3rd U . S . Infantry Regiment ( The Old Guard ) The 3rd United States Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army . It currently has three active battalions , and is readily identified by its nickname , " The Old Guard , " as well as " Escort to the President " . The regimental motto is " Noli Me Tangere " ( from Latin : – " Touch me Not " ) . The regiment is a major unit of the Military District of Washington ( MDW ) . The regiment is the oldest active duty regiment in the army , having been first organized as the First American Regiment in 1784 . Mission . The regiment ' s mission is to conduct memorial affairs to honor fallen comrades and ceremonies and special events to represent the U . S . Army , communicating its story to United States citizens and the world . On order , it conducts defense support of civil authorities in the National Capital Region and deploys elements in support of overseas contingency operations . Memorial affairs and ceremonial mission . Memorial affairs missions include standard and full honors funerals in Arlington National Cemetery and dignified transfers at Dover Air Force Base . Old Guard soldiers also perform all dignified transfers of fallen soldiers returning to the United States . The Old Guard ' s ceremonial task list includes full honor arrivals for visiting dignitaries , wreath ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknowns , and full honor reviews in support of senior army leaders and retiring soldiers . Special events include the Twilight Tattoo , a weekly performance in the adjacent Washington area on Wednesday evenings from May to July , and the Spirit of America , a historical pageant presented at three national venues in September . The Old Guard is the only unit in the U . S . Armed Forces authorized , by a 1922 decree of the War Department , to march with fixed bayonets in all parades . This was granted in honor of the 1847 bayonet charge by the regiment during the Battle of Cerro Gordo in the war with Mexico . Specialty units . In addition to the marching platoons , there are also elements of The Old Guard that serve special roles unique both to the regiment as well as the US Army . Among these include the sentinels of the Tomb of the Unknowns , maintaining a twenty - four hour watch over one of the nation ' s most sacred sites ; the Continental Color Guard , which presents the nation ' s colors at special events across the Capitol Region ; the Presidential Salute Battery , which renders honors to senior dignitaries at arrival and wreath ceremonies , reviews , and full honors funerals ; and the US Army Caisson Platoon , which provides horses and riders to pull the caisson ( the wagon that bears a casket ) in military and state funerals . The Caisson Platoon also provides the riderless horses used in full honors funerals and supports wounded warriors participating in the Therapeutic Riding Program . Other elements of The Old Guard include the Commander - in - Chief ' s guard ( Company A ) , replicating the personal guard of General George Washington ; wearing Colonial blue uniforms , powdered wigs , and tricorn hats ; and bearing Brown Bess muskets and halberds at ceremonies and special events ; the US Army Drill Team , which demonstrates its skill and precision around the nation , and Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps , which plays traditional arrangements of marching music , dating back to the time of the Continental Army . The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps marches in Colonial style red coated uniforms — to be " better seen through the smoke of battle " ; the uniforms also include tricorn hats and white powdered wigs . The drum major of the Fife and Drum Corps traditionally bears an espontoon ( a historic pike - like weapon ) in his right hand to direct and command his unit . As such , he is the only soldier in all the U . S . Armed Forces authorized to bear a spontoon and to salute with the left hand ( although U . S . Navy personnel are allowed to salute with the left hand under certain conditions ) . Rounding out The Old Guard are the 289th Military Police Company , the 947th Military Working Dog Detachment , the 529th Regimental Support Company , two battalion headquarters companies , and the regimental headquarters company . Other operations . Although The Old Guard primarily functions in a ceremonial role , it is an infantry unit and thus required to meet standards for certification in its combat role . The unit also trains for its support role to civil authorities in a wide range of scenarios and for deployments in support of overseas contingency operations . In 2003 , The Old Guard deployed for the first time since the Vietnam War . Bravo Company was dispatched to the Horn of Africa , where it established a forward base in rural Ethiopia . The base and missions , intended primarily to train Ethiopian military personnel , were part of the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa ( CJTF - HOA ) , a Global War on Terrorism operation . In 2007 , the regiment ' s Delta company was deployed to Camp Lemonnier , Djibouti as part of CJTF - HOA , supporting humanitarian missions and local military training in the region . Charlie Company deployed to Camp Taji , Iraq , in 2009 to execute its theater internment support mission . The 4th Battalion in Vietnam ( 1967 – 68 ) The Old Guard was officially activated at Schofield Barracks , Hawaii on July 1 , 1966 - Commanded by LTC Harold J Meyer . The battalion consisted initially of Headquarters and Headquarters Company and A Company , containing one officer / five enlisted men and twenty one enlisted men respectively . By December 31 , 1966 , the battalion strength had increased to 37 officers , two warrant officers and 492 enlisted men . When the battalion was reactivated , it utilized facilities formerly occupied by elements of the 25th infantry Division . During the period of July 1 , 1966 through September 10 , 1966 the battalion conducted preparation for Basic Unit Training since most of the Old Guard ' s lower enlisted personnel had never served with a regular unit . The non - commissioned officers , on the other hand , were greatly experienced with many recent returns from Vietnam . On August 15 , 1967 the 11th Infantry Brigade adopted the " light Infantry " concept . By selecting one rifle platoon and personnel from the weapons platoon from each line company , an additional line company , delta , was introduced to the battalion . Further by removing the 4 . 