ANNEX I
Guidelines for Change of Command Ceremonies
The following guidelines are provided as a reference aid:
DATE AND TIME
The officer being relieved should establish the date for the change of command subject to the concurrence of the relief and his immediate superiors. The change of command should generally not be scheduled for Saturday afternoons, Sundays, or national holidays. The time for the ceremony should be one which will be convenient for guests, and also will give the host ship time to make the many preparations. Normally, the change of command can be best scheduled to commence between 0945 and 1100.
Invitations. The preparations and mailing of invitations is the responsibility of the officer being relieved. The officer is also responsible for ensuring that invitations are sent to the “official family,” which includes Commanders, Commanding Officers, Chief of Staff, Chief Staff Officers, etc., of all local units and activities, as he/she knows better than his/her relief. Inasmuch as the invitations should be mailed two to three weeks before the ceremony, the relieving officer should forward his/her guest list in ample time. The officer being relieved should screen this list to eliminate duplication.
A pre-addressed postcard or an envelope with a card should accompany the invitations to facilitate the R.S.V.P. Consideration should also be given to enclosing gate passes, parking permits, and boat schedules, if applicable.
If inclement weather would necessitate a shift in location or time of ceremony, a card with these details should be prepared and enclosed.
The command should keep an accurate and up-to-date list of acceptances and regrets as they are received. Numbering R.S.V.P. cards is helpful as some invited guests will not print or write their names clearly.
CHANGE OF COMMAND MESSAGE
At least a week in advance of the ceremony, a message announcing the change of command should be sent to the Senior Officer Present Afloat (SOPA).
The SOPA message is customarily used to invite interested fleet officers and their spouses to the change of command. An example of a typical change of command message follows:
“1. LCDR A. B. SEA, USN, WILL BE RELIEVED AS COMMANDING OFFICER, USS NEVERSAIL (YZ 0000) BY LCDR W. T. DOOR, USN, IN CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONIES 1000,5 OCT 98 AT PIER 4, NAVSTA, SDIEGO.
2. ALL INTERESTED PERSONNEL AND THEIR SPOUSES ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND. UNIFORM FOR ATTENDEES IS AS FOLLOWS:
OFFICERS - (Speci&)
ENLISTED – (Specify)
CIVILIANS - (Specify)
3. REQ SOPA ADMIN SAN DIEGO PASS TO ALL SHIPS PRESENT SAN DIEGO. REQ COMELEVEN PASS TO ALL SHORE ACTIVITIES SAN DIEGO AREA.”
PROGRAMS
Programs for the occasion are not only helpful for the guests, but often serve as souvenirs of this memorable event. Print shops are available for printing change of command programs. Under normal circumstances, allow at least 10 working days for preparation of the programs. Inclusion of the following items is desirable:
- Command insignia, and/or good picture of ship or command.
- List of official party and their titles.
- Schedule of events for the ceremony. The schedule of events should be detailed enough to provide guidance for civilian guests who may not be familiar with the customs and courtesies of the military. Make a note on the program as to when guests will be expected to rise and be seated.
- Brief biography and photograph of the Commander/Commanding Officer and the Prospective Commander/Commanding Officer. A biography and photograph of the guest speaker may also be included, if desired.
- List of previous commanders/commanding officers, with dates of command.
- A summary history of the ship or command maybe included, if desired.
PARTICIPATION OF SENIORS
Since the change of command ceremony is an event conducted by and in the interests of the two officers concerned and in view of the limited space available inmost cases, a maximum of two seniors (the immediate superior in command and one other) is recommended for participation with one being the norm. The guest speaker (senior participant) should be invited to speak as far in advance as possible, A written invitation to the senior participant and guest speakers is appropriate.
BANDS
If at all possible, make arrangements for a band. A band’s presence permits the proper rendering of honors to flag officers and adds zest and a military atmosphere to the entire proceedings. Requests should be made in writing for record purposes.
REHEARSAL
A complicated change of command ceremony requires a complete rehearsal (less the principals) the day before the ceremony. A rehearsal precludes awkward situations and serves to alert those involved to flaws in their planning. The lectern, public address system, chairs for the principals, and other miscellaneous hardware should be in place and the equipment operating for the rehearsal so that, adequacy, positioning, spacing, etc., can be checked on the spot. The more attention paid to details at the rehearsal, the more nearly flawless will be the actual ceremony.
