Color guard

Color Guard

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Color guard

In the military of the United States

Military of the United States

The United States Armed Forces are the overall unified armed forces of the United States. The United States military was first formed by the second Second Continental Congress to defend the new nation against the British Empire in the American Revolutionary War....
and other militaries

Military

A military is an organization authorized by its nation to use force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or Threat of force ....
, the Color guard carries the National Color

Colours, standards and guidons

In military organizations, the practice of carrying colours, standards or Guidons, to act both as a rallying point for troops, and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt some 5,000 years ago....
and other flag

Flag

A flag is a piece of cloth, often flown from a pole or Mast , generally used symbolically for signaling or identification. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium....
s appropriate to its position in the chain of command

Chain of command

In a military context, the chain of command is the line of authority and responsibility along which orders are passed within a military unit and between different units....
. Typically these include a unit flag and a departmental flag (Army

United States Department of the Army

The Department of the Army is one of the three service departments in the United States Department of Defense. It is headed by the United States Secretary of the Army, a civilian, who is responsible for the administrative affairs of the United States Army....
, Marines

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing Military power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to rapidly deliver Marine Air-Ground Task Force....
, Navy

United States Department of the Navy

The United States Department of the Navy was established by an Act of Congress on April 30, 1798, to provide administrative and technical support, and civilian leadership to the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps ....
, or Air Force). In addition to the flag bearers, who are positioned in the center of the color guard, there are two individuals who carry rifle

Rifle

A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls....
s.

e early history, flags and banners have been used by armies in battle.

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History

Since early history, flags and banners have been used by armies in battle. They served several purposes: to identify units, for signalling and to be a common point of reference for the movements of the soldiers in the unit, enabling them to keep formation. The flag was also a symbol of the unit. The loss of a unit's flag was not only shameful, but losing this central point of reference could make the unit break up. To protect the flag, a detachment of soldiers was assigned to guard the flag.

Composition

In the U.S., traditionally, the unit's sergeant major

Sergeant Major

A Sergeant Major is a rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. In Commonwealth of Nations countries, Sergeants Major are usually appointments held by senior non-commissioned officers or warrant officers....
is responsible for the safeguarding, care, and display of the organizational colors. He is also responsible for the selection, training, and performance of the members. The Color guard consists of enlisted

Enlisted rank

An enlisted rank in the Military of the United States is any rank below a Officer . The term can also be inclusive of noncommissioned officers....
members and is commanded by the senior (Color) Sergeant

Sergeant

Sergeant is a Military rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
, who carries the National Color and gives the necessary commands for movements and rendering honors during drill exercises or parade

Parade

A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, float or sometimes large balloons....
ceremonies.

Being assigned to the Color guard is considered an honor due to the fact that these individuals present and carry the symbols of their unit and country. Depending on the circumstance and subject to the orders of their commander, members may wear full dress

Dress uniform

See military uniform and full dress for wider coverage of dress uniforms.Dress uniform , is the most formal wear military uniform, typically worn at ceremonies, official receptions, and other special occasions; with Order insignias and full size medals....
or less formal uniforms

Military uniform

Military uniforms comprises standardised dress worn by members of the armed forces and Paramilitary of various nations. Military dress and military styles have gone through great changes over the centuries from colourful and elaborate to extremely utilitarian....
. It is mandatory for all members of the Color guard to wear headgear, for example, a garrison cap

Garrison cap

Image:Luftwaffen Schiffchen.jpg garrison cap, garrison cover, wedge cap, flight cap, side cap, forage cap,overseas cap, or piss-cutter cap is a foldable cap with straight sides and a creased or hollow crown sloping to the back where it is parted....
, beret

Beret

A beret is a soft round cap, usually of wool felt, with a flat crown, which is worn by both men and women and traditionally associated with France....
, or service cap. On occasion, certain color guards can be horse

Horse

The horse is a hoofed mammal, a subspecies of one of seven extant species of the family Equidae. The horse has evolution of the horse over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, odd-toed ungulate animal of today....
-mounted.

Maneuvering

The Color guard is formed and marched in one rank at close interval (shoulder-to-shoulder). Since the National Colors must always be in the position of honor on the right, the Color guard must execute a special movement to reverse direction. It does not execute rear march, nor does it execute about face. Rather, it performs a maneuver derived from the standard countercolumn command, generally known as counter march or colors reverse march.

Other drill movements performed by the Color guard include presenting arms

Salute

A salute is a gesture or other action used to display respect. Salutes are primarily associated with armed forces, but other organizations also use salutes....
, left and right wheel marches, eyes right (upon passing the reviewing stand during a parade), casing/uncasing the Colors, and fixing/unfixing bayonet

Bayonet

A bayonet is a knife-, dagger-, sword-' or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on or over the muzzle of a rifle barrel or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear....
s (by the arms bearers).

Rendering honors

By the Color Guard

The Color guard renders honors when the national anthem is played or sung, when passing in review during a parade, or in certain other circumstances. In these cases, the unit and departmental flags salute by dipping (leaning the flag forward). However, with the exception of a response to a naval salute, the United States national flag renders no salute. This tradition comes from the 1908 Summer Olympics

1908 Summer Olympics

The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London....
in London

London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
, where countries were asked to dip their flag to King Edward VII

Edward VII of the United Kingdom

Edward VII was Monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death on 6 May 1910....
: the American team captain Martin Sheridan

Martin Sheridan

Martin Joseph Sheridan , was "one of the greatest athletes this country has ever known" according to his obituary in the New York Times. He was born in Bohola, County Mayo, Ireland and died in St....
refused, famously proclaiming that "this flag dips to no earthly king."

To the Color Guard

In the U.S. military, individuals or units passing or being passed by uncased (unfurled) Colors render honors when outdoors. Individuals who are not part of any formation begin the salute when the Colors are six paces distant and hold it until they have passed six paces beyond the Colors.

Civilians are expected to stand at the position of attention with their right hand placed over their heart for the same period.

Veterans and servicemembers may perform a hand salute during the National Anthem thanks to new regulations.

External links

Chapter 7

Color guard

History

Composition

Maneuvering

Rendering honors

By the Color Guard

To the Color Guard

External links

See also