Color Guard Contest a nationwide affair

The American Legion National Convention Color Guard Contest, held at the Baltimore Convention Center Aug. 28, was like many other convention events in bringing together Legion family members from across the country - in this case, to demonstrate their prowess in performing honors and maneuvers alike.

The competition was held in four classes: Senior Open, Military Open, Military, and Advancing/Retiring Colors. One group competed in all but the first: Dorie Miller Post 331 in Orlando, Fla. Leader Oliver Kennedy stated that the number of entries was very much on purpose: as this is their third year of national competition, "our goal was to compete in three different classes." Their first year, 2013, they had entered one, and then two in 2014. As each category differs somewhat, "we had a different scheme for each," Kennedy added. But the group plans to stay at three next year.

The classes, competitors and scores:

Senior Open:

Oak Orchard Riverdale Post 28, Millsboro, Del.: 72.6

Military Open:

Newport Harbor Post 291, Newport Beach, Calif.: 90.6

Harrisburg Post 472, Houston: 89.6

Scarlet Guard Honor Guard, Johnston-Blessman Post 38, Appleton, Wis.: 85.6

Dorie Miller Post 331, Orlando: 83.6

Military:

Post 331: 81.45

Advancing/Retiring Colors:

Rowan County Veterans Honor Guard, Salisbury, N.C.: 91.9

Post 472: 89.0

Detachment of California, Merced, Calif.: 88.7

Department of Virginia Honor Guard Unit 4, Post 290, Stafford, Va.: 88.4

Post 38: 87.6

Post 291: 86.6

Post 331: 86.1

Overall, Post 472 held on to its status as National Commander's Color Guard for next year's national convention in Cincinnati.

The Color Guard Contest was streamed live on legion.org, and will soon be available on demand on the LegionTV site, as well as several other events of the national convention.