FOUL WEATHER PLAN
Have a complete and rehearsed, foul weather plan for quick implementation, if needed.
CHANGE OF COMMAND NOTICE
Prior to the ceremony, commands should issue a change of command notice. This notice should have as its enclosures, the following:
- Schedule of events (fair weather).
- Diagram of ceremonial area (fair weather).
- Schedule of events (foul weather).
- Diagram of ceremonial area (foul weather).
- Detailed list of services and equipment desired.
INFORMING NEARBY SHIPS
Ensure that nearby ships, especially any ship alongside, are kept informed of your plans. Don’t hesitate to let them know what you expect of them by way of cooperation in making your ceremony a success. Request that ships in the area use MC systems topside during ceremony only in emergency.
TRAFFIC CONTROL
Coordinate with adjacent or host activities to work out any traffic control problems anticipated.
PARKING
Make arrangements for adequate parking near the ship so as to preclude long walks for guests. Care should be taken, however, to ensure that official cars park sufficiently clear of the brow or ceremonial area to maintain a clear path for subsequent arrivals.
USHERS/USHERETTES
Junior officers should serve as ushers/usherettes for all guests and unescorted ladies. Ushers/usherettes should be lined up in a military fashion awaiting their turn. Designate an officer to be in charge of the ushers/usherettes, and make him/her responsible to see that all guests are properly escorted. Each usher/usherette should know those for whom reserved seats have been designated. When escorting a lady, a male usher should offer his right arm since swords are often worn.
THE CEREMONIAL AREA
The area should be laid out so that the guests have a good view of the platform or area where the ceremony will take place. The principals should be centrally located. If possible, they should be seated on a raised platform so as to be in full view of the audience. Two lecterns should be placed on the platform with well checked out microphones and sound amplifying system. Having a separate lectern and microphone for the Master of Ceremonies provides one of the most important “secrets” to flawlessly executing a change of command ceremony. The principals seated on the platform are: the officer being relieved, his/her relief, the participating senior, guest speaker, and chaplain. The Master of Ceremonies may also be located on the platform, but off to the side. Using the departing officer as the host figure, follow the customary alternating pattern of senior man to host’s right, second senior to his left, etc. Chairs should be located so that none of the principals are hidden by the lecterns. Guest seating should include reserved marked seats for the incumbent Commander/Commanding Officer’s family, the relieving Commander/Commanding Officer’s family, and guests of honor or their family. An aisle is recommended with the relieving officer’s family on the left side. The spouse of the ranking guest should be seated next to the spouse of the officer being relieved or immediately behind depending on the number of vacancies on the front row.
THE CEREMONY
Normally, the program of events should be as follows:
- Upon arrival of the senior participants, the Master of Ceremonies calls the crew(s) to attention and asks all guests to rise.
Members of the official party arrive in inverse order of precedence with the senior entering last, except that the relieved officer will generally precede the relieving officer, although the latter may be junior. Upon arrival at an activity with a saluting battery, all members of the official party who are entitled to honors will receive full honors less gun salute except for the senior official, whether military or civilian, who is accorded full honors.
After receiving honors, members of the official party sometimes gather at a designated point to greet members of the party as they arrive. They then proceed to their seats on the platform. An acceptable alternate calls for officers of the command to meet and escort members of the ceremonial party to their seats upon conclusion of their personal honors. As a general rule, arrival and departure honors will not be rendered to guests at a change of command ceremony. - National Anthem.
- Invocation (Master of Ceremonies requests all military personnel remain covered).
- Master of Ceremonies requests all guests to be seated.
- Remarks by senior officer.
- Presentation of award (if appropriate)
- Remarks and reading of orders by the person being relieved (only those parts of the orders pertinent to the change of command should be read – address, subject, brief of content and signature).
- The person being relieved orders his/her flag or pennant hauled down. Full honors as appropriate and presentation of his/her flag/pennant.
- The person relieving reads his/her orders (pertinent parts only), assumes command, orders his/her flag or pennant broken, and receives full honors as appropriate. He/she reports assumption of command to his/her immediate superior, if present, and makes remarks as desired.
- Master of Ceremonies request all guests to rise and military personnel to remain covered.
- Departure honors for the official party.
- Master of Ceremonies announces conclusion of ceremony.
For your convenience here is Sample Checklist For Project Officers