Retreat is a daily ceremony held at all military installations as the national flag is lowered at the end of each day. The Retreat ceremony originates from one of the three essential formations in the Army. These formations date back to the Revolutionary War and were conducted daily in garrison to take roll call. They took place at Reveille (in the morning), Retreat (at the end of the duty day), and Tattoo (before lights out). Over the years, the ceremonies evolved into a flag raising during Reveille and a flag lowering at Retreat to signify the end of the official duty day. Tattoo is still announced on bases an hour before Taps, but it no longer involves a ceremony or formation.

For a PDF of “Twenty Bugle Calls” which has the music and explanation of the call and origin PLEASE CLICK HERE

Today, the Retreat ceremony serves a twofold purpose. It marks the end of the official duty day and functions as a ceremony to honor the flag. Retreat can be performed as part of a troop formation or played over a sound system.

HERE IS RETREAT https://www.tapsbugler.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Retreat.mp3

HERE IS TO THE COLOR  https://www.tapsbugler.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ToTheColor-1.mp3

The protocol during the bugle call of Retreat is to stand and face the flag or music if you can’t see the flag. Retreat is then followed by the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner or the bugle call To The Color (by the way it’s “Color” not “Colors”). Some bases will fire a cannon shot in between. It is appropriate (required if you are in the military) to then render proper Honors to the flag i.e. salute or place your hand over your heart. As the Star-Spangled Banner or To The Color is played the flag is slowly lowered.

The Naval service does it differently. A bugler sounds ‘Attention’ and the flag is lowered while ‘Retreat’ is played. The call ‘Carry On’ is then sounded to end the salutes. In the morning, the Navy plays ‘To The Color’ as the flag is raised, while the Army and Air Force raise it to ‘Reveille.’

The protocol for Retreat and To The Color (when sounded on bases at the end of the duty day around 5 pm) only applies if you are outside. Personnel inside the building are not required to participate while indoors. If you are in a car on base, you are required to stop your vehicle, and although you are not required to get out, remain, according to instructions, “seated at attention.” It has been a longstanding complaint for years about military personnel who run inside buildings so they don’t have to stand for the 2-3 minutes it takes to honor our country.

However, on most bases, military personnel along with civilians observe this time-honored tradition of paying respects to our flag and nation.

Here are some videos of Retreat and To the Color

Reveille and Retreat Ceremonies at the Virginia Military Institute (Cadet Jack Dixon (’14) is the bugler on a bugle I gifted him for graduation)

Robin Williams reacts to Retreat and To The Color

Kids on a Marine Base react to Retreat (note that the call is played slowly (as the flag is lowered) and is followed by Carry On

A Retreat Ceremony is held every day at Disneyland. Visiting musical groups get to participate.

The British Army Beats Retreat

Followed by Sunset

The Retreat ceremony held each day at the India-Pakistan border is an interesting one