- Color guard
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This article is about the military color guard. For information about the flag, rifle, and sabre auxiliary units associated with high school and university marching bands and drum and bugle corps, see Color guard (flag spinning).
In the military of the United States and other militaries, the color guard (where the word color is referring to the US flag) carries the National Color and other flags appropriate to its position in the chain of command. Typically these include a unit flag and a departmental flag (Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard). In addition to the flag bearers, who are positioned in the center of the color guard, there are two individuals who carry rifles.
Contents
History
Since early history, flags and banners have been used by many armies in battle. They served several purposes: to identify units, for signaling 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 it.
The Swedish military rank of fänrik (and the corresponding cavalry rank of kornet) was originally intended for the holder of the company flag. This duty was so prestigious that an officer was necessary to carry it out, but it required no officer training. Today, it is a regular officer rank.
Composition of the US color guard
Pershing Rifles color guard
In the U.S., traditionally, the unit's sergeant major is responsible for the safeguarding, care, and display of the organizational colors. The sergeant major is also responsible for the selection, training, and performance of the members.[1] The color guard consists of enlisted members and is commanded by the senior (color) Sergeant, who carries the National Color and gives the necessary commands for movements and rendering honors during drill exercises or parade ceremonies.[2]
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 or less formal uniforms. It is mandatory for all members of the color guard to wear headgear, for example, a garrison cap, beret, or service cap. On occasion, certain color guards can be horse-mounted.
Maneuvering
United States Federal Protective Service color guard (with another flag incorrectly to the right of the National Colors).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,[3] 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, in order to keep the precedence of flags in order.
Other drill movements performed by the color guard include presenting arms, left and right wheel (turns) marches, eyes right (upon passing the reviewing stand during a parade), casing/uncasing the colors, and fixing/unfixing bayonets (by the arms bearers).
Rendering honors
United States Marine Corps color guard during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner". Note that the national flag does not dip.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 is enshrined in the United States Flag Code and U.S. law.
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.[4]
Civilians are expected to stand at the position of attention with their right hand placed over their heart for the same period.
Other color guards formations
Britain and the Commonwealth
Colour guards in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth are also composed of the same members as in the American units, but tend to have a colour sergeant major behind the colours carrying a pace stick. So, the formation (when the colours are combined on parade) is as follows:
- Colour Sergeants
- Armed Escorts carrying rifles
- Sergeant of the Guard
- Colour Sergeant Major behind the colour
Since in the British Army, the Royal Air Force, the Royal Marines and the Royal Navy there are several types of colours, there are also colour guards for these colours and these colours and their CG's are as follows:
British Army (line and guards infantry, and other units save for rifle units)
- Queen's Colour - Union Flag (Crimson with insignia and the honors for the Guards Division)
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- Colour Sgt., Escorts, CSM
- Regimental Colour - Union Flag on the canton with the Regimental Arms and honors
- Royal Regiments (navy blue)
- Royal Irish Regiment (green)
- Foot Guards regiments (Union Flag)
- other regimental colours
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- same as in the Queen's Colour
- Combined Colour Guards (units)
- Colour Sgts. Escorts, Guard Sergeant of the Colours, CSM
British Army (Cavalry)
In the cavalry, the Queen's Standard or Guidon and the Regimental Standard or Guidon are the equivalents to the Queen's and Regimental Colours.
- Queen's Standard/Guidon - Crimson with the Royal coat of arms, the Royal Cypher and the regimental honors
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- Color Sgt./Corporal of Horse, Mounted Escorts
- Regimental Standard/Guidon - Crimson or scarlet with the regimental insignia and honors (only guidons are swallow tailed)
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- same as in the Queen's Standard
Colour guards in the artillery units are technically the lead gun's crew and leader (except in the Honourable Artillery Company which uses both guns and Colours) and there are no colour guards in the rifle regiments (nowadays The Rifles), the Royal Gurkha Rifles (which use the Queen's Truncheon) and in the Royal Hospital in Chelsea.
All of the RN's Queen's Colours are identical.
- Queen's Colour - White Ensign defaced with the Queen's cypher and inscribed with honors
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- Chief Petty Officer and Escorts
- White Ensign
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- Same as Queen's Colour
References
Notes
- ^ FM 22-5, Section 9, Paragraph 43 (e) (United States Department of the Army)
- ^ FM 22-5, Section 9, Paragraph 45 (a) (United States Department of the Army)
- ^ FM 22-5, Appendix E, Section 4 (United States Department of the Army)
- ^ FM 22-5, Section 9, Paragraph 43 (c) (United States Department of the Army)
External links
- Continental Color Guard of The Old Guard
- MCO P5060.20 US Marine Corps Drill and Ceremonies Manual Chapter 7
- U. S. Air Force Honor Guard
- U.S. Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard
- U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary 11th District Southern Region, Division 12, Flotilla 12-04 Color Guard
See also
Categories:- Military life
- Ceremonies
- Flags
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