General Rules regarding the PTChem Standard

1. PTChem possesses a Society Standard (Banner).

2. The appearance of the Standard (left and right sides) is presented in the photos below.

3. Ceremonies involving the Standard require seriousness, and the storage, transport, and preparation of the Standard for presentation must reflect proper respect.

4. The Standard is stored in a special display case at the PTChem headquarters.

5. The Standard should participate in the most important ceremonies, the most significant being the annual PTChem Congress.

6. During ceremonies, the Standard should be attended by a Color Guard (3 persons: the Standard-bearer and 2 assistants).

7. The Color Guard appears in formal attire and gloves.

8. Insignia of the Color Guard: white-and-red sashes draped over the right shoulder, with the white color facing the collar, fastened at the left hip, and white gloves.

9. All organizational matters regarding the Guard are handled by the Guard supervisor appointed by the Congress organizer.

10. In the event that the Color Guard participates in funeral ceremonies or national mourning is declared, the Standard should be decorated with a black mourning ribbon (crepe).

11. The mourning ribbon is attached to the Standard at the point where the banner is fastened to the staff, from the top left side to the right.

12. During longer marches, it is permissible to carry the Standard on the shoulder. However, when entering a hall or ceremony square, it must always be tilted forward.

13. During church ceremonies, the Standard is entered and exited without commands. During the entry of the Standard, everyone stands. The Guard proceeds through the church, holding the Standard at a 45° forward angle, and stands on the left or right side, sideways to the altar and the congregation, raising the Standard to a vertical position.

14. During Holy Mass or other ceremonies, members of the Color Guard do not kneel, do not exchange the sign of peace, and do not perform any other gestures, standing all the time in the "Attention" or "At Ease" position.

15. Tilting the Standard forward at a 45° angle from the "Attention" position occurs in the following situations:

• during every elevation of the Host: during the Transubstantiation, before Holy Communion, and during the threefold elevation of the Monstrance during the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament;
• during the lowering of the coffin/urn into the grave;
• during a minute of silence to honor someone's memory;
• during the laying of wreaths, flowers, and candles by designated delegations;
• at every command to lower the Standard issued by a priest or another speaker.

BEHAVIOR OF THE STANDARD GUARD

a/ Postures of the Standard

• "Attention" (Order Arms) position: The Standard is placed on the lower part of the staff by the right foot at the height of the toe. The staff is held with the right hand above waist height, elbow slightly pressed against the body. The left hand is as in the basic attention stance.
• "At Ease" position: The Standard is held as in the "Attention" position. The Standard-bearer and assistants stand at ease.
• "Shoulder Arms" position: The Standard-bearer places the staff on the right shoulder and holds it at a 45° angle relative to the shoulder. The cloth of the Standard should be about 200 mm away from the shoulder.
• "Present Arms" position: From the "Attention" position, the Standard-bearer lifts the Standard vertically with the right hand along the right shoulder up to shoulder height. Then, the left hand grasps the staff just below the right hand, after which the right hand lowers the staff to a vertical position by the right shoulder, while the left hand holds the staff below the right hip. The assistants stand at attention.

b/ Saluting with the Standard in place

Performed from the "Present Arms" position. When the person receiving honors approaches to within 5 steps, the Standard-bearer turns right-oblique while simultaneously stepping forward with the left leg (one foot distance) and tilts the Standard forward at a 45° angle. The assistants stand at "Attention". After the "salute" time (one step behind the Standard), the Standard-bearer moves the Standard back to the "Present Arms" position without a command.

c/ Saluting with the Standard while marching

From the "Shoulder Arms" position in the same way as saluting in place. Commands:
"Eyes Right (Left)" – tilt the Standard.
"Ready, Front" (Attention) – return the Standard to the shoulder.

d/ Saluting is performed from the "Present Arms" position

The Standard-bearer turns right-oblique while simultaneously stepping forward with the left leg a distance of one foot and tilts the Standard forward to 45°. After the "salute" time, they return the Standard to the "Present Arms" position.

e/ The following manual drills are performed with the Standard:

- "Shoulder Arms"
- "Present Arms"
- "Order Arms" (to the leg)

• Performing "Shoulder Arms": the Standard-bearer places the staff on the right shoulder with the right hand (assisted by the left) and holds it at a 45° angle (relative to the shoulder).
• Performing "Present Arms" from "Order Arms": the Standard-bearer lifts the Standard vertically with the right hand along the right shoulder. Then the left hand grasps the staff just below the right hand, and the right hand is lowered to its full length, grasping the lower part of the staff. Assistants stand at attention.
• Performing "Order Arms" from "Present Arms" or "Shoulder Arms": the Standard-bearer moves the Standard to the leg with the right hand (assisted by the left). The "Order Arms" drill is performed on the command: "Attention".

f/ The Standard should also be tilted while hoisting the national flag on the mast and in the event of a minute of silence being announced to honor someone's memory.

CEREMONIAL WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF THE STANDARD:

CEREMONY OF OPENING AND CLOSING THE PTChem CONGRESS

1. The opening ceremony of the annual PTChem Congress is led jointly by the chairpersons of the Scientific Committee and the Organizing Committee.
2. At the beginning of the PTChem Congress, the Society Standard is introduced: point a) pos. 1,2 by the Color Guard appointed by the congress organizer.
3. The Congress begins with the singing of the national anthem; point a) pos. 3-5.
4. After the anthem, the PTChem Standard is placed by the Standard-bearer in a stand on the stage, where it remains until the end of the opening ceremony.
5. The Color Guard leaves the stage, and the realization of subsequent points of the opening ceremony continues (speeches, awarding of medals and Prizes by the President and the Chairman of the PTChem Medals and Awards Commission in the presence of the secretary, artistic part).
6. After the end of the opening ceremony of the Congress, the Standard is transferred to the hall where plenary sessions will take place the next day.
7. At the end of the Congress, the ceremony of exiting the PTChem Standard takes place, point b), pos. 1-3.

(Elab. Piotr Bałczewski, Łódź, based on doc. Standard of ZSP im. Braci Kostaneckich in Zagórów, with permission of dir. M. Kujawa)