VFW Memorial Day Ceremony Script (Scout Ceremony)

About This Ceremony

This is the traditional Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Memorial Day graveside ceremony. At its center is General Order No. 11, issued in 1868 by General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic - the document that established what was then called Decoration Day. That original order is in the public domain and is reproduced here in full.

This page presents the ceremony as a historical document, with context for how the observance began and practical suggestions for how Scout units and community organizations can adapt it for their own Memorial Day observances.

Decoration Day: The History of Memorial Day

Memorial Day did not arrive fully formed. It grew from grief, gratitude, and community ritual in the years following the Civil War.

By 1865, the war had claimed an estimated 620,000 soldiers on both sides. Communities, particularly in the South, had already begun gathering to clean and decorate the graves of those who had fallen - an act of mourning and memory that would give the holiday its original name. The earliest organized observances date from 1866.

On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic - the largest organization of Union veterans - issued General Order No. 11. He designated May 30, 1868, as a day for strewing flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers. He chose that date deliberately: it was not the anniversary of any particular battle, so no state could claim it as their own. He called the observance Decoration Day.

The first large-scale observance took place at Arlington National Cemetery that same year, with participants placing flowers on both Union and Confederate graves - a gesture of reconciliation as much as remembrance.

Over the following decades, the observance spread. The name Memorial Day appeared as early as 1882. After World War I, the day was broadened to honor veterans of all American wars, not only the Civil War. Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1968, moving Memorial Day to the last Monday of May; the change took effect in 1971.

By law, the U.S. flag flies at half-staff until noon on Memorial Day, then is raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day - a tradition symbolizing mourning in the morning and celebration of those who gave their lives in the afternoon.

Flags and Wreaths

The use of flags and flowers in Memorial Day ceremonies comes directly from General Logan's order. Flags mark the graves of defenders of the republic; flowers symbolize the gratitude of the living. Over time, wreaths - a circle with no beginning or end - became the standard symbol of enduring memory, placed at monuments and markers as both an offering and a promise.

Red, white, and blue flowers are traditional in VFW ceremonies, each color carrying specific meaning: red for the sacrifice of those who fell, white for the purity of their purpose, blue for the eternity of memory and the enduring life of the republic they served.

The Role of Civic Groups and Scouts

The Grand Army of the Republic organized the original observance, and its successor organizations - the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, and others - have carried the tradition forward. But civic participation has always been part of the day. Scouts, civic clubs, school groups, and community organizations have marched in Memorial Day parades, laid wreaths at veterans' memorials, and assisted in the decoration of graves since the late 1800s.

Scout units are particularly well-suited to Memorial Day observances because of their dual emphasis on patriotism and service. Participating in a graveside or monument ceremony is a concrete expression of what it means to be trustworthy, loyal, and reverent - and it connects young people to a tradition of gratitude that stretches back more than 150 years.

General Order No. 11 (1868)

Issued by General John A. Logan, Commander-in-Chief, Grand Army of the Republic. Public domain.

Headquarters Grand Army of the Republic,
Washington, D.C., May 5, 1868.

GENERAL ORDERS - No. 11

I. The 30th day of May, 1868 is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form or ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

We are organized, comrades, as our regulations tell us, for the purpose, among other things, "of preserving and strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together the soldiers, sailors and marines who united to suppress the late rebellion." What can aid more to assure this result than by cherishing tenderly the memory of our heroic dead who made their breasts a barricade between our country and its foes? Their soldier lives were the reveille of freedom to a race in chains and their deaths the tattoo of rebellious tyranny in arms. We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the nation can add to their adornment and security is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let no wanton foot tread rudely on such hallowed grounds. Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten, as a people, the cost of a free and undivided republic.

If other eyes grow dull and other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remains in us.

Let us, then, at the time appointed, gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us as sacred charges upon the nation's gratitude - the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan.

II. It is the purpose of the commander in chief to inaugurate this observance with the hope that it will be kept up from year to year, while a survivor of the war remains to honor the memory of his departed comrades. He earnestly desires the public press to call attention to this order, and lend its friendly aid in bringing it to the notice of comrades in all parts of the country in time for simultaneous compliance therewith.

III. Department commanders will use every effort to make this order effective.

By Command of -
John A. Logan, Commander in Chief

N.P. Chipman, Adjutant General

VFW Memorial Day Graveside Ceremony

For a Post or civic group holding Memorial Day services at a veteran's grave or monument. This ceremony may follow a brief address by the Commander or speaker, and the reading of General Order No. 11 (above) is appropriate before the ceremony begins.

Script courtesy of VFW Post 9168, Lewisville, TX - sponsor of Pack/Troop 9168.

Formation

The Commander stands at the head of the grave or before the monument. At his right are the Senior Vice Commander, national flag bearer, and guard. At his left are the Junior Vice Commander, Post standard bearer, and guard. Members of the color detail stand facing either side of the grave or monument. The Post Chaplain stands at the foot of the grave with the Officer of the Day to his right and the Ladies Auxiliary President (or Post Adjutant) at his left. The bugler stands behind the Commander. Other Post officers and members assemble around the grave or monument as space permits.

How a Scout Troop Can Run a Similar Ceremony

The VFW ceremony above belongs to the Post. General Logan's original order, however, specified that "no form or ceremony is prescribed" - and that spirit of local observance is exactly what Scout units have honored for generations. A troop can hold a Memorial Day graveside or monument ceremony that follows the same structure and carries the same weight, with Scout roles filling each position.

This is not a modification of the VFW script. It is a parallel ceremony in the same tradition - and it stands on its own.

Roles for a Scout Ceremony

• Senior Patrol Leader - acts as Commander: calls the ceremony to order, directs each participant, places the U.S. flag at the grave or monument, leads the silent salute, and gives Order Arms
• Troop Chaplain Aide - delivers the prayer or an appropriate reflection; may read a passage from Scripture, a patriotic poem, or a moment of silent gratitude if preferred
• Patrol Leader (1) - places the wreath with the words: "On behalf of Troop [number], I place this symbol of remembrance."
• Patrol Leader (2) - places white flowers with the words: "I place this symbol of purity. May future generations honor the courage of those who fought for freedom."
• Patrol Leader (3) - places red flowers with the words: "In memory of those who have fallen in defense of our country, I place this tribute of devotion and remembrance."
• Patrol Leader (4) or Den Leader / Parent - places blue flowers with the words: "I place this emblem of eternity - that we may immortalize the brave deeds of all who gave their lives in service."
• Bugler - sounds Taps to close the ceremony

If the troop has fewer than four patrol leaders, one Scout may combine the flower placements and readings into a single moment, or omit individual colors in favor of a single mixed arrangement.

Taps - and What to Do Without a Bugler

Taps is the emotional center of the ceremony. If your troop has a bugler, this is the moment to use them. If not, these alternatives are all appropriate and commonly used:

• Recorded Taps - played from a phone or speaker held low and quietly; this is standard at many civilian ceremonies
• Echo Taps - one bugler (or recording) sounds Taps while a second bugler stands at a distance and repeats it softly; the effect is striking
• A moment of silence - if no recording is available, the SPL may simply say: "We will now observe a moment of silence in honor of those we remember today." Hold for one full minute.

Reading General Order No. 11

Before the ceremony begins, have one or two Scouts read passages from General Order No. 11 to the assembled troop. A brief introduction sets the context: "In 1868, three years after the Civil War ended, General John Logan issued this order. It created what we now call Memorial Day."

Suggested passages for youth readers:

• "Let no wanton foot tread rudely on such hallowed grounds…" through "…the cost of a free and undivided republic."
• "Let us, then, at the time appointed, gather around their sacred remains…" through "…the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan."

Audience Participation

Inviting the troop and families to participate deepens the experience. Options include:

• All respond "Amen" after the chaplain aide's prayer
• All recite the Pledge of Allegiance together before the ceremony begins
• A moment of silent reflection before Taps
• A patriotic song: "America the Beautiful" or "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" work well in a mixed community setting

Complete Ceremony Order

At the 2025 Memorial Day observance in Lewisville, TX - where Pack 9168 provided the color guard - the full ceremony ran in this order:

1. Opening flag ceremony - color guard advances and posts the colors, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance
2. National Anthem - sung by the assembled group
3. VFW graveside ceremony - as scripted above
4. Closing flag ceremony (retrieving the colors) - color guard advances and formally dismisses the flag

This order works equally well for a Scout-led ceremony. The flag ceremony bookends signal to everyone present that what happens in between is set apart from ordinary business. The National Anthem, placed after the colors are posted and before the main ceremony begins, gives the assembled group a shared moment before the more solemn observance.

A Note on Protocol

This page presents one traditional ceremony structure. It is not an authoritative statement of military protocol. If you are participating alongside active VFW or American Legion members, defer to them on procedural questions. When working as a Scout unit independently, focus on the spirit of the observance: gratitude, remembrance, and the commitment to not forget.