HONORS TO NATIONAL ANTHEMS AND NATIONAL ENSIGNS

1204. Manner of playing National Anthems.

1. The National Anthem of the United States, “The Star Spangled Banner,” when played by a
   naval band, shall be played in its entirety as written and as prescribed in the official U.S. Navy
   Band arrangement, which is designated the official Department of Defense arrangement.
2. The playing of the National Anthem of the United States, or of any other country, as part of a
   medley is prohibited.
3. When a foreign national anthem is prescribed in connection with honors, and it is considered
   appropriate to perform the National Anthem of the United States therewith, the National Anthem
   of the United States will be performed last.
4. On other occasions when a foreign national anthem (or anthems) is performed, the National
   Anthem of the United States will be performed last, except when performed in conjunction with
   morning colors described in Article 1206.

1205. Procedure during playing of National Anthem.

1. Whenever the National Anthem is played, all naval service personnel not in formation shall stand at attention and face the national ensign. In the event that the national ensign is not displayed, they shall face the source of the music. When covered, they shall come to the salute at the first note of the anthem, and shall remain at the salute until the last note of the anthem. Persons in formation are brought to order arms or called to attention as appropriate. The formation commander shall face in the direction of the ensign or, in the absence of the ensign, shall face in the direction of the music and shall render the appropriate salute for the unit. Persons in formation participating in a ceremony shall, on command, follow the procedure prescribed for the ceremony. Persons in vehicles or in boats shall follow the procedure prescribed in the following article for such persons during colors. Persons in civilian clothes shall comply with the rules and customs established for civilians.
2. The same marks of respect prescribed during the playing of the National Anthem shall be shown during the playing of a foreign national anthem.

1206. Morning and evening colors.

1. The ceremonial hoisting and lowering of the national ensign at 0800 and sunset at a naval command ashore or aboard a ship of the Navy not under way shall be known as morning and evening colors, respectively, and shall be carried out as prescribed in this article.
2. The guard of the day and the band shall be paraded in the vicinity of the point of hoist of the ensign.
3. “Attention” shall be sounded, followed by the playing of the National Anthem by the band.
4. At morning colors, the ensign shall be started up at the beginning of the music and hoisted smartly to the peak or truck. At evening colors, the ensign shall be started from the peak or truck at the beginning of the music and the lowering so regulated as to be completed at the last note. 
5. At the completion of the music, “Carry On” shall be sounded.
6. In the absence of a band, or an appropriate recording to be played over a public address system, “To the Colors” shall be played by the bugle at morning colors, and “Retreat” at evening colors. The salute shall be rendered as prescribed for the National Anthem.
7. In the absence of music, “Attention” and “Carry On” shall be the signals for rendering and terminating the salute. “Carry On” shall be sounded as soon as the ensign is completely lowered.
8. During colors, a boat under way within sight or hearing of the ceremony shall lie to, or shall proceed at the slowest safe speed. The boat officer, or the coxswain in the absence of the boat officer, shall stand and salute except when dangerous to do so. Other persons in the boat shall remain seated or standing and shall not salute.
9. During colors, vehicles within sight or hearing of the ceremony shall be stopped. Persons riding in such vehicles shall remain seated at attention.
10. After morning colors, if foreign warships are present, the national anthem of each nation so represented shall be played in the order in which a gun salute would be fired to, or exchanged with, the senior official or officer present of each such nation; provided that, when in a foreign port, the national anthem of the port shall be played immediately after morning colors, followed by the national anthems of other foreign nations represented.

1207. Salutes to the national ensign.

1. Each person in the naval service, upon coming on board a ship of the Navy, shall salute the national ensign if it is flying. He or she shall stop on reaching the upper platform of the accommodation ladder, or the shipboard end of the brow, face the national ensign, and render the salute, after which he or she shall salute the officer of the deck. On leaving the ship, he or she shall render the salutes in inverse order. The officer of the deck shall return both salutes in each case.
   1. After rendering the appropriate salute to the national ensign, an officer coming on board a ship to which he or she is attached shall report his or her return. An officer coming on board a ship to which he or she is not attached shall request permission to come on board and shall state his or her business. An enlisted person shall request permission to come on board, and shall state his or her business if the ship is not the one to which he or she is attached.
   2. After rendering the appropriate salute to the officer of the deck, an officer shall state that he or she has permission to leave. An enlisted person shall request permission to leave.
2. A member not in uniform shall render appropriate honors to the national ensign by facing the flag and standing at attention with the right hand over the heart. If covered, men shall remove their headdress with the right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart.
3. Each person in the naval service in uniform, upon being passed by or passing a military formation carrying the national ensign uncased shall render the hand salute. A member not in uniform being passed by or passing such a formation shall face the flag and stand at attention with the left hand over the heart. If covered, men shall remove the headdress and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in vehicles or boats shall follow the procedure prescribed for such persons during colors.
4. The salutes prescribed in this article shall also be rendered to foreign national flags and ensigns and aboard foreign men-of-war, unless to do so would cause embarrassment or misunderstanding. Aboard foreign men-of-war, the practice of the host nation maybe followed, if known.

1208. “Hail to the Chief,”

1. The traditional music selection “Hail to the Chief’ is designated as a musical tribute to the President of the United States, and as such will not be performed by naval bands as a tribute to other dignitaries. The same honors as accorded during renditions of the National Anthem or “To the Colors” will be given to “Hail to the Chief’ by naval personnel.
2. When performed by naval bands, renditions of “Hail to the Chief’ shall be as prescribed in the official U.S. Marine Band arrangement, which is designated as the official Department of Defense arrangement.