Marines from Headquarters and Service Battalion, Henderson Hall, Headquarters Marine Corps, raise the American flag as part of a June 9 Field Meet and Flag Day presentation for students at Barcroft Elementary School in Arlington, Va. (Joint Base Mye...

Marines from Headquarters and Service Battalion, Henderson Hall, Headquarters Marine Corps, demonstrate the proper way to fold an American flag during a June 9 Field Meet and Flag Day presentation for students at Barcroft Elementary School in Arlingt...

ARLINGTON, Va. - Marines from Headquarters and Service Battalion, Headquarters Marine Corps Henderson Hall put tradition on display June 12 as they performed a flag-raising ceremony for students at Barcroft Elementary School in Arlington.

"The Marines have a very special and honorable flag ceremony that they come and do especially for us," school Principal Colette Bounet said. "Not every school gets this."

Before the ceremony took place, Master Sgt. Jeremy Owens explained how nations first began to use flags as a symbol for what they stood for.

"Flag Day is the day we take to honor our flag," he explained. "Flags are an everyday part of our lives. We see them everywhere."

With a still-rising sun behind them, a flag detail of seven Marines demonstrated how to properly fold, unfold and raise the flag. Barcroft students and sat in front of the school's main entrance to watch the Marines' crisp display of flag handling. Teachers and faculty took photos and recorded video of the demonstration. Afterward, the students practiced raising the flag.

Owens said flags were first used on the battlefield in ancient times.

"Armies had to know who the good guys were and who bad guys were," he continued. "Shields had little emblems painted on them so they could see who their friend was and who wasn't."

Shields soon transitioned into the cloth flags of today, Owens said.

"The ancient Romans figured out they could put an emblem on cloth and raise it high so they could communicate with their entire army across the field," he said.

And even though the United States is one of the youngest countries on Earth, our flag is one of the oldest on the planet, said Owens.

"On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution establishing a design on our flag and that's why we're celebrating Flag Day today," he said.

After the Marines raised the nation's colors on the school's flag pole, Owens urged the students to remember what Old Glory means.

"It's about our freedom, it's about our country," he said. "All around the world wherever you go, everyone knows what that flag means."