church every Memorial Day. Usually we have two of us in Class A uniform. I will be in uniform and a Knights of Columbus in uniform. I will be in class A uniform and carrying the Flag and he will carry the church Flag. We mean no disrespect, and honor Memorial Day. There is limited space, We pray that the critics will have a soft heart , we stand for the Flag and kneel for the Fallen

Mr. Zimmerman,

I have done the same thing on past Memorial Days, it’s just been me in uniform posting the American flag. The other veterans in my congregation have at least 20 years on me and have been happy to let me do it. You work with what you have and if you have just the two of you, all that matters is the intent behind your actions. Thank you for stepping up to serve our country years ago and now honor our fallen brothers- and sisters-in-arms.

I think I know the answer but want to clarify. During the Covid thing we are dealing with, my veterans org has been asked to do a color guard for a Memorial Day service. The current policy of the organization (all vets orgs in this state at the moment) is that we do not do color guards, so that means uniforms are out. If I am reading this correctly, color guards are done in class A’s, period. Am I correct in assuming that I will be disappointing the guy putting this together? IMHO, doing it wrong is more disrespectful than not doing it. It might be a moot point due to the short notice I may not get enough people anyway but I would like to know.

I don’t understand why your organizations would not perform colors presentations. Have we in the military not stood up in times of need?

Orders from a government official are not enforceable law.

Class A or B is appropriate for colors, A being preferable.

This may be a moot question, as it pertains to a fictional situation, but I like to have my writings as accurate as possible, despite it being science fiction.

The situation is a wedding. The Bride is a RAAF Flight Lieutenant, the Groom a USSF Captain. The ceremony takes place in an ecumenical chapel on a privately-owned, UN-administered island in the South China Sea. (Ceded from a future Chinese government for the establishment of an international space launch center.)

I’d like to begin the ceremony with positing of colors, with one flag bearer and one guard from each service. Would this be proper, given the circumstances? And would this happen before or after the entry of the mother of the Bride (the traditional signal for the start of a Christian wedding ceremony)?

Please and Thank You.

Mr. Harris,

Posting the colors before the whole ceremony would be perfectly acceptable but only on the fourth Monday of June in a year ending with an even number if the moon was in it’s 3/4 waxing state and there was a partial solar eclipse the following Thursday afternoon between 1343 and 1427. :-)

Seriously, colors are not presented or posted for weddings. If colors are present in the chapel, they are pre-posted and only the two national colors are authorized in this situation. The Christian flag could also be displayed.

Oh, and China would never give up any land whatsoever for any kind of use.

Is there a standard size, ie 5×8, for the colors being presented in a Show-n-Go? Also, do the colors have to have a fringe? I’m inquiring about a color guard that will be composed of Boy and Girl Scouts.

Thanks, Dimitra

Hello Dimitra,

Thank you for your question.

For Scouting programs I suggest the 3’x4′ flag on an 8′ staff. If you were to follow the Army standard, which most do, all flags are required to have gold colored fringe.

I hope that is helpful and am happy to answer any other questions you may have.

Copy all and thanks. The colors will not be presented at scouting events. They will be presented at Township functions such as Memorial Day, Veterans Day and parades. The older scouts will be carrying them. Should they be larger given their purpose?

Good copy and thanks. The colors will be presented at Township events such as Memorial Day, Veterans Day and parades. They will be carried by our older scouts. They are not for scouting events. Given their purpose would I require larger flags?

Not at all. In the ceremonial drill world, you would want 9’6″ staffs with 4’4″x5’6 flags. It’s not necessary to go all out for Scouts, not that Scouts cannot handle it, it’s just not necessary to “go big” when the smaller flags and staffs would fit the bill.

Thanks again. Last set of questions. Is the following flagpole hardware appropriate for our colors: Eagle for the US flag and military spear for the Township and State flags? Or does the hardware have to be uniform, ie all colors have military spears. Lastly, most of our events are outdoors, so which flagpole type is more appropriate wood or aluminum pole?

I would suggest the light ash wood guidon staffs topped with the Army Spearhead finial for all flags. Having said that, I can only recommend. The guidon staffs are built to last when maintained properly (use graphite on all the screws and joints and regularly ensure that the screws are tight).

Dear Drillmaster,

I am in the process of ordering flags and equipment for our boy scout color guard to be used primarily at our Township Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies. I have decided with the flag sizes of 4′.3” x 5′.5” in accordance with the flag code for the US, State and Township flags. I read your blog on To Fringe or not to Fringe and tend to agree with you that nothing should be attached to the US flag as per the code, although I understand this requirement varies by each branch of service. For my purposes, what do you advise? Keep it simple and use flags with no fringes? Or include the fringes?

Hello Dimitra! I really appreciate your research into this, it makes the process so much easier and you end up spending money on the right equipment. Well done! I say, forget the fringe. Whole it may have served a purpose a hundred-plus years ago, it’s no longer necessary, nor appropriate, even. If you would, please send me a photo of your your troop with their new equipment, I would very much enjoy seeing and posting about a leader who has done things the right way. By the way, http://www.colonialflag.com is your best friend in this situation. Let them know I sent you.

I seek a practical reality check about long distance marching with the flag. Just as a matter of physical activity doing 10-20 miles several days in a row is a lot different than hiking with a pack. Obviously a color guard would want to work up to this, as athletes train for any event. I’d appreciate insight as to knowing whether such a goal is a reasonable one in the first place? Between the weight, the size, the length of the staff, the terrian and the weather there are obviously many factors. Do you experienced flag marchers have any insights or rules of thumb etc to share?

When our city has a parade, they have a chorus stand in front of the color guard and sing the national anthem. Many of us think that is wrong. We think the chorus should stand behind the color guard. What is the proper way to do this or doesn’t it matter?

The colors should be front and center for presentations. The choir needs to be heard, not seen. The color guard is what needs to be seen. While our Flag Code does not specifically address this type of situation, we can get a sense of color guard location from reading the guidelines set forth in it: the flag is always to have the position of honor and dignity. It is to be seen clearly by as many people (in this case) as possible.

Thank you very much for your question, I hope this helps shed light to help your community better honor the flag.

Yes, thank you. It was just what I was looking for.

Drill Master,

I’m the MC for an upcoming Veterans Day Ceremony which consists of Presentation of Colors and the playing of the National Anthem.The event will be outdoors at a Veterans Park Memorial. The scouts will be carrying the colors. The scoutmaster is prior service like myself and we both want to introduce some military protocol with the civilian scout commands. The mayor will be speaking at the event. Is it appropriate at an outdoor event prior to posting the colors for the scoutmaster to report ‘The Colors are Present’ to the mayor since she is highest ranking? Or is it more appropriate to present the colors to the audience, present arms, National Anthem is played, colors are posted? Similarly, before the colors are retired is it appropriate outdoors to request permission to retire the colors?

Great questions! What you are talking about is an Army procedure of reporting to the commander at a dining-in (for instance). The commander would know exactly what to do and say. Since you are dealing with a civilian for your ceremony, the mayor, I would suggest not introducing something that is accomplished in a military setting. On a similar note, I truly appreciate the scoutmaster and you wanting the scouts to be more aware of colors standards! One last suggestion – have a set of flags already posted and the scouts present a second set colors and march out. What we in the ceremonial drill world call a Show-n-go. The reason being is that posting the colors is for more formal occasions and indoor settings. So, the sequence of events would look like this: announcement to stand, colors brought forward, salute, Anthem, back to Carry/Port, depart, continue with the ceremony.

Thank you for your prompt and thorough response. I have one follow up question. I’m falling in on a program which always involved posting and retiring the colors and the program has been printed with this protocol. I never questioned it until I started to research the protocol since I am the MC. Even if we don’t execute a show-n-go is it proper to post and retire outdoors? I read in the FM that this protocol is reserved for indoors but can it still be executed outdoors? We also don’t have two sets of colors unless the scouts have a presentation set. The American, State and Township colors will be borrowed from the courthouse.

Having the program already printed presents a challenge for you this year. Since you don’t have two sets of colors, you might have to follow the program, however here us an idea: pre-post the US, state, & township colors and then borrow another US and state (& township) from a local police or fire department, sheriff’s office, or even the local staties for the scouts. The presentation would be easily glossed over instead of having the scouts post. No problem there except for wording. The retirement of the colors (really only accomplished on *very* formal occasions- black tie/mess dress) could be substituted with the Pledge or skipped with an announcement like, “That concludes our Veterans Day ceremony, thank you for attending.” or something similar.

Thank you very much. I think we can make that happen. The reference to retiring of the colors is at the very end In small font. There is no reference to posting in the program, only Presentation of the Colors. I could white out retiring of the colors if necessary. I’m having a meeting with the scout leader prior to our rehearsal next week where I expect to flush all this out. Thanks again. Your advise is very helpful. Dimitra

My pleasure, I’m glad I could help.

At the beginning of a football game, a local group of Boy Scouts will be unfurling a large US flag on the field. What is proper protocol for color guard ? thank you

Stand on the side where the bottom of the flag will be and present to that side of the stadium. The crowd on that side should see the large American flag opened so that the canyon is in the upper left corner.

DrillMaster–thank you very much for getting back to me so quickly. Will do!

I was wondering I see the USAF Honor Guard shouldering their rifles on their outside shoulders. Where is that exactly written?

The USAF Honor Guard, including the base-level teams use their own manual but it is based off of AFMAN 36-2203 where you see both rifle guards at the outside shoulder.

In a parade, does a national veterans service organization colorguard, such as the VFW, have a higher precedence (order of unit line up) than a non-veteran color guard such as the Shriners?

Great question. I would say yes, but a parade lineup doesn’t necessarily have precedence, although it can. The organizers can and do place entrants however they wish.

RE: The Pledge and National Anthem DO NOT go together. It’s one or the other. DO not use both. Can you elaborate? What reference establishes this protocol or instruction to which, or all, Services?

I’ve seen many ceremonies with the color guard presenting arms for the anthem, then port arms and wait for the pledge before retiring with the colors.

I’ve seen several ceremonies where both happen as well, doesn’t make it right.

Each set of service manuals (drill and ceremonies, protocol, and flag) explains when to dip the American flag, ceremonies are explained with reference to the Star Spangled Banner sung or played. We do not add to or take away from the protocols for these ceremonies and that includes recitation of the Pledge. We, in the military, do not have the Pledge as a part of any ceremony due to our oath. Too many people, wholly ignorant of service standards and traditional want to make things “specialer” or “ceremonialer” by adding their own selfish personal touch, making the ceremony about them. You won’t find the negative of what I have stated in a service manual, my statement is mix of the intent of several manuals.

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I recently attended a funeral – the PGR provided honors…during the ceremony, the PGR Flag Line held the American Flag in the left hand and when “Present Arm’s” command was given, each and every flag holder followed the command and rendered the hand salute via their right hand. Is this a proper, rendering a hand salute while bearing the flag?

Mr. Rudell,

Saluting while holding the flag is not proper. Even though the people holding the flags are not part of a color guard complete with rifle guards, they are still color bearers and considered “armed” (the flagstaff is a modern modification of the ancient spear). When your hand is occupied with a flag, you do not salute. Most likely the majority of PGR members are former military and should know better.

When standing a Flag Line at a funeral as an American Legion Rider, standing at attention with U.S.A flagstaff vertical in right hand, bottom of flagstaff on the ground to the right of foot and the VFW Honor Guard caller gives the command “present Arms”, should we raise our flag staff, or just stand there with no action?

Mr. Murphy,

Thank you for your question and continued support as an ALR.

On the command, you and the other flag bearers would remain at Attention. I’m do glad that you are holding the flag properly in the right hand. Many, hold it in the left and render a hand salute, which is incorrect.

While you and the others may want to do more, I can assure you that your presence at funerals is the “salute” that every patriot appreciates.

Good Morning, we are having a July 4th parade are want to make sure we are doing things right. The Navy Color Guard will be front of the parade. When they arrive at the grand stand the national anthem will be sung by a young girl. When is the apporiate time to start singing?

Hi Paul, At the appointed time of the parade start, the MC could say, Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the National Anthem.” At that point the commander of the color guard, the National Ensign bearer, should give a loud,” Present, ARMS!” and then the singing can begin. At the end of the music, the color guard commander can give “Order, ARMS!” and then “Forward, MARCH!” At that, the festivities begin!

Drill master, I just posted colors for an event there was four of us we had two rifles the American flag bearer and the Washington State flag bearer. When we posted flags into their stands I was under the understanding that when they seated the flags then dress them that they took one step back and the person with the American flag was the only one to render a salute and then they both marched off what is the procedure for this and?

That’s one technique and that’s fine. There are several different ways to post the colors and you seem to have accomplished the mission with honor.

When posting flags what is the proper location of the American flag, does the American flag get posted by it self and all others to the opposite side of the speaker

Mr. Pinkman,

This is a great question! I wrote an article, https://thedrillmaster.org/2017/10/03/the-logical-separation-of-colors/ and have updated the article above to include this.

If you have any further questions, please ask!

What is your experience when it comes to presenting colors for an event and one of the members is a no-show or is dropped last second due to an injury. What would you do if there is no backup and it is go time? I would think go with no secondary flag and present colors with the national flag bearer and two guards??? Or would it be a situation you just do not perform and inform the event coordinator we can’t perform the event?

Hi Carlos, If you have two guards and an American flag bearer, you are good to go. It’s not usual, but three is the minimum and quite appropriate for military, first responders, explorers, and cadet organization color guards.

our flag should always have guards alongside even not armed but with axes and or just personnell alongside her

Mr. Farrington,

It all depends on the unit. Military color guards are required to be armed with rifles except in a chapel, then they are uncovered and unarmed. Church-based color guards do not have armed guards. Firefighters use the ceremonial fire axe or a rifle, depending on their location/tradition. I’ll be writing an article soon about this.

Current situation,

Have a scout group carrying a folded national standard for hoisting at the beginning of a Memorial Day service…

Service flags in procession to follow for posting in stands around fixed pole.

Was considering the following order of events

BS Unit hoists Colors GS Unit leads pledge National Anthem (now contraindicated by your page information)

Would it be appropriate to have BS hoist while playing “To the Colors” then GS lead pledge?

To the Colors and Pledge sound like the makings of a great ceremony!

For US Army ceremonies (Relief in Place/Transfer of Authority) should a pre-posted National Color be displayed if the ceremony has a Color Guard “posting” another set of colors?

The color guard can enter and formally present the colors and then depart while a set of colors is pre-posted for the ceremony. If the team is actually going to post the colors, no other flags should be in the stands. I hope that helps. If not, I’ll email you or we can talk on the phone.

Preface: I am not military or Law Enforcement. Just looking for some advice so we do the right thing in parades and ceremonies. I belong to a Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (an Irish/Catholic benevolent Order). When we march, we can carry up to six flags and to pikes. We always put the American flag in the proper place of honor, on its own right. However, there always seems to be confusion on where to place the remaining flags. They are as follows: Current Irish flag (tri-color), Old Irish flag (green field with gold harp), Catholic flag, NY State flag, and the Irish provincial flag (represents the four ancient provinces of Ireland). I know the pikes go on the outsides to “guard” the flags. In what order, starting from the American flag, should the rest be placed?

Hello Patrick,

What a great question! Here’s my take on the order (and the reason why):

1. Right guard 2. American (on American soil) 3. Current Irish (foreign national) 4. NY state (states come after national) 5. Catholic (organizational flag) 6. Old Irish (previous foreign national not officially used) 7. Irish Provincial (ancient foreign national not officially used) 8. Left guard

I hope this helps.

Thank you very much. That is most helpful! Ignore the email I sent you. It was just incase this was not the appropriate place for this question.

Hello and thank you for this informative article. Question: is it appropriate to post the colors while wearing a bowtie? Uniform for upcoming ROTC ball requires the bowtie but I have seen elsewhere that only the straight tie would be appropriate for the posting/retiring of colors. Thanks for your help.