2 " mortar and reconnaissance platoons and the ground surveillance section from the former headquarters company , a combat support company , Echo , was created with these two changes to the battalion , the revised strength authorization totaled 44 officers , 1 warrant officer and 886 enlisted men . On July 7 , the Old Guard conducted a farewell review for its departing commander , Lieutenant Colonel Meyer and simultaneously Major C . Hartsfield assumed interim command of the battalion . On July 20 , The Old Guard welcomed Lieutenant Colonel Alvin E . Adkins as its new commander . Adkins had previously served in WWII , the Korean conflict and Vietnam . On December 2 , 25 personnel of the advance party , including LTC Adkins , the company commanders and additional key staff members departed by aircraft for Vietnam . Shortly thereafter at 2330 hrs on December 5 the main body left Honolulu pier 40 on the USNS General Gordon . After 14 days at sea , the main body arrived at Qui Nhon harbor and proceeded by vehicle convoy north along highway 1 to Duc Pho and a base of operations known as Carentan . In - country training and combat operations commenced immediately , throughout the remainder of 1967 the battalion conducted search and destroy missions outside of Carentan and to the west of Duc Pho , sustaining light casualties and grasping a firm hold on the combat situation . Here Delta Company recorded the brigade ' s first Purple Heart recipient SP / 4 Bobby L . Godwin , who was wounded in the leg while on patrol . Other medal recipients in 1967 : 1 January 68 to June 1 , 1968 The following is a generalized summary of the activities of the battalion and related companies : HHC : • January 26 , PFC James Schliebner ( Medic ) wounded during mine explosion • SSG Jose Alvarez Sanchez ( battalion Mess ) Wounded mortar attack • February 12 , SP / 4 Maurice Lee ( medic ) Silver Star On March 11 atop LZ Sue , a fire broke out in one of the mortar platoons ammunition bunkers . An imminent disaster was averted by the quick reaction and leadership on the part of the officers and non commissioned officers in the vicinity , Major Howard Hartsfield , battalion executive officer and Captain john McAnaw , S - 3 Air , were recommended for the Soldier ' s Medal and Bronze Star respectively , for their part in preventing the destruction of the fire base and all its personnel . On the following day , SP / 4 Richard Silva , a medic attached to company B was recommended for the Bronze Star with “ V ” for exposing himself to intense enemy automatic weapons and motor fire while administering to the wounded personnel from the company . Company A On January 15 , while conducting combat operations in the general area of LZ Sue , the company came under heavy fire for the first time and suffered one casualty . LT William Lance was hit by small arms fire in the knee and was evacuated for treatment , two days later , in subsequent action ; PFC Thomas Rowe was hit in the shoulder by grenade shrapnel and was removed from the field . On the 21st , SP / 4 Bobby West became the unit ’ s first fatality , morally wounded by sniper fire . Fr his superior performance with the company , SP / 4 West was posthumously promoted to SGT and awarded the Bronze Star . On February 23 , the company again ran into enemy resistance and took sever casualties . SP / 4 Douglas McNabb was fatally wounded from a grenade explosion , while PFC ’ s Carl Marlo , Dennis Lane and Ronald Krul were evacuated with shrapnel , wounds from the same action . SP / 4 Mc Nabb was later posthumously presented the Bronze Star for service . February 29 - 113 Combat Infantry Badges and 6 Bronze Stars awarded March Operation also witnessed combat casualties SP / 4 Edward Riley , Herman Tatum and PFC Shuer were injured as a result of a mine explosion . On March 28 SP / 4 William Morgan , Owen Harrod ( medic ) and PFC Jimmy Nettles were wounded and evacuated to the 2nd surgical hospital . Working out of LZ sue during the month of April , the company suffered additional casualties . On the 3rd , PFC Skumurski was fatally wounded by a mine and on the 5th PFC Ross was killed while conducting ambush patrol . Awards in March : SP / 4 Craig Slocum - received a Silver Star for gallantry in action while on a night ambush patrol . During the operation and enemy grenade was thrown into the position of Slocum ' s comrades , with compete disregard for his own safety , he raced toward the live explosive and threw it back toward the enemy before it had the opportunity to inflict heavy casualty . SP / 4 Daniel Brettelle was presented a second Bronze Star for his outstanding courage in aiding several wounded while under constant enemy observation and fire , LTC Adkins presented SGT Richard Junk a Purple Heart for wounds he received . 1st Battalion . The battalion is composed of the following units : 4th Battalion . The 4th Battalion was reactivated on Fort Myer in 2008 . The battalion is composed of the following units : 2nd Battalion . Stationed at Fort Lewis , Washington , the 2nd Battalion , 3rd US Infantry Regiment , serves as one of three infantry battalions of the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the 2nd Infantry Division ( ' Indian Head ' ) . After a 31 - year hiatus from service , the 2nd Battalion was reactivated on March 15 , 2001 as part of the US Army ' s first Stryker brigade combat team . It served as part of the first deployment of a Stryker brigade combat team in 2003 . It then served a 15 month deployment in 2006 – 2007 . It deployed to Iraq again in 2009 and Afghanistan in 2011 . From 1966 to 1970 , the 2nd Battalion was part of the 199th Light Infantry Brigade in Vietnam . 3rd , 5th , 6th , and 7th Battalