Color guard In military organizations , the Color Guard ( or " Colour Guard " ) refers to a detachment of soldiers assigned to the protection of regimental colors . This duty is so prestigious that the color is generally carried by a young officer ( Ensign ) , while experienced non - commissioned officers ( Colour sergeant s ) are assigned to the protection of the flag . These NCOs , accompanied sometimes by warrant officers ( as is the case in several countries ) , can be ceremonially armed with either sabre s or rifle s to protect the color . Color guards are generally dismounted , but there are also mounted color guard formations as well . History . As armies became trained and adopted set formations , each regiment ' s ability to keep its formation was potentially critical to its , and therefore its army ' s , success . In the chaos of battle , not least due to the amount of dust and smoke on a battlefield , soldiers needed to be able to determine where their regiment was . Flags and banners have been used by many armies in battle to serve this purpose . Regimental flags were generally awarded to a regiment by a head - of - State during a ceremony and Colors may be inscribed with battle honours or other symbols representing former achievements . They were therefore treated with reverence as they represented the honour and traditions of the regiment . The loss of a unit ' s flag was not only shameful , but losing this central point of reference could make the unit break up . So regiments tended to adopt Color guards , a detachment of experienced or élite soldiers , to protect their colors . As a result , the capture of an enemy ' s standard was considered as a great feat of arms . Due to the advent of modern weapons , and subsequent changes in tactics , Colors are no longer used in battle , but continue to be carried by Color Guards at events of formal character . Current use . 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 : 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 ( Cavalry ) . In the cavalry , the Queen ' s Standard or Guidon and the Regimental / Squadron Standard or Guidon ( for the light cavalry only ) are the equivalents to the Queen ' s and Regimental Colours . 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 . Royal Navy . All of the RN ' s Queen ' s Colours are identical . Honors for and to the colour guard . Aside from presenting arms and sabres British and Commonwealth colour guards are expected to lower their flags to the ground in full and regular salutes in ceremonies and parades . Civilians are urged to stand at attention during such times and soldiers are expected to salute them when not in formation . United States . In the military of the United States , the " color guard " ( where the word color is referring to the national 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 or more individuals who carry rifle s and or sabre s . This is a symbol that the flag ( and its nation ) will always be protected . Composition of the US 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 " , 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 bayonet 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 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 . Civilians are expected to stand at the position of attention with their right hand placed over their heart for the same period , and the salute applies to the uniformed organizations as well ( especially the Scouts ) . Since recently , veterans are expected to salute the colors too , like their military counterparts including personnel not in uniform . Other countries . 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 . The Dutch armed forces have similar ranks of " vaandrig " and " kornet " ( aspirant officers who have not been sworn in yet ) .