Photo By Cpl. Terry Haynes | A Marine carries the standard after evening colors aboard Marine Corps Air Station...... read more read more
Subscribe
For Marines across the Corps, there are many things that unify us in what we do as an organization and who we are as Marines the blood stripe for non-commissioned officers, annual qualifications with a service rifle, and rolling sleeves during the summer
months. None may be as important, however, as the daily tradition of morning and evening colors and the customs that follow.
“Some people may see just a simple flag flowing in the wind and appreciate it for what it is but most don’t understand the context and what it represents,” said Lt. Col. Michael Brennan, the executive officer of Marine Aircraft Group 31. “Marines in particular place pride in that symbol because Marines take pride in the history that makes up this organization.”
The Marine Corps has had a battle standard since the beginning of the American Revolution when Capt. Samuel Nicholas led a group of Marines and Sailors on a daring raid to gather supplies for the fledgling revolution during the battle of Nassau. It has followed Marines in battle from the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli. Arguably, no other branch of service takes as much pride in organization and tradition as the United States Marine Corps.
“I have the colors tattooed on my arm and everywhere I go I carry them with me,” said Sgt. Maj. Matthew Conrad, the sergeant major of Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron. “It isn’t hard to see the significance and the impact they have on our daily lives. At 8 a.m. every morning and every evening at dusk we stop whatever we are doing and turn to salute the flag and give the proper respect.”
Before we became a nation, our land flew a multitude of flags. Centuries ago, European powers such as Great Britain, France, Spain, and the Netherlands were all discoverers of the new world and each had their own individual flag that they planted wherever they explored and settled. During the American Revolution, various banners were used by the colonies. Everything from a lone pine tree, a rattle snake, and many others were used until the flag the world knows now was created.
“If you were to look at the things that drive organizations, the most successful of any size will lean back on pride in the organization,” said Brennan. “The flag is the physical representation of the trust and camaraderie of an organization and that’s why it’s so important to uphold the traditions that come with it.”
Individual battalions and squadrons have their own unit colors that are usually displayed together in the command suite. During a change of command ceremony, the incoming commanding officer accepts responsibility of command when he or she receives the colors. A color guard is appointed to take care of the colors when not in use and to carry and display them during ceremonies and other times they may be uncased.
“I learned from my father a long time ago that the flag always stands alone. A lot of people put pictures on it or decorate it; that kind of stuff never flew in my house,” said Conrad. “The flag represents more than just one thing. Taking care of it and upholding the traditions that come with it signifies what we do and our service to our country.”
| Date Taken: | 05.03.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 05.03.2018 08:17 |
| Story ID: | 275538 |
| Location: | BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 43 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Raising the Standard, by Cpl Terry Haynes, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