Great question! Simple answer: No. The color guard is dressed in the service dress/Class A or a ceremonial-type of uniform. What you are describing is a mess dress uniform and that is not authorized to be worn for presenting the colors. Mess dress does not include a cover (hat) and a color guard is covered (wears hats) in all situations except inside a chapel.

My JROTC Color Guard has been requested to present/post the Colors at an affair. The host wants us to post the Puerto Rican Flag as well. I’ve never seen this done before. How do we go about it?

If your JROTC is Army or Air Force, the PR flag is included in the formation and posted with the other colors. If your JROTC is Marine Corps, Navy, or Coast Guard, you form another three-man color guard for the PR flag with two guards. The PR and other US territory flags are considered foreign national flags when it comes to flag protocol. Don’t forget your departmental/JROTC flag as well. My recommendation is, if it is an informal occasion, have a full set of colors preposted and come in to formally present the colors and depart. If you cannot do that, post what you have.

Is it appropriate to have a ceremonial rifle as part of the honor guard in a church? I think weapons are not appropriate in churches.

Thank you for your great question. You will want to read this recent article, https://thedrillmaster.org/2016/09/27/weapons-inside-a-chapel/

color members with weapons, is there any requirement to have them on opposite shoulders when marching? one member is at right-shoulder arms, the other is left shoulder arms.

It depends on which service manual you follow. Army has both guards at Right Shoulder. All other services and United States Certified Ceremonial Guardsmen place rifles or axes on the outside/outboard shoulder.

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The Pros and Cons of School Uniforms for Students

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Student Safety

Focus on education, attendance rates, discipline issues, dress code enforcement, cost for families, impact on self-esteem.

The debate over whether students should wear school uniforms has been going on for more than a decade. Some people argue that uniforms have a positive impact on the school environment by promoting inclusivity, confidence, and a sense of belonging. Others fear that school uniforms prevent kids from expressing themselves through their clothing choices.

The research on school uniforms is often mixed. While some schools have found uniforms to be beneficial, other research has found that they have little effect. Some studies have even reached the conclusion that requiring school uniforms can be harmful for students.

Let's take a closer look at some of the potential benefits, as well as the challenges, of requiring students to wear uniforms.

Some people think that school uniforms can help make schools safer for kids. When Long Beach, CA, required all students in grades K–8 to wear uniforms, reports of assault and battery decreased by 34%.

Additionally, assault with a deadly weapon decreased by 50%, fighting incidents declined 51%, and sex offenses dropped by 74%. Possession of weapons dropped by 52%, possession of drugs went down 69%, and vandalism was lowered by 18%.

The Sparks Middle School in Nevada reported a decrease in gang activity after instituting a uniform policy. They also reported a drop in fights, graffiti, property damage, and battery. Overall, there was a 63% drop in police reports.

Other proponents of school uniforms report that it prevents students from concealing weapons under clothing. And some also believe intruders would be recognized faster, making the students and staff safer in the event someone from the community tries to enter the school.

Not all studies have found that uniforms reduce discipline issues, however. In fact, a peer-reviewed study found that school uniforms increased the average number of assaults by about 14 per year in the most violent schools. The Miami-Dade County Public Schools Office of Education Evaluation and Management found that fights in middle schools nearly doubled within one year of making uniforms mandatory.

For many students, clothing can be a major source of stress. Not having certain brand name clothing or not wearing fashionable items could lead to feelings of insecurity.

Some people feel students are better able to concentrate on school when they all wear the same clothing. Researchers in Australia noted that students who wear uniforms had improved discipline and academic performance.

Not all studies have found that uniforms improve grades, however. In fact, at least one study found that school uniforms had a negative effect on achievement.

Kids may show up to school more often when they’re wearing uniforms. A study by researchers at the University of Houston found that the average attendance rate for girls in middle and high school increased by 0.3 to 0.4 percent after school uniforms became mandatory. A study by Youngstown State University also found that attendance rates increased and suspensions decreased once students began wearing uniforms.

Students may also be more likely to show up to school on time when they have to wear uniforms. If they don’t have to spend time choosing what to wear every morning, students are able to get out the door more quickly. This means fewer late arrivals.

Proponents of uniforms report that it can improve behavior in students. One school that found this to be true is the John Adams Middle School in Albuquerque, NM. When they mandated school uniforms, discipline referrals dropped from 1,565 in the first semester of the previous year to 405.

An Australian study also concluded that students wearing uniforms were more disciplined and they listened significantly better. Classes were also more likely to start on time.

Not all studies have found this, however. Some research has found that disciplinary issues and bullying didn’t decrease after instituting a mandatory uniform policy.

Many school officials spend a lot of time policing dress codes . Enforcing policies can require a lot of resources as teachers may send kids to the office, and administrators have to determine whether clothing is too baggy, inappropriate, or revealing.

Kids who violate dress codes may spend a lot of time in the office awaiting consequences, or they may receive suspensions for repeated violations. School uniforms can keep kids in the classroom more and prevent staff from wasting time trying to enforce policies.

Parents may spend less money on school clothes when kids wear uniforms. There is less pressure to buy expensive name-brand clothing, and school uniforms might be more affordable.

Opponents of school uniforms, however, say that requiring parents to buy specific articles of clothing goes against the idea that students should be given free education. When public schools force parents to buy uniforms, this could be placing a hardship on some families.

Proponents of uniforms report that they have a positive impact on student self-esteem . Wearing the same clothing as everyone else means that students don’t have to worry about whether their clothing choices will be acceptable to their peers.

But opponents argue that uniforms may have a negative impact on some students’ body image. Research conducted at Arizona State University found that students without uniform policies actually reported higher self-perception scores than students with uniform policies.

When all students wear the same clothing, they may be more likely to compare themselves to their peers as clothing fits differently on everyone’s body.

The Problem With Uniform Research

Although there are many studies that examine the potential benefits and drawbacks of uniforms, many of them revealed correlation, rather than causation. Just because grades went up or behavioral problems went down, there’s no way of knowing that the reason for the change was due to uniform policy. There are many other factors that may have influenced these issues.

A Word From Verywell

Before any school adopts a uniform policy, it may be wise to review the literature. While there certainly may be a lot of benefits to making uniforms mandatory, there are also some potential drawbacks and challenges you might face. Parents, teachers, and administrators may want to weigh the pros and cons before instituting any type of clothing policy for students.

Stanley S. School uniforms and safety . Educ Urban Society. 1996;28(4 ): 424-435. doi:10.1177/0013124596028004003

Nevada Today. College of Education researchers conduct study on impacts of school uniforms .

Granberg-Rademacker JS, Bumgarner J, Johnson A. Do school violence policies matter? An empirical analysis of four approaches to reduce school violence . Southwest J Criminal Justice . 2007;4(1):3-29.

Sun Sentinel. 9 more schools to have students wear uniforms .

Baumann C, Krskova H. School discipline, school uniforms and academic performance . Int J Educ Manage . 2016;30(6):1003-1029. doi:10.1108/IJEM-09-2015-0118

McBrayer S. The school uniform movement and what it tells us about American education: A symbolic crusade, by David L. Brunsma . J Catholic Educ . 2007;11(1). doi:10.15365/joce.1101122013

Gentile E, Imberman S. Dressed for success? The effect of school uniforms on student achievement and behavior . 2011. doi:10.3386/w17337

Draa VAB. School uniforms in urban public high schools . Dissertation: Youngstown State University; 2005.

Lumsden L, Gabriel Miller G. Dress codes and uniforms . Research Roundup: National Association of Elementary School Principals . 2002;18(4):1-5.

Wade KK, Stafford ME. Public school uniforms: Effect on perceptions of gang presence, school climate, and student self-perceptions . Educ Urban Society . 2003;35(4):399-420. doi:10.1177/0013124503255002

By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a psychotherapist, an international bestselling author of books on mental strength and host of The Verywell Mind Podcast. She delivered one of the most popular TEDx talks of all time.

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SCHOOL UNIFORMS AND STUDENT BEHAVIOR: IS THERE A LINK?

Arya ansari.

a Department of Human Sciences, College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University

b Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy, The Ohio State University

Michael Shepard

Michael a. gottfried.

c Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania

Arya Ansari: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Writing - original draft, Funding acquisition. Michael Shepard: Writing - original draft. Michael Gottfried: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing - review & editing, Funding acquisition.

Whether or not schoolchildren exhibit better behavior in the context of wearing uniforms has been a long-standing area of debate in education. Nonetheless, there has been little empirical inquiry into the benefits or drawbacks of school uniform policies. To contribute new insights to the dialogue, the present investigation used nationally representative data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 2011 ( n = 6,320) to examine students’ social-behavioral and engagement outcomes across the elementary school years as a function of school uniform policies. In general, students in schools that required school uniforms did not demonstrate better social skills, internalizing and externalizing behavior, or school attendance as compared with students in schools without school uniforms. These associations were true across both public and private schools. There was, however, some indication that low-income students in schools that required uniforms demonstrated better school attendance than low-income students in schools that did not.

Mandatory school uniform policies were first put in place nearly 30 years ago ( Brown, 1998 ), with increased implementation from the 1990s onward ( Han, 2010 ). In the 1995–1996 school year, only 3% of public schools in the U.S. required uniforms, which increased to 20% in 2011–2012 ( Mitchell, 1996 ; U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2013 ). School uniforms mandates are even greater in private schools, with roughly six out of every ten requiring that students wear uniforms (57% in 2011–2012; National Center for Educational Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics, 2013 ). This growth in school uniforms (particularly in the public elementary school sector; 20% in elementary school versus 12% in secondary school) has been attributed to the belief that uniform policies level the playing field in schools and help improve students’ academic achievement and social-behavioral engagement ( Brown, 1998 ; Kaiser, 1985 ; Pate, 2006 ; Ryan & Ryan, 1998 ; U.S. Department of Education, 1996 ) along with student and classroom safety ( Kaiser, 1985 ; Zernike, 2002 ). Reflecting these beliefs, both the Clinton and G.W. Bush administrations encouraged widespread adoption of school uniforms ( Boutelle, 2008 ; Zernike, 2002 ).

Notwithstanding these proposed benefits and encouragement to adopt school uniform policies, there are many opponents. Anti-uniform groups argue that mandatory uniforms violate First Amendment rights of students and can lead to an authoritarian learning atmosphere that inhibits learning ( Brown, 1998 ). More broadly, critics argue that student achievement, behavior, and self-esteem will decrease rather than increase ( Brunsma, 2006 ) and that classroom stratification will not only remain, but uniforms could add further financial hardship on low-income families who now must purchase required clothing ( Brunsma, 2006 ; Portner, 1996 ). In general, opponents argue that uniform policies may only serve as a stop-gap policy in addressing issues of economic and educational equality that, ultimately, allows policy makers and practitioners to delay making difficult decisions to reform public education ( DeMitchell, 2006 ).

Despite these ongoing debates, there has been little empirical inquiry into the benefits or drawbacks of school uniforms, and the studies that do exist are limited, dated, and largely focus on academic outcomes ( Bodine, 2003 ; Brunsma, 2004 ; Brunsma, 2006 ; Holloman et al., 1998; Kohn, 1998 ; Murray, 1997 ; Pate, 1999 ; Yeung, 2009 ). This is a glaring gap in knowledge because students’ social-behavioral skills, especially in the earliest years of school, are critical in determining their future social, educational, and economic success ( Heckman & Rubinstein, 2001 ; Heckman et al., 2006 ; Imberman, 2011 ; Jacob, 2002 ; Segal, 2008 ). These findings, combined with the growth in uniform policies across the U.S., necessitate further empirical work to understand whether learning in the context of school uniforms is linked to differential measures of student success. Accordingly, the present study uses nationally representative data to explore whether: (a) elementary school-aged students across the United States demonstrated higher social-behavioral functioning and engagement in schools with uniform policies as compared with students in schools without uniform policies and (b) these associations vary across key subgroups of students. In doing so, the present investigation represents one of the first national snapshots of the outcomes of school uniforms in elementary schools.

The Purpose of Uniforms

School uniforms historically have been used in a variety of circumstances (e.g., military personnel, medical professionals, athletic teams) to signify to both wearers and observers of their expected roles. It has been argued that uniforms serve dual purposes: (a) to differentiate nonmembers from members and (b) to signal to the actor and the audience that certain set of behaviors are expected ( Joseph, 1986 ). Uniforms symbolize group membership and can define group boundaries, promote group goals, and reduce role conflict ( Stanley, 1996 ). They may also promote conformity to group norms, which may reduce group infighting and discrimination ( Huss, 2007 ). Thus, administrators and policy makers have viewed uniforms as a means of altering the climate of a school in cases of violence, disruptive behaviors, or social stratification.

Enacting school uniform policies can be viewed from theoretical persepctives that higlight the role of the environments that students interact with as a key influence on their development. For example, according to Social Learning Theory, individuals are argued to respond to a combination of: (a) cognitive factors, such as knowledge, expectations, and attitudes; (b) behavioral factors, such as skills, practice, and self-efficacy; and (c) environmental factors, such as social norms, access in community, and influence on others (Grusec, 1994). These cognitive, behavioral, and environmental factors are hypothesized to interact with each other in a process known as reciprocal determinism (Grusec, 1994). Thus, theoretically, it is argued that school uniforms may change the school environment, resulting in a shift in the reciprocal determinism equation that could improve the trajectory of the student body. Social learning theory also rests on the notion that individuals create meaning for things that they interact with both through their personal interactions and their interaction with others ( Huss, 2007 ). That is, individuals create meaning based off their own experience as well as through learning the expectations and meanings other people give to these same objects. Grounded in this perspective, many administrators and policy makers have equated school uniforms with private schools, which are perceived as secure, safe, and orderly places of learning ( Huss, 2007 ).

School Uniforms in Practice

One major consideration pro-school uniform groups cite is student safety. Past school uniform policies have been introduced as a way to equalize the school culture/setting to support students and reduce gang attire and activity, increase school safety, and decrease clothing theft ( Daugherty, 2002 ; Kaiser, 1985 ; Stanley, 1996 ; Zernike, 2002 ). Thus, from risk-taking perspective, school uniforms are often viewed as a way of mitigating risks to vulnerable populations, including fear of intimidation and discrimination. But beyond safety considerations, school uniforms have other proposed benefits: Increased student discipline, increased respect for teachers, promotion of group spirit, higher academic standards maintained through uniformity, decreased strain on parental budgets, and a decrease in student’s concerns for social status through fashion ( Kaiser, 1985 ). These benefits may also increase academic achievement, as a third of teachers either agreed or strongly agreed that student misbehavior disrupted their teaching ( Robers et al., 2012 ).

On the other hand, opponents of school uniforms argue that there is not enough empirical evidence to support its implementation and that students may seek out other ways to individuate themselves even in schools with uniforms, such as becoming disruptive in class or rebel against authority (Gentile & Imberman, 2011). In the limited research that does exist, there is some indication that uniforms may restrict students’ ability to express themselves, and thus, results in lower-levels of self-esteem ( Wade & Stafford, 2003 ). Accordingly, through seeking conformity in clothing, schools may actually be undermining efforts to understand and appreciate diversity in the student body ( Howe, 1996 ). Opponents of school uniforms also cite a variation of the Hawthorn effect that may account for any observed differences in student outcomes where uniforms are mandatory ( Posner, 1996 ). More specifically, it is argued that differences in student outcomes are caused by a change in the way adults perceive uniformed students and not the way in which students behave or learn. If this hypothesis is correct, then meaningful change may be brought about without mandating uniforms among the student body.

Empirical Evidence regarding School Uniforms

As noted above, despite the extensive public discourse surrounding the implementation of school uniforms in the United States, there has been limited research that has examined its effectiveness. However, the handful of studies that have examined the benefits of school uniforms, although dated, present inconclusive evidence. For example, evidence from two school districts in Florida utilizing a pre-post test design found that elementary school-aged students significantly improved their academic test scores in the year post-uniform implementation ( Pate, 1999 ). In contrast, with samples of elementary ( Brusnma, 2006 ) and high school students ( Brunsma & Rockquemore, 1998 ), other researchers have found that students in schools with uniform policies demonstrated lower levels of (or declines in) academic achievement as compared with students in schools without uniforms. And, yet, other studies have documented no consistent differences in students’ academic outcomes as a function of school uniform policies ( Draa, 2005 ; Stevenson & Chunn, 1991 ; Yeung, 2009 ).

Although still limited, the evidence for school uniforms is equally mixed when considering students’ non-academic outcomes. Studies ranging from elementary to high school from school districts in Ohio and Virginia and in the southwest U.S. reveal that school attendance was better in schools with uniforms than those without uniforms ( Draa, 2005 ; Gentile & Imberman, 2011; Hoffler-Riddick & Lassiter, 1996 ) and that school uniform implementation resulted in a decline in disciplinary infractions and a higher sense of school belonging ( Han, 2010 ; Hoffler-Riddick & Lassiter, 1996 ; Pate, 2006 ; Peters, 1996 ). Secondary school teachers’ perceptions of students’ peer relations, engagement in violent behavior, and integrity have also been found to improve when uniforms were worn ( Huss, 2007 ; Wade & Stafford, 2003 ; Sanchez et al., 2012 ; Tucker, 1999 ). Other research, however, reveals largely null or negative associations between school uniforms and elementary and secondary school students’ attendance and social-behavior ( Brunsma & Rockquemore, 1998 ; Gentile & Imberman, 2011; Han, 2010 ).

The Present Study

When taken together, despite theoretical assertions and the policy rehteoric surronding school uniforms and their benefits for the student body, the extant literature has yielded inconclusive evidence. Thus, whether school uniforms help level the playing field in schooling, which is important for children from ethnically and economically diverse backgrounds, or whether uniforms amplify disparities and serve as obstacles to being in school is unclear. Accordingly, the present investigation sought to add to our knowledgebase by leveraging a contemporary and nationally representative sample of elementary school-aged students to evaluate whether K-5 students’ school behavior and engagement outcomes differ in schools with and without uniforms. As part of this effort, we also consider the extent to which any patterns vary for students across the income and skill distributions and across school sectors. Given the inconclusive evidence discussed above, we did not make directional hypotheses. But in addressing these research questions, we build upon the limited, dated understanding of whether school uniforms are associated with students’ social, behavioral, and engagement outcomes in the crucial early years of development.

Data for the present investigation were drawn from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Kindergarten Class of 2010–11 (ECLS-K: 2011; Tourangeau et al., 2015 ). The ECLS-K is a nationally representative sample of students who were followed from kindergarten entry through the end of fifth grade. To ensure a nationally representative sample, the ECLS-K: 2011 first sampled within geographic regions, then public and private schools, and finally students were stratified by race/ethnicity. For our purposes, we used data from the surveys administered to parents, teachers, and school administrators. Given the nature of the data on school uniform policies (for more details, see below), we limited our sample to children who: (a) remained in the same schools between kindergarten and fifth grade and (b) had administrator reported data of school uniform policies from the kindergarten wave of data collection. This restriction resulted in a final sample of 6,320 students.

Table 1 presents descriptive statistics for all focal covariates, separated by school uniform policy and Table 2 presents descriptive statistics for all study outcomes.

Weighted descriptive statistics for focal covariates, stratified by schools with and without uniform policies

Weighted descriptive statistics for focal outcome variables.

Note . Estimates correspond to means and those in brackets correspond to standard deviations.

School uniforms.

During the spring of kindergarten, school administrators were given a survey that included a question about whether students were required to wear uniforms. Although similar questions were asked again in first and second grade, these surveys were: (a) only asked of administrators of students who switched to new schools (and only a handful of children changed between schools with and without uniforms) and (b) no uniform data were available for students who switched schools after second grade, hence our focus on students who remained in the same elementary schools between kindergarten and fifth grade. Accordingly, we used these reports from kindergarten to create a binary variable that indicated whether students attended elementary schools with or without a uniform policy.

Student outcomes.

In the fall and spring of kindergarten and again in the spring of each subsequent grade, teachers reported on students’ socio-emotional skills. These questions were derived from the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS; Gresham & Elliott, 1990 ). This tool is based a 4-point scale (0 = never to 3 = very often ) that includes four subscales: Interpersonal skills (5 items; α = .86–.87), self-control (4 items; α =.80–.82), internalizing behavior problems (4 items; α = .76–.79), and externalizing behavior problems (5 items; α = .86–89). Teachers also reported on students’ approaches to learning with a measure developed by NCES (6 items; α = .91–.92). Similar to Claessens and colleagues (2009), we collapsed these indicators into three dimensions: Internalizing behavior problems , externalizing behavior problems , and social skills (a combination of approaches to learning and socioemotional skills).

In addition to children’s socio-emotional development, students’ teachers also reported on students’ school absences every year (0 = no absences , 1= 1–4 absences , 2 = 5–7 absences , 3 = 8–10 absences , 4 = 11–19 absences , and 5 = 20 or more absences ). To increase interpretability, we recoded the scale values to equal the midpoint of the response options (e.g., 1–4 absences was recoded as 2.5 absences). Students who were never absent (scale value of 0) and those who were absent for 20 or more days of the school year (scale value of 5) were coded as being absent for 0 and 20 days, respectively. Note that, during kindergarten through third grade, children had one primary teacher across subject areas who reported on children’s school attendance. In fourth and fifth grade, however, students had different teachers for different subject areas. In these grades, both students’ English language arts teacher and their science or math teacher responded to questions of absenteeism. Because the correlations of absenteeism across subject areas were high, we created a composite of fourth, and then, fifth grade absences.

Analysis Plan

All analyses were estimated within Stata ( StataCorp, 2009 ). These models included robust standard errors to safeguard against violations of normality and missing data were accounted for with 50 imputed datasets using chained equations. All models were also weighted to be nationally representative and error term were clustered at the school level. To minimize the possibility of spurious associations, all models controlled for a large number of child and family covariates. These indicators capture children’s characteristics (i.e., gender, race/ethnicity, English language learner status, and an indicator for whether a parent rated the child as having poor health), children’s educational experiences (i.e., enrollment in full-day kindergarten, school type, and the number of hours that the child spent in center-based prekindergarten and before/after school care during the kindergarten year), household characteristics (i.e., household structure, number of siblings, poverty status, parent education, parent employment, number of books in the home, home learning activities), and school-going practices and routines (i.e., whether the child took a school bus to school, how far the child lived from school, in miles, number of breakfasts and dinners that the family regularly had together at home). In addition, all models (except for models predicting absenteeism) adjusted for lagged dependent variables from kindergarten entry. Given the large number of outcomes, we also make a p -value adjustment for multiple comparisons using the Benjamini adjustment (Benjamini & Hochberg, 1995).

With the above analytic framework in mind, we employed several different methodological specifications to determine whether students demonstrated different outcomes based on school uniform policies. Our first model was based within an OLS regression framework. Importantly, the above is after taking into account a student’s own school entry skills and the control measures. Thus, our first set of analyses considered whether, conditional on covariates, students in schools with uniforms demonstrated greater improvements in outcomes between kindergarten and fifth grade as compared with students who attend schools without uniforms. Notwithstanding the rich control measures included in this study, it is important to note that schools with uniform policies may differ in other observed and unobserved ways, which would make it difficult to isolate the outcomes of school uniform policies from the effects of other factors. To limit this possibility, we estimated three additional models.

Our second specification addressed the possibility of variation at the state-level that may influence the associations between school uniform policies and student outcomes. We did so by implementing state-fixed effects for the full sample of children. Consequently, our state-fixed effects models hold constant all state-wide factors that were the same for students in schools with and without school uniform policies in the same state. Although state-fixed effects account for state-to-state variation, there may be variation at a more granular level in the implementation of school uniforms. Therefore, our third specification was based within a county fixed effects framework, which may be particularly important in a study of school uniform policies, as decisions about school uniforms can stem from county factors. Therefore, county fixed effects help to control for county-to-county variation that exists in school uniform policies and student outcomes. As before, both the state- and county-fixed effects models adjusted for lagged dependent variables and the full set of covariates discussed above.

