Pre-Pledge Tribute for the week of January 27 - February 1, 2020 - FLAG STEWARD - Caretaker of Our Flag (half-staff alerts)

[ This week's Pre-Pledge Tribute, for Feb. 3 - 8 will be posted Monday night ]

[ Note: We recommend 3 student-speakers lead and read aloud the 3 parts of the pre-Pledge ceremony. And, assign 1 student to handle the ceremony tech - showing with a laptop or mobile device the ceremony on a screen. Select the 4 presenting students on Monday or Tuesday and have them practice the Pre-PLedge Tribute so on Friday they can give a good, clear, loud ceremony for their classmates ;) Do not read aloud any text with [ brackets ] around it. ONLY READ THE TEXT IN BLUE. ]

[ SPEAKER 1 - read blue text only]

Good morning / afternoon / evening, __(insert name of your group - like "Heritage Elementary" or "Scout Troop" or "Rotary Club")__.
Welcome to the Pre-Pledge Tribute for the week of January 27th to February 1st

Half-Staff Alerts for February 2
U.S. Flags are full staff across 44 of 50 states
...All Flags across New Jersey and North Carolina are half-staff...
...And, there are citywide/countywide half-staffs in West Hollywood, California, Sangamon County & Springfield, Illinois, Los Angeles, California, Hamilton County, Ohio, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania...
[ GO HERE to review details about the half-staffs and their honorees - including portraits ]

[ SPEAKER 2 - read blue text only ]

THIS WEEK'S REMINDER FROM OUR FLAG:
... 17 space pioneers who should not be forgotten ...

[ Statue of Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton, in the U.S. Capitol rotunda = public domain image ]

During this week in U.S. history, we remember and honor 17 astronauts who died while leading America's race for control of outer space. The Apollo 1 mission, on January 27, 1967, the Space Shuttle Challenger flight on January 28, 1986, and the Space Shuttle Columbia mission on February 1, 2003, all ended in disaster. This year, we are going to review the Apollo 1 spaceship accident.

[ Apollo 1 astronauts Chaffee, White, and Grissom (left to right) =public domain image ]

On January 27, 1967, astronauts Roger Chaffee, Ed White, and Virgil Grissom died inside their practice Apollo 1 spaceship. A fire started while they were training. They were not able to get out of the practice spaceship in time. As space pioneers, their brave work helped America to win the space race.

[ SPEAKER 3 - read blue text only ]

THIS WEEK'S FALLEN PATRIOTS TO HONOR:

Thankfully, there were no soldiers killed in Global War on Terror (GWOT) combat zones this past week.

... But, back on the homefront ...

Sadly, ... there were 2 police officers and 3 firefighters who died in the line of duty last week. The 2 fallen police officers were Officer Enriquez and Officer Kalama of the Honolulu Police Department. And, the 3 fallen firefighters were Fire Marshall Smith in Connecticut, Chief Tittle in Texas, and Firefighter Cash in Georgia.
We honor and thank these patriots for serving and protecting their communities.

[ To review details of these first responder LODDs (Line of Duty Deaths), please visit the
Officer Down Memorial Page and Firehouse.com LODDs page ]

Now, please, stand, place your hand upon your heart, and make this Pledge of Allegiance more meaningful
by honoring Our Flag and all the stories it tells.

Thanks for participating in today's
Flag Steward Pre-Pledge Tribute
Now, go be a good citizen!!!

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END OF CEREMONY
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In God We Trust
(Official motto of the United States of America)

The U.S. Flag Code:
provides Our Flag's Rules and Regulations

[HIGHLIGHTS OF: The U.S. Flag Code stating how citizens should conduct themselves during this ceremony is below.]

Title 36, Chapter 10 PATRIOTIC CUSTOMS
National anthem; Star-Spangled Banner, conduct during playing:
During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of the anthem and retain this position until the last note. When the flag is not displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed there.
Note: A new law was passed on October 30, 2008 that authorizes veterans and active-duty military not in uniform can now render the military-style hand salute during the playing of the national anthem. This publication is currently being updated to reflect the new law.

Pledge of Allegiance to the flag; manner of delivery:
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.", should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute.