XXXXXXXX Squadron Activation Ceremony
Revision #1 Date:
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
0900
Coordinate all names for DV introductions
0915
Extra copy of script on podium
0915
All items to be presented on aide’s table (i.e. Unit Citations)
0930
Narrator in place
0930
Chaplain in place
0930
Honor Guard in place
0930
Escorts in place
0945
Guests arrive
0955
Official party in place
0955
Background 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
437TH XXXX 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 officer returns 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, WILL PASS
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.