Change of Responsibility Script

October 24, 2016 Dan Elder

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COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR

CHANGE OF RESPONSIBILITY Script CEREMONY
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

BAND: From 1045 until 1100 plays appropriate music, and the Color
Guard takes its initial position.

PARTICIPATING UNITS: All MSC/Battalion/Company, the Honor Company, and

HHC, Your Unit Name on the final line at “Parade Rest” NLT 1050 hours.

NARRATOR: At 1058 announces “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE CEREMONY

WILL BEGIN IN TWO MINUTES. PLEASE MOVE TO YOUR SEATS AND TURN
OFF ALL CELL PHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES.”

NARRATOR: At 1100 “GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. ON

BEHALF OF THE COMMANDER OF “Unit Name,” WELCOME TO OUR CHANGE
OF RESPONSIBILITY CEREMONY. THIS MORNING, COMMAND SERGEANT
MAJOR CSM1 Name WILL RELINQUISH RESPONSIBILITY AS THE Your Unit
Name SERGEANT MAJOR1 TO COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR CSM2
Name. WE EXTEND A SINCERE WELCOME TO OUR DISTINGUISHED
GUESTS. (PROTOCOL will provide the list just prior to the ceremony)THE
COMMANDER OF TROOPS TODAY IS COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR Name.
THE CEREMONY WILL BEGIN WHEN THE COT SOUNDS ATTENTION.”

COT: Commands “Sound Attention.”

BAND: Sounds ATTENTION

UNITS: (AFTER THE LAST NOTE OF “Attention”), Each Unit CSM (or 1SGs)
will come to attention. In sequence, starting from Unit I, over the right
shoulder and command “Command Attention.” Colors will take their
commands from Unit II.

NARRATOR: “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE STAND FOR THE ARRIVAL OF

THE OFFICIAL PARTY.”

***NOTE: When the Official Party has halted at their post, COT faces
about and commands, “Bring your units to Present, Arms”. Each Unit CSM (or
1SGs), in
sequence, starting from Unit I, over the right shoulder and command
“Command Present Arms.” Each Unit CSM comes to Present Arms. Colors
will take their commands from Unit II.

(OPTIONAL FOR GO COMMANDS) BAND: Plays ruffles and flourishes and the
Generals march.

Senior Commander: Commander returns salute (at the completion of honors,

if used).

COT: Comes to Order Arms and faces about, then commands “Bring your unit
to Order Arms”

UNIT CSM: Each Unit CSM, in sequence, starting from Unit I, over the right
shoulder and command “Command Order Arms.” Each Unit CSM comes to
“Order Arms.” Colors will
take their commands from Unit II.

NARRATOR: “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE BE SEATED.”

CSM1 Name: Marches forward and halts two steps in front of the Color Guard
and faces about, commands over his right shoulder “Forward, March”– the
COT and colors take 6 steps forward and COT commands, “Mark Time,
March” and “Halt.”
***NOTE: When colors are halted, the COT salutes and says, “SIR, THE
COLORS ARE PRESENT”.

COMMANDER: Directs “PRESENT THE COMMAND.”

COT: Marches to right of center, halts, faces right, and directs “Bring
your units to Present, Arms”; Each Unit CSM, in sequence, starting from Unit
I, over
the right shoulder and command “Command Present Arms.” Each Unit CSM
comes to Present
Arms. After all units are at Present Arms, COT faces about and directs,
“Colors,
Present, Arms” and comes to Present Arms himself.

NARRATOR: “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE STAND FOR THE NATIONAL

ANTHEM.”

BAND: Plays the NATIONAL ANTHEM.

NARRATOR: At the conclusion of the national anthems, “LADIES AND

GENTLEMEN PLEASE BE SEATED.”

COT: Execute Order Arms and commands “Colors, Order Arms.” COT faces
about and commands “Bring your units to Order Arms.” Each Unit CSM, in
sequence, starting from Unit I, over the right shoulder and command
“Command Order Arms.” Each Unit CSM comes to Order Arms.

COT: Executes an About Face.

NARRATOR: THE CHANGE OF RESPONSIBILITY IS A SIMPLE YET

TRADITIONAL EVENT THAT IS RICH WITH SYMBOLISM AND HERITAGE. THE
KEY TO THE CEREMONY IS THE PASSING OF THE Unit’s
Name COLORS. THE VERY SOUL OF A MILITARY UNIT IS SYMBOLIZED IN THE
COLORS UNDER
WHICH IT FIGHTS, FOR THEY REPRESENT NOT ONLY THE LINAGE AND
HONORS OF THE UNIT,
BUT ALSO THE LOYALTY AND UNITY OF ITS SOLDIERS. THE CUSTODIAN OF
THE COLORS IS
THE Unit Name SERGEANT MAJOR, WHO IS THE SENIOR ENLISTED SOLDIER
IN THE Unit
name AND PRINCIPAL ADVISOR TO THE COMMANDER. THE COMMANDER OF
TROOPS, COMMAND
SERGEANT MAJOR Name WILL PROVIDE THE COLORS TO COMMAND
SERGEANT MAJOR Name. THE
PASSING OF THE COLORS SYMBOLIZES THE TRANSFER OF COMMAND
RESPONSIBILITY AND
AUTHORITY FROM COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR outgoing CSM1 Name TO
COMMAND SERGEANT
MAJOR Incoming CSM2 Name. THIS DEMONSTRATES TO THE SOLDIERS OF
THE Unit name
THAT COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR Name HAS PASSED THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE Unit Name
TO COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR Name, AND WITH THIS ALSO PASSES THE
LOYALTY AND UNITY
OF THE SOLDIERS.