Even though state- and county fixed effects account for observed and unobserved differences at key levels, and thus, increase confidence in the reported associations, there may be concerns about the overlap between schools with and without uniform policies. Accordingly, our fourth and final specification was based within a propensity score matching framework ( Rosenbaum & Rubin, 1983 ). Although propensity scores do not change the causal identification strategy, this methodology does consider whether there is overlap in the unmatched sample and the functional form assumptions that are driving our findings. For our matching models, we used the nearest neighbor method (with up to four matches) with a caliper of .05, allowing a sufficient overlap between students in schools with and without school uniforms. Given this specification, we successfully matched approximately 65% of students (the number of matches varied across the 50 imputed datasets). Importantly, before matching, the average standardized mean difference between conditions was approximately 18% of a standard deviation, but after matching, the average standardized mean difference was roughly 3% of a standard deviation (see Table 1 ). Moreover, none of the covariates were significantly different across conditions after matching, suggesting that balance was successfully achieved (descriptives available from authors). Accordingly, regression models were re-estimated within these matched samples and included all covariates when predicting outcomes (doubly robust estimation; Funk et al., 2011 ).

Once the main effects of school uniforms were examined in these various ways, we then examined potential variation in the benefits of school uniforms as a function of child and school characteristics. Specifically, we examined variation in associations as a function of child socioeconomic status and initial skills, and as a function of the type of school children attended. It is important to note that, given the small number of private schools of different types, we collapsed our school type indicator into public versus private for our moderation analyses. To estimate heterogeneity in associations, we estimated a new set of regression models that included interaction terms between the focal indicator for school uniforms and the moderators of interest. Our focal moderation analyses were estimated with the full set of covariates.

We begin with a descriptive presentation of the types of schools that had school uniform policies along with the students who attended those schools. We then present our main effect analyses before we turn to a discussion of heterogeneity in outcomes and close with set of supplemental analyses. With that said, and as can be seen in Table 1 , roughly 28% of students across the U.S. attended schools that required a uniform. When looking across different types of schools, we find that 78% of Catholic schools that students attended had a uniform requirement as compared with only 54% of other religious schools and 43% of other private schools. And, among public school students, only 21% attended schools with a uniform policy. In terms of the student body, we find that schools with uniforms served a larger number of Black (20%) and Hispanic (40%) children and English Language Learners (27%) than schools without school uniforms (8–18%). In contrast, White children were more likely to be served in schools without uniforms (64% vs. 31%), whereas schools with uniform policies served a larger share of children from low-income families (52%) than schools without uniform policies (41%). Other descriptives stratified by schools with and without uniform policies are presented in Table 1 .

Students’ Behavior and School Uniforms

Having established the descriptive snapshot of the schools with school uniform policies along with the student body, we next examined whether students demonstrated different outcomes based on school uniform policies. Two overall patterns are evident in Table 3 with regard to the associations between school uniforms and children’s social skills, behavioral problems, and school absences. First, the associations between school uniforms and students’ outcomes were almost entirely null and the effect sizes across outcomes and grade levels were roughly 3% of a standard deviation. In fact, of the 24 associations estimated within our baseline model with an assortment of covariates, only one emerged as statistically significant and none were statistically significant with a Benjamini adjustment, leaving us with little confidence of a statistically-significant link between school uniforms and students’ outcomes. Second, the magnitude of the estimated associations derived from our baseline OLS model did not change substantially when we estimated models with state- and county fixed effects, nor when we implemented propensity scores (see Table 3 ). Taken together, there seems to be no meaningful differences in students’ social-behavioral and attendance outcomes between kindergarten and fifth grade as a function of school uniforms.

Results from models examining the outcomes of school uniforms between kindergarten and fifth grade.

Note. Coefficients in bold were statistically significant at p < .05 with a Benjamini false discovery adjustment. All estimates are weighted and account for the complex sampling design. Models include a full set of controls. All continuous predictors and outcomes have been standardized to have a mean of 0 and standard deviation of 1 and, thus, coefficients can be interpreted as effect sizes. Estimates in brackets correspond to standard errors.

Heterogeneity in Student Outcomes

Having established the average associations between school uniforms and student outcomes, our next set of analyses examined heterogeneity in these associations as a function of children’s school entry skills, socioeconomic status, and the type of school students attended. In the main, there was no consistant evidence of variation in outcomes as a function of school type nor students’ baseline skills. There was, however, some indication that the links between school uniforms and absenteeism varied as a function of socio-economic status. More specifically, the attendance benefits of school uniforms were approximately 20% of a standard deviation larger for low-income students as compared with more affluent students. Accordingly, even though school uniforms had no links to attendance for higher-income students, in first ( p <.01), fourth ( p < .05), and fifth ( p < .05) grade, low-income students who attended schools with uniforms demonstrated fewer absences than those in schools without uniforms. And although not statistically significant, similar patterns emerged in second and third grade (ES = .10–.13)

Supplemental Analyses of Students’ Experiences in School

In addition to the kindergarten through fifth grade outcomes reported as part of our focal analyses, students also reported on their school belonging (14 items, α = .90; e.g., closeness with teachers and classmates), experiences of bullying (4 items, α = .81; e.g., teasing, name calling), and social anxiety (3 items, α = .88; worrying about what others think) in fifth grade, which are aspects of the school experience that have been at the center of school uniform debates (e.g., Gentile & Imberman, 2011; Han, 2010 ; Howe, 1996 ; Huss, 2007 ; Kaiser, 1985 ; Pate, 2006 ; Sanchez et al., 2012 ). Although all students reported on these additional items, these surveys were not administered to students in the earlier grades. But to highlight the other potential outcomes of school uniform mandates, we estimate supplemental models that consider the links between school uniforms and these self-reported outcomes, net of the covariates outlined above. But because these variables were not collected in kindergarten entry, these models did not include lagged controls.

As can be seen in Table 4 , results from our covariate adjusted models revealed that students in schools with uniform policies reported no differences in their social anxiety, and experiences with victimization, but they did report lower levels of school belonging (ES = 16% of a standard deviation, p < .001) as compared with students in schools without school uniforms. These findings largely replicated when accounting for state- and county-fixed effects along with propensity scores (see Table 4 ) and remained statistically significant with a Benjamini adjustment. And, as before, there was no evidence of heterogeneity.

Results from models examining the associations between school uniforms and students’ self-reported outcomes in fifth grade

School uniform policies have grown in the thirty years since their introduction in the United States, both in the public and private education sectors ( U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2013 ). This growth has fostered debate among pro- and anti-uniform advocates ( Boutelle, 2008 ; Brown, 1998 ; Brunsma, 2006 ; DeMitchell, 2006 ; Kaiser, 1985 ; Pate, 2006 ; Portner, 1996 ; Ryan & Ryan, 1998 ; Zernike, 2002 ). To date, however, these debates have been grounded in both limited and dated empirical evidence, especially in the formative elementary school years ( Bodine, 2003 ; Brunsma, 2004 , 2006 ; Draa, 2005 ; Gentile & Imberman, 2011; Han, 2010 ; Kohn, 1998 ; Murray, 1997 ; Pate, 1999 ; Yeung, 2009 ).

With that said, Social Learning Theory posits that individuals rely on a combination of cognitive, behavioral, and environmental factors to learn how to act in a given situation. This process, known as reciprocal determinism, has been raised by policymakers and adminstrators to suggest that school uniform policies have downstream effects on students because it influences the environment of school children and alters the complex reciprocal determinism equation (Grusec, 1994). Accordingly, the present study sought to add to this literature on the going to school in the context of school uniforms in elementary schools by bringing a longitudinal and national perspective to school uniforms and aspects of students’ development that are relatively understudied, but that are known to drive long-term educational and life success ( Heckman & Rubinstein, 2001 ; Heckman et al., 2006 ). In doing so, several key themes emerged.

