I was over on Fort Carson today and was on my way off-post when the sounds of the bugle announced the flag lowering ceremony was begining. I started to look for a place to pull over, get out of the car, stand at attention with hand over heart as prescribed in regulations. No one was stopping. I wasn't about to stop in the flow and since there was no room to pull over, I kept on, too. But I thought about it for a minute, about how things have changed and how some of those things should never have changed. I talked to MamaCharlie about it as we motored stately out of the gate into the Swirl. We shared memories of flag ceremonies in our past and what it felt like to have the opportunity to honor the flag on a regular basis.
The flag lowering ceremony is called "Retreat" and has nothing at all to do with running away. In the morning the flag is raised to the tune of "Reville". When you hear it, you face the flag, or the music if you can't see the flag, and salute until it is over. In the evening, the ceremony consists of two parts, "Retreat" is played first and when you hear it, you stand at attention and face the flag or the music. When Retreat is over, you render a salute, or if in civies you put your hand over your heart and the second tune plays, called "To the Colors". During "To the Colors", the flag is acutually lowered. When it is over, you can go about your business. In some circumstances, the National Anthem is played at the lowering. Any time the National Anthem is played outside, you face the flag, or the music, and salute until it is over. Anyone with any military experience at all knows all this, but perhaps a reader or two didn't. So that is it.
In basic training a group of us were given tickets to the races at Laguna Seca, a park and race facility that butts up against the south side of Fort Ord. We were required to go in Class A uniform...but what the heck, it was a day at the races. We no sooner got off the bus than the National Anthem played at the start of the race activities. After a few seconds of confusion (it was the first time we had been let out in public...in uniform...without adult supervision) we figured out we were supposed to salute, so we did. It was the first time I stood out in the world and did something soldierly...I felt foolish at the confusion because once I hit the brace (came to attention) and popped a salute I felt ten feet tall. I have had many opportunities since then to honor the flag in public, and every time I do, I still feel that surge of pride at the privilege.
Our quarters (our family's apartment on post) at Patch Barracks were in a four story, three stairwell building. Ours faced the square where the flagpole was. Across the street and to the left of our building there was a playground between a couple of other buildings. It was always so cool to watch the little kids stop playing when the first notes of Retreat sounded. On one occasion MamaCharlie saw at least 30 kids on the playground all stop at the same moment. It was spontaneous...no adults...no stragglers. They all stood straight and tall and still. When To the Colors played, they all popped their little hands over their hearts and as soon as the music stopped, they roared back into play. It was such a natural thing to them and it happened every day. I was so proud of them all. On occasion I even found a couple of my boys inside standing by the window for Retreat.
At every military theater, the National Anthem is played before the movie. I remember how good my kids always were, standing tall and patient.
I have weighed all the pros and cons of military life's affect on my kids. There are hard parts to it for sure. But one of the very best things about it has been the up-close-and-personal experience with patriotism...patriotism in deed, not just word. My kids have known real heroes, have seen the sacrifices military personnel and their families make and understand the purpose of those sacrifices. I see in each of my children a real love of country gained by comparison with other countries. And each of them knows how to pay honor to those who serve. And they know how to honor the flag they each love.
On the way to church on the fourth of July weekend, 1976, we passed the cemetary that was just across the fence. There were flags out on each grave, celebrating the Bicentenial. We remarked on this and some how the subject of the Pledge of Allegiance came up. I told the boys that most grown-ups don't have the chance to say the pledge unless they are scout leaders or school teachers. Most of us, even in the Army, didn't say the pledge every day like school kids got to. It was Fast and Testimony Sunday and Hyperborean Wanderer wanted to go up and say his testimony. MamaCharlie was in the foyer calming an upset MamieLady and I was pinned to the pew by a heavily sleeping Toothache's Revenge. But he had done it alone before so I let him go on his own. When he got up there, after a few moments of silence, one of the adults on the stand stood to help him out but he waved them off...then asked the whole congregation to stand up. There was some hesitation and reluctance but he encouraged them along and invited them to say the Pledge of Allegiance with him. He was six years old.
I attended the 7th US Army NCO Academy at Bad Toelz, Germany. The last class of the course was called, "Duty, Honor, Country". It was an intense hour of tribute to the three subjects of the title. Yeah, I know...flag-waving and Rah Rah. But in that class of serious, hard-core, career soldiers there wasn't a dry eye at its conclusion.
I worry about how things have changed...and how some of those things should never have changed.