CSM1 Name: (As the narrator begins to read passing of the colors narration)
march forward and halt one step in front of the Your Unit Name colors.
Remove the Your Unit Name colors from the color bearer’s sling with the right
hand above the left hand, and faces about.

COMMANDER, CSM1 NAME AND CSM2 NAME:

(Simultaneously) the official party moves forward to within four steps of the
colors and halts. The CSMs will take one additional step.

CSM1 NAME: Command “Center Face”. Both CSMs will face each other.

NARRATOR: BY AUTHORITY OF ARMY REGULATION 600-20, COMMAND

SERGEANT MAJOR Incoming CSM2 Name ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY AS THE
Unit’s Name SERGEANT MAJOR AND CUSTODIAN OF THE
Unit’s Name COLORS EFFECTIVE APRIL 13, 2016.

COT: Upon completion of reading the assumption of responsibility order step

forward and present the Your Unit Name colors to CSM1 Name.

CSM1 NAME: Grasp the Your Unit Name colors with the left hand above the
right hand. Then pass the Your Unit Name colors to Senior Offical.

COMMANDER: Grasp the colors with the right hand above the left and, in
turn, pass the Your Unit Name colors to CSM2 Name.

CSM2 NAME: Grasp the Your Unit Name colors with the left hand above the
right hand. Then
pass the colors to the COT.

COT: Grasp colors with the right hand above the left hand.

NARRATOR: COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR Name WILL NOW RETURN THE

Unit’s Name COLORS TO THE Your Unit Name COLOR GUARD WHO
EXEMPLIFY THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF DISCIPLINE, CONDUCT AND
MILITARY EXPERTISE THAT GO WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BEARING THE
FLAG THAT
REPRESENTS Unit Moto.

CSM1 NAME: Command “Center Face”. On Command, CSM1 Name and CSM2
Name
execute facing movements in the direction to face the colors.

COT: On command, face about and return the colors to the color bearer’s
sling.

CSM1 NAME: Command ” About Face” On the Command, COMMANDER, CSM1

Name and CSM2
Name face about and return to and exchange positions (CSM1 Name should
hesitate to allow CSM2 Name to pass).

COT: On the Command, step to the right as in marching and return to initial
position. Then execute a left face and assume the position of parade rest.

NARRATOR: “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MRS. CSM1 Wife name IS NOW BEING
PRESENTED A BOUQUET OF RED ROSES.

USHER: Presents flowers to Mrs. CSM1 Wife name.

NARRATOR: “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MRS. CSM2 Wife name IS NOW BEING
PRESENTED A BOUQUET OF YELLOW ROSES.

USHER: Presents flowers to Mrs. CSM2 Wife name.

NARRATOR: ” LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE COMMANDER OF THE Unit

Name,
Commander Name.”

COMMANDER: Comes forward and gives his remarks. After completion of his
remarks, moves back to his position

NOTE: CSMs come to parade rest during speeches.

NARRATOR: ” LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE OUTGOING SERGEANT MAJOR,

COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR CSM1 name.”

CSM1 NAME:
Moves to the podium and gives remarks. Returns to outgoing position or to
seat.

NARRATOR: ” LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR

OF THE Unit Name, COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR CSM2 name.”
CSM2 NAME:
Moves to the podium and gives remarks. Returns to incoming position.

COT: (Once CSM2 Name moves to the front of the podium), assumes the
position ofAttention and executes an About Face and commands, “Bring your
units to Attention.” After all units are at attention, Then Commands “Colors,
Post (pause) March.”

A: On the command “Post” the following actions occur at the same time:

1. Color Guard Reverse Colors and halt.

2. The COT executes a Right Face.

***NOTE: On the command “March” the following actions occur at the same
time:

A: Color Guard marches to its original position, executes Reverse Colors, and
halts.

B: COT marches to his original position and waits until Colors are halted, then
executes a Left Face. Once the Colors finish moving, COT executes
an About Face.

NARRATOR: “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLAYING

AND SINGING OF THE ARMY SONG. PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE
RETIRING OF THE COLORS.”

BAND: PLAYS “ARMY SONG”.

COT: Presents Arms and says,“SIR, THIS CONCLUDES THE CEREMONY.”

COMMANDER: Returns salute.

COT: Executes About Face.

COLOR GUARD: Executes Right Wheel, then marches out of the gym.

COT: Once Colors have departed, “SERGEANTS MAJOR AND FIRST

SERGEANTS, TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR
UNITS.”

NARRATOR: “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS CONCLUDES TODAY’S

ACTIVITIES. PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO WISH COMMAND
SERGEANT MAJOR1 Name FAREWELL. THERE IS A WELCOMING RECEPTION
FOR COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR2 Name OVER AT _______PLACE.”