First, the results of the present investigation illustrate consistent and largely null findings at the aggregate level as a function of school uniform policies. That is, students who attended schools with and without school uniform mandates, on average, demonstrated similar social skills, externalizing and internalizing problems, and school attendance patterns between kindergarten and fifth grade after adjusting for children’s characteristics and their educational experiences, household characteristics, and school-going practices and routines. Effect size were close to zero, suggesting no meaningful differences as a function of school uniform policies. Importantly, this pattern of largely null findings remained consistent even with the inclusion of state and county fixed effects that accounted for geographic variation as well as when propensity score matching was used. But when looking at students’ own self-reports of their engagement and well-being in fifth grade, we found that students in schools with uniforms reported lower levels of school belonging than students in schools that did not require uniforms.

When taken together, these null—and in some cases negative—findings are both similar to prior studies that have documented null or negative associations ( Brunsma & Rockquemore, 1998 ; Gentile & Imberman, 2011; Han, 2010 ), but stand in contrast with other studies that show benefits of school uniforms for children’s socio-emotional development ( Huss, 2007 ; Wade & Stafford, 2003 ; Sanchez et al., 2012 ; Tucker, 1999 ). Although we can only speculate why these differences emerge between the current investigation and some of the extant literature, one must consider the fact that many of the prior studies done on school uniforms have been restricted to specific school districts (e.g., Draa, 2005 ; Gentile & Imberman, 2011; Hoffler-Riddick & Lassiter, 1996 ), whereas the current study presents a national perspective. But with regards to the Social Learning Theory perspective, there is no evidence to suggest school uniforms changed the environment of school children, at least with respect to their social behavior.

One might also wonder why there were largely null associations for broader indicators of social behavior (as reported on by teachers) as compared with negative associations for students’ own self-reports. Of most relevance is the fact that these benchmarks were different: Teachers reported on broader indicators of students’ social and behavioral adjustment, whereas students reported on more specific outcomes related to their school experiences. Thus, including indicators from both the teacher and student perspective presents a more well-rounded and balanced portrait of the outcomes of school uniform policies. But with respect to the lower levels of school belonging in schools with uniforms, one possibility worth considering is that students’ fashion choices are likely to be only one potential source of belonging. Accordingly, what these results make clear is that the argument that school uniforms create cohesion among students and give students a sense of identity is not true, at least in this study sample ( Brown, 1998 ; Kaiser, 1985 ; Pate, 2006 ; Ryan & Ryan, 1998 ; U.S. Department of Education, 1996 ).

The second key theme that emerged from the present investigation was that the magnitude of associations between elementary schools with (versus without) a school uniform mandate and students’ social and behavioral problems did not consistently vary as a function of children’s socio-economic status nor their school entry skills. That is, school uniforms did not address issues of economic and educational equality that have been at the center of much of the pro-uniform debates and the very reason many school officials and school systems require students to wear uniforms ( DeMitchell, 2006 ). Just as importantly, even with the large differences in the rates of school uniform mandates between public and private schools ( National Center for Educational Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics, 2013 ), we documented no differences in the outcomes of school uniform policies and student outcomes across different school sectors. Put another way, the associations between school uniforms and students’ socio-emotional, behavioral, and engagement outcomes were comparable (and in most instances close to zero) in both public and private schools. Taken together, what the results suggest is that the outcomes of school uniforms are far more similar than different for students of different backgrounds and for students enrolled in different types of schools across the United States.

With that said, one of the only consistent patterns that did emerge (and the third and final key theme) was that low-income children demonstrated fewer absences between first and fifth grade in schools with uniforms as compared with low-income children in schools without uniforms. The above is noteworthy given that absenteeism is at its highest point in the early elementary school years ( Ansari & Pianta, 2019 ) and there is long-standing evidence to suggest that low-income children are doubly at risk: They are more likely to be absent from school (Morrissey et al., 2013) and they are more likely to experience reduced learning due to absences as compared with their more advantaged peers ( Gershenson et al., 2017 ). Given the above, there has been longstanding interest in identifying in which contexts school absences are lowest, particularly for groups of vulnerable children (e.g., Rogers & Feller, 2018 ; Robinson et al., 2018 ). Accordingly, what the results of the present study suggest, is that school uniforms may be one context in which low-income students have fewer instances of absences; with that said, the mechanism for reduced absenteeism was not feelings of school belonging.

Despite these contributions to the extant literature, the results of the present investigation should be interpreted in light of some limitations. First and foremost, students were not randomly assigned to attend schools with and without uniforms. Consequently, our findings should be interpreted with caution as there might be unobservable confounds. With that said, a correlation is necessary for a causal effect and what our findings underscore is that there is no correlational support, on average, for school uniform policies; and in a few instances, the associations that did emerge between school uniform policies and student outcomes were in the opposite direction (i.e., negative). Second, although the present study presents a national snapshot of the outcomes of school uniforms between kindergarten and fifth grade, what is missing is an examination of longer-term outcomes in secondary school and beyond. In other words, our study cannot determine the potential associations for student outcomes of interest for middle or high school students. Additional research is needed to better understand the associations between school uniform policies and student outcomes in the older grades and. Third, because administrators in the ECLS-K were not asked about school uniforms on a yearly basis, the present study could not consider within school changes in uniform policies. Likewise, very few students changed between schools with and without uniforms and, consequently, we also could not examine within child change (i.e., child fixed effects models). For the above reasons, we limited or sample to students who remained in the same school between kindergarten and fifth grade to reduce any bias that may stem from school mobility or other unknown confounds. The above is of note because it limits the generalizability of our findings. Finally, our study relied largely on teacher reports of children’s socio-emotional skills because information from other sources was not consistently available across the elementary grades. The above is of note because our benchmarks for children’s socio-emotional development are based on teachers’ perceptions and may be biased. With that said, it is important to keep in mind that: (a) there are few, if any, large-scale and nationally representative studies that have more objective measures of socio-emotional development and (b) as part of our supplemental analyses, we also examined students’ own reports of their ties to their schools.

With these limitations and future directions in mind, the results of the present investigation bring a contemporary and national perspective to the ongoing debates surrounding school uniforms. In the main, despite the argument that school uniforms have the potential to improve students’ social-behavioral and engagement outcomes ( Daugherty, 2002 ; Kaiser, 1985 ; Stanley, 1996 ; Zernike, 2002 ), and shifting the process of reciprocal determinism (Grusec, 1994), the findings from the present study suggest otherwise: There is no conclusive evidence to suggest that students in schools with uniform mandates demonstrated stronger social-behavioral and engagement outcomes than students in schools without such mandates, and there was little evidence of heterogeneity. In fact, when examining students’ own reports of their school experiences, those in schools that required uniforms demonstrated higher levels of victimization and lower-levels of school belonging. If replicated with different samples and methods in the future, what these results suggest is that school uniforms may not be the most effective way to improve students’ social, behavioral, and engagement outcomes.

Research Highlights

We examine elementary-aged students’ social-behavioral and engagement outcomes as a function of school uniform policies.
Students in schools that required school uniforms did not demonstrate better social behavior or school attendance than students in schools without school uniforms.
Associations were true across both public and private schools, but low-income students in schools with school uniforms demonstrated better school attendance.

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the support of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R03 HD098420-02). Opinions reflect those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the granting agency.

Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

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High School Softball Rule Changes for Uniforms, Equipment Announced by NFHS

Rules • July 10, 2023

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA (July 10, 2023) — Four rule changes including uniforms and equipment were announced for high school softball season by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Seven changes were recommended by the NFHS Softball Rules Committee in June and approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Beginning January 1, 2027, softball uniforms may display only the player’s name, school name or nickname, school mascot and/or school logo as part of Rule 3-2-3 of the NFHS Softball Rules Book. No slogans or unofficial school nicknames will be permitted on the uniform.

An additional uniform change for the 2024 season was approved in Rule 3-2-5, which more clearly defines what can be worn on the head to be consistent with other NFHS sports.

Changes to Rule 3-2-7 clarify where wristbands with a playbook/playcard attached can be worn. The equipment is only permitted to be worn on a player’s wrist or arm, and pitchers must wear it on their non-pitching arm, prohibiting wristbands from being worn on the belt.

In another change, Rule 1-8-6 now permits electronic information to be transmitted to the dugout from anywhere outside of live ball area. This reflects current technology and still requires that electronic devices are used in the dugout but no longer stipulates where the video is recorded or how it is transmitted.

In a modification to Rule 6-1-2c, beginning next year, pitchers in high school softball will be allowed to disengage both feet from the playing surface if the pivot foot is not replanted prior to the delivery of the pitch. Previously, the pivot foot was required to remain in contact with the ground.

“When examining the survey responses, the NFHS Softball Rules Committee recognized that a majority of the membership were in favor of this change,” said Sandy Searcy, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the NFHS Softball Rules Committee. “An additional topic the committee discussed was whether a pitcher gains an advantage by having their pivot foot airborne vs. having it remain in contact with the ground. Our rules have traditionally allowed for flexibility to accommodate the differing skill levels of high school athletes. This change allows for exploration of different styles of pitching during student-athletes’ developmental stages.”

The NFHS Softball Rules Committee further clarified the list of approved and non-approved substances to be used as drying agents for the pitcher in Rule 6-2-2. The rule specifies that dirt is not considered a foreign substance and does not have to be wiped from the hand prior to contacting the ball. Acceptable use of drying agents under the supervision and control of the umpire includes powdered rosin or any comparable drying agent listed on USA Softball’s certified equipment website.

New High School Softball Specifications Take Effect in 2025

New softball specifications will go into effect in 2025. The new ball specifications for 12-inch fast pitch softball will have a compression of 325 pounds with a plus-minus of 50 (range of 275-375 pounds). The minimum weight will increase from 6¼ to 6½ ounces with a maximum of 7 ounces and the circumference will be 11⅞ to 12¼ inches.

The new ball specifications are permissible currently and will be required for use in high school competition starting January 1, 2025. Balls manufactured with the current specifications will be permitted for use through the 2024 season. The changes do not represent a difference in ball performance but allow for better control over the manufacturing process, according to NFHS.

The new specifications for the softball will go into effect in NCAA softball on January 1, 2024.

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The standard entrance and exit music for presenting/posting the colors is the Trio section of the National Emblem march by Edwin Eugene Bagley. Here is the YouTube video of the USAF Heritage Band playing the march. The link begins the video at the Trio section. This tempo is about 120 SPM (steps per minute).
Presentation Academy
Presentation Academy, a college-preparatory high school for young women, is located in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky, United States, just north of Old Louisville in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville.Founded in 1831 by Mother Catherine Spalding, foundress of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, it is the oldest school in continuous operation in Louisville.
The Pros and Cons of School Uniforms for Students
The effect of school uniforms on student achievement and behavior. 2011. doi:10.3386/w17337. Draa VAB. School uniforms in urban public high schools. Dissertation: Youngstown State University; 2005. Lumsden L, Gabriel Miller G. Dress codes and uniforms. Research Roundup: National Association of Elementary School Principals. 2002;18(4):1-5.
The Benefits of Schools Uniforms and Why Schools Have Them
13 Advantages to Wearing School Uniforms. Put these 13 factors together and it's easy to see why school uniforms are important to creating a team of united students and staff. 1. Create cohesion. When students all wear the same clothing every day at school, it levels out the playing field.
PDF 2023-24 Points of Emphasis
Uniform jerseys must comply with the rules listed in 3-4, 3-5 and 3-6. The rules are concise and clear regarding what is and is not permissible on the jersey. An NFHS basketball uniform guide was created to illustrate the proper uniform design graphically. That document and an animated presentation can be found on the NFHS website. Uniforms
School Uniforms Pros and Cons
Pro 1 School uniforms deter crime and increase student safety. In Long Beach, California, after two years of a district-wide K-8 mandatory uniform policy, reports of assault and battery in the district's schools decreased by 34%, assault with a deadly weapon dropped by 50%, fighting incidents went down by 51%, sex offenses were cut by 74%, robbery dropped by 65%, possession of weapons (or ...
PDF Nfhs Tf Uniform Rules 5.18
1. The bottom or one‐piece uniform may have the school identification. 2. Loose‐fitting, boxer‐type bottoms or compression‐style bottom are permitted for boys and girls. Closed‐leg briefs are acceptable for girls. 3. French or high‐cut apparel shall not be worn in lieu of the uniform bottom. 4.
School Uniforms and Student Behavior: Is There a Link?
Mandatory school uniform policies were first put in place nearly 30 years ago (Brown, 1998), with increased implementation from the 1990s onward ().In the 1995-1996 school year, only 3% of public schools in the U.S. required uniforms, which increased to 20% in 2011-2012 (Mitchell, 1996; U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2013).
PDF Nfhs Basketball Legal Uniforms
National Federation of State High School Associations ... Uniform jerseys must comply with all rules listed in 3-4, 3-5 and 3-6 Uniform rules are concise and clear regarding what is, and what is not, permissible on the jersey ... PowerPoint Presentation Author: Kim Vogel
UNIFORMS
» 2023-2024 Title I Annual Meeting Presentation » 2023-2024 School-level Title I ... UNIFORMS - Our Colors! School Uniforms are Mandatory. Here is information: POLOS: Hunter Green Black Gray White PANTS: Khaki Pants (no jeans, joggers, or leggings) CLOSED TOED SHOES (ex: sneakers/tennis shoes) Hialeah Gardens High School. 11700 Hialeah ...
PDF 2021-22 NFHS VOLLEYBALL RULES POWERPOINT
Rule Change RULES 5-3-1, 5-3-1 NOTES www.nfhs.org §Officials Uniform: •By state association adoption —may be gray and/or bright blue (cyan) in addition to the traditional white polo-style shirts. •May be short or long-sleeved. •Must be like-colored among officials in a match.
PDF National federation of state high school associations
This material shall only be reproduced or distributed by member state associations for teaching and training purposes. Distribution to the public is prohibited without the express written consent from the NFHS. Please contact Davis Whitfield, COO at [email protected] with requests. Rules Changes.
Fashion Show & Student Showcase
We wanted to extend our deepest gratitude to all of our donors, sponsors and contributors. Your support of our 56th Annual Fashion Show event is very appreciated. Currently, 24% of the student body receives Financial Aid - that's more than $2.3 million distributed each year . Our goal this year is to raise more than $250,000 for our students ...
Uniform
Uniform. SCHOOL DRESS CODE. Presentation Parish School uniform dress code is designed to be a cooperative effort among parent (s) and/or guardians (s), students, teachers, and administration. As the primary educators of their children, all parents and/or guardians need to actively monitor and supervise their children's dress for school.
Tuition and fees
Contact: Address: PRESENTATION NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL, P.O.BOX, 9255, UGBEKUN BENIN CITY, EDO STATE. Phone: 08052772787 E-mail: [email protected]
High School Softball Rule Changes for Uniforms, Equipment Announced by
No slogans or unofficial school nicknames will be permitted on the uniform. An additional uniform change for the 2024 season was approved in Rule 3-2-5, which more clearly defines what can be worn on the head to be consistent with other NFHS sports. Changes to Rule 3-2-7 clarify where wristbands with a playbook/playcard attached can be worn.
Presentation on High School Uniform: Importance for Students
This presentation on high school uniform was created by one of the EssayShark experts, and we have published it on our blog to show you what a good presentation looks like. If you have enjoyed this work, it will be better to acquire new ideas and use the design layout for your own work. If you experience difficulties with creating your own ...
PDF Nfhs Basketball Legal Uniforms
National Federation of State High School Associations NFHS BASKETBALL LEGAL UNIFORMS. BASKETBALL UNIFORMS LEGAL STYLES/DESIGNS Uniform jerseys must comply with all rules listed in 3-4, 3-5 and 3-6 Uniform rules are concise and clear regarding what is, and what is not, ... PowerPoint Presentation