XXXXXXXX Squadron Activation Ceremony
Revision #1Date:
Friday, 26 July 02
1000-1100
Charleston Club
Uniform:
Official Party: Service Dress
Chaplain: Service Dress
Narrator: Service Dress
Military Audience: UOD
Flight: Flight Suits/UOD
Players:
Official Party:
Chaplain:
Narrator:
Project Officer:
Protocol:
PRE-CEREMONY
Day Prior: PA System in place and operational
Day Prior: Podium, flags, unit flag/casing in place; DV seat tags on chairs
0900Coordinate all names for DV introductions
0915Extra copy of script on podium
0915All items to be presented on aide’s table (i.e. Unit Citations)
0930Narrator in place
0930Chaplain in place
0930Honor Guard in place
0930Escorts in place
0945Guests arrive
0955Official party in place
0955Background Music stopped to begin ceremony (music optional)
NARRATOR: GOOD MORNING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS A PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU TO CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU TO MUTE ALL BEEPERS, CELL PHONES AND WATCHES. DURING TODAY’S CEREMONY YOU WILL WITNESS THE ACTIVATION OF THE XXXXXXX SQUADRON AND THE ASSUMPTION OF COMMAND BY XXXXXXXXXXX.
XXXXXXXXX (name/title), IS OUR OFFICIATOR FOR TODAY'S CEREMONY
AMONG THE MANY DISTINGUISHED MILITARY AND CIVILIAN GUESTS WITH US THIS MORNING ARE:
Enter according to RSVPs in order referencing 437 AW Ceremony Introductions
WE ARE PLEASED TO EXTEND A SPECIAL WELCOME TO XXXXXXXXXXX,TO REPRESENT OUR PAST 16 AIRLIFT SQUADRON COMMANDERS
WE ALSO WELCOME ALL GROUP AND SQUADRON COMMANDERS, CHIEFS AND FIRST SEARGENTS, AND ALL OTHER MEMBERS OF TEAM CHARLESTON THAT COULD TAKE TIME FROM THEIR BUSY SCHEDULES TO BE HERE TODAY.
THE WORD "SQUADRON" IS DERIVED FROM THE LATIN “QUADRILE” MEANING SQUARE AND IN ARMY APPLICATION DESCRIBES A BODY OF TROOPS OR CALVARY DRAWN INTO A SQUARE OR ARRANGED IN FORMAL ORDER. THE WIDESPREAD ADOPTION OF THE FLYING SQUADRON MODEL WAS IMPLEMENTED BY GEN HAP ARNOLD, COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II AS "THE SMALLEST ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION PRACTICALLY UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED FOR AIR UNITS."
TODAY THIS SQUADRON DESIGN STILL ENDURES AND CONTINUES TO GIVE FORMAL ORDER TO US AIR FORCE ASSETS. AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 38-101, "AIR FORCE ORGANIZATION," DEFINES THE SQUADRON AS "THE BASIC UNIT OF THE AIR FORCE."
TODAY’S CEREMONY IS UNIQUE BECAUSE WE NOT ONLY ACTIVATE A FLYING SQUADRON, BUT WE ALSO ASSIGN A NEW COMMANDER.
FROM ANCIENT TIMES, ARMIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD HAVE
CONDUCTED CEREMONIES TO COMMEMORATE SPECIAL OCCASIONS SUCH AS THE ASSUMPTION OF COMMAND. EVEN AS LATE AS THE CIVIL WAR, IT WAS COMMON FOR THE SOLDIERS IN THE FIELD TO BE UNAWARE OF WHO THEIR COMMANDERS WERE OR WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE. THE FORMAL ASSUMPTION OF COMMAND AFFORDS OUR AIRMEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS THE FORMAL ASSIGNMENT OF THE AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY OF COMMAND IN THEIR SQUADRON.
NARRATOR: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE RISE FOR THE ENTRANCE OF THE OFFICIAL PARTY AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE POSTING OF THE COLORS, AND THE PLAYING OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
(Flt/CC: Flight Attention)
The official party enters.
After the official party is in place Honor Guard Present Colors.
National Anthem Cued and Played
CAFB Honor Guard posts the Colors.
NARRATOR: PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION GIVEN BY CHAPLAIN XXXXXXX.
Invocation
NARRATOR: PLEASE BE SEATED…
NARRATOR: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME THE 437TH XXXXXXXXXXX (Officiator).
Officiator gives his remarks
NARRATOR: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE RISE FOR THE ACTIVATION CEREMONY AND ASSUMPTION OF COMMAND.
Pause while Shirt posts flag
Officiator moves to center stage to unfurl guidon
NARRATOR: ATTENTION TO ORDERS
SPECIAL ORDER: GAXP-XX
BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE, THE XXXXXXXX SQUADRON IS ACTIVATED AT CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE SOUTH CAROLINA EFFECTIVE DD MMM YYY. CONCURRENT WITH ACTIVATION, THE XXX IS ASSIGNED TO THE 437THXXXX GROUP.
SIGNED XXXXX, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, DIRECTOR OF PLANS AND PROGRAMS.
At completion of reading orders the guide dips the guidon.
The officiator watches as activating Officer uncases the flag.
The guide slowly unfurls the guidon and raises the guidon.
The guide passes guidon to activating officer.
Activating officer passes guidon to officiator.
Officiator: “Sir, I activate the XXXXXX Squadron”
Officiator passes guidon to guide.
Activating officerreturns to seat.
Incoming commander approaches and faces Officiator at center stage.
NARRATOR: AND NOW LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, OFFICIATOR’S RANK/NAME WILL PRESIDE AS INCOMING COMMANDER RANK/NAME ASSUMES COMMAND OF THE NEWLY ACTIVATED XXX SQUADRON. AS A SYMBOLIC GESTURE OF THE FORMAL ASSIGNMENT OF COMMAND, THE OFFICIATOR, RANK/NAME, WILLPASS THE UNIT GUIDON TO THE NEW COMMANDER, RANK/NAME.
NARRATOR: ATTENTION TO ORDERS
Reads assumption of command order.
Incoming CC salutes and addresses Officiator: “SIR, I ASSUME COMMAND”
After Officiator drops salute, incoming CC accepts flag.
Incoming CC gives flag to Guide
NARRATOR: PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME THE XXXX SQUADRON COMMANDER, INCOMING CC RANK/NAME
INCOMING CC RANK/NAME Remarks
NARRATOR: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE SINGING OF THE AIR FORCE SONG AND THE DEPARTURE OF THE OFFICIAL PARTY. WE ASK THAT YOU REMAIN IN PLACE UNTIL THE OFFICIAL PARTY HAS DEPARTED.
Sing the Air Force Song
NARRATOR: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY, THIS CONCLUDES TODAY’S CEREMONY. WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US FOR A SHORT RECEPTION AND REFRESHMENTS IN XXXX.