What Are Your Memories Of The Colors?

When the NFL played the FIRST game in Europe, I was there representing the Army. It was awesome to see some of the players in real life. I thought many were giants on TV but to stand next to an offisive lineman and he's not much taller or bigger than you was cool. To see Peyton Manning thinking he was tall as hell and he's my height made the NFL seem more human than legendary. The ONLY downside was after the game we were at the locker rooms with our game balls to be signed. Three balls were circulated one for me and two for the NCOIC. Two balls went home. Mine was taken by the AFN rep with a promise he'd get it back to me (he was supposed to go inside and get more signatures). I never got it back. But I was there on Wenbly Field (hallowed ground in England), supporting my unit, country, and myself. http://www.usafe.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123074004

My memories are the colors flying at hast mast in memory of my fallen comrades, the passing of the colors at my change of command as incoming infantry company commander in February 1985 and outgoing company commander in September 1986 at Fort Benning, and the trooping of the colors at countless parades as a cadet at West Point and a half dozen at Fort Benning SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL.
I don't know how many times I paused while walking or got of my car to honor the lowering of the colors each day at Retreat at Army posts from Fort Lenard Wood in 1974 through Fort Benning in 2008 and many more locations in between.

For me, SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL, it would be standing reveille and retreat everyday at OCS. Both events were conducted with precision by all and conducted no matter what. Many thought it a pain, but I've always enjoyed both ceremonies and the accompanying bugle calls.