Sabre arch

Knottie67868874 · April 2015

How many people do you need to do the sabre arch? My fiance invited his closest friends to our wedding that will be far from all of them, but a lot of his closest friends actually are stationed overseas so highly doubt they can make it

can you do a sabre arch with like 4 people??

kyrgyzstan · April 2015

Your fiancé should be able to find the answer in the manual for drill and ceremony. FM 3-21.5 in the Army. And frankly, if he's a high enough rank to rate an arch, he should know that's the place to look.

Knottie67868874 · April 2015

Thank you for such a specific resource. Of course if I could understand the army lingo and spend the time filtering through such a thing instead of my demanding job, I wouldn't be asking an online forum that specifically caters to someone marrying a service member, LOL. My fiancé has been in sabre arches with 8 people which is obviously ideal. But you know how it goes, we suddenly are without a huge amount of important people all within the past year, which I am sad for him about. We don't spend our special and short long distance conversations pouring over the minutiae of wedding planning, or discussing specific military regulations.

I would very much appreciate your expertise if you could please give me a direct answer - is a 4 person sabre arch allowable if that's the number of eligible people we have in attendance? If so, does it look "off"? And can a person who has recently left the military (whether by their own choice or by the whole military cutting back thing) but who was able to participate in the arch in the past, participate now? Would they feel comfortable doing this??

Thank you!

DnR1220 · April 2015

Not sure about the recently separated thing, however, FI and I recently attended a wedding at the main post chapel on Ft. Bragg. They only had 4 people in their sabre arch and it was just fine. It didn't look as majestic as when it is the full 8, but still looked great and most people didn't even notice the others weren't there.

FI and I are in a similar position with limited options for who can do the arch for us. I am going to talk to the Chaplain about it since the form here specifically asks if the sabre arch is requested. Hoping there is an option for others to fill in, but remaining very cautiously optimistic as that could be only the sabres available.

kmmssg · April 2015

Knottie67868874 said:
How many people do you need to do the sabre arch? My fiance invited his closest friends to our wedding that will be far from all of them, but a lot of his closest friends actually are stationed overseas so highly doubt they can make it can you do a sabre arch with like 4 people??

What is your fiance's rank?

Knottie67868874 · April 2015

I guess I don't feel I should say for privacy sake but if you're wondering if he's even allowed to do it, That's not the issue

Knottie67868874 · April 2015

Thank you! Sounds like we are in very similar positions! If you have the chance, would you please let me know what the chaplain says?

kyrgyzstan · April 2015

Knottie67868874 said:
I guess I don't feel I should say for privacy sake but if you're wondering if he's even allowed to do it, That's not the issue

Yes, because I'm going to look up 2LT Knottie67868874 in AKO. And I figure he's a non prior service 2LT, because that's the only person who'd have his fiancee or girlfriend find the answer to something he ought to be coordinating. I didn't post the manual so you'd have to understand Army regs, I posted it because he should be looking there. This is his job to coordinate.

DnR1220 · April 2015

Knottie67868874 said:
Thank you! Sounds like we are in very similar positions! If you have the chance, would you please let me know what the chaplain says?

I sure will! How soon is your wedding? I see it was already asked by a PP, but what is his rank? I do know that at least here on Bragg, we have to find our own Chaplain and they sign off on the application packet before it can be submitted to request the wedding date/time. It sounds like you guys are trying to plan long distance. Is he currently stationed where you are getting married? Perhaps you should have him contact his unit Chaplain and then go from there. I am sure the Chaplain will be able to direct him on proper procedure and what is accepted and allowed in the chapel you are all wanting.

Sammy0709 · April 2015

kyrgyzstan said:

Knottie67868874 said:
I guess I don't feel I should say for privacy sake but if you're wondering if he's even allowed to do it, That's not the issue
Yes, because I'm going to look up 2LT Knottie67868874 in AKO. And I figure he's a non prior service 2LT, because that's the only person who'd have his fiancee or girlfriend find the answer to something he ought to be coordinating. I didn't post the manual so you'd have to understand Army regs, I posted it because he should be looking there. This is his job to coordinate.

But, Stan, they're always watching...and they can read minds...

Knottie3135957 · May 2015

Yes 4 people can perform the sabre ceremony. Yes anyone that has received an HONORABLE discharge rates to wear their uniform. It doesn't matter if they EASed after their first enlistment, or retired, they rate the uniform if, and only if, they received an HONORABLE discharge (absolutely NO dishonorable or other than honorable discharges). If you are having the ceremony on or near a military installation, one of the base Chaplains usually has sabres for ceremonies. They usually allow you to borrow them. If you are NOT having your ceremony near a military installation, and not everyone has a sabre, you can contact your local VFW, American Legion, and Reserve units that are near the ceremony site. They may have some to borrow. They may even have people who might be interested in performing the ceremony! I know when we discussed the sabre ceremony, several men from the local VFW were interested (which we may still do, not sure). How cool is that to have Korean and Vietnam vets celebrating your big day?! At least we thought it would be awesome.

kyrgyzstan · May 2015

Knottie3135957 said:
Yes 4 people can perform the sabre ceremony. Yes anyone that has received an HONORABLE discharge rates to wear their uniform. It doesn't matter if they EASed after their first enlistment, or retired, they rate the uniform if, and only if, they received an HONORABLE discharge (absolutely NO dishonorable or other than honorable discharges). If you are having the ceremony on or near a military installation, one of the base Chaplains usually has sabres for ceremonies. They usually allow you to borrow them. If you are NOT having your ceremony near a military installation, and not everyone has a sabre, you can contact your local VFW, American Legion, and Reserve units that are near the ceremony site. They may have some to borrow. They may even have people who might be interested in performing the ceremony! I know when we discussed the sabre ceremony, several men from the local VFW were interested (which we may still do, not sure). How cool is that to have Korean and Vietnam vets celebrating your big day?! At least we thought it would be awesome.

Actually, 670-1 says that retirees may wear their uniform when performing instructor duties at an ROTC or similar, at a military funeral, memorial, wedding, and other occasion or ceremony, attending parades on holidays or other patriotic parades in which current members are taking part. 670-1 also says that former Soldiers, non retirees, may only wear their uniforms if they served honorably during a declared or undeclared war, in the same situations as above, taking out the ROTC situation.

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