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Not addressed in the article is a question....

In DCA, if an honor guard is moving in a file, is it proper or improper that the national color of any other country follow directly behind the American Flag - or should they be side by side, even though the guard is in a file?

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Not addressed in the article is a question....

In DCA, if an honor guard is moving in a file, is it proper or improper that the national color of any other country follow directly behind the American Flag - or should they be side by side, even though the guard is in a file?

it was my understanding all flags are to be behing the national flag of the united states.

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It is proper for an honor guard to march in file. For a unit of American origin, the American flag will be the first flag in that file, regardless of where the performance is, (i.e. Canada, England, etc.) Any remaining national colors are to be arranged alphabetically, so as not to display any favoritism. (This is how the flags of the members are displayed at the United Nations.)

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It is proper for an honor guard to march in file. For a unit of American origin, the American flag will be the first flag in that file, regardless of where the performance is, (i.e. Canada, England, etc.) Any remaining national colors are to be arranged alphabetically, so as not to display any favoritism. (This is how the flags of the members are displayed at the United Nations.)

Thanks, Mark. That was pretty much the way I saw it, but I got into a discussion with a guy from the Optimists about it up in Rochester this past year. He maintained that all national colors should be side by side - even if the guard is in a file.

I allowed as how that wouldn't be too much of a problem when there are only two flags - U.S. and Canada - but any more than that and you might as well not even bother with the file - just use a front.

Andy

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Andyroo- Often, national colors will march in a front. Then the American flag is at the right of the group of flags, with other nations placed alphabetically, to the left. (As the group faces...) When it becomes necessary to march in a file, due to fences, gates, etc., the same rules apply, except in file instead of front. It is at the discretion of the organization, guard, or the guard's captain, as to whether the colors are displayed on a front or in a file.

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speaking from experience... judging in both the US and Canada... I find the difference in the flag etiquette very interesting... your friend from Toronto was NOT wrong...

US flag code is the only one that insists on NEVER allowing another country's flag to be ahead of or to the right of the A flag... (point of honor) A Canadian corps could honor the US flag and carry it at the "point of honor" if they so chose...

An American corps MUST carry the A Flag at the "point of honor" no matter where you are... any other national colors must be secondary even if you're in that country...

This is the LAW... not a legion - VFW - DCA or any other rule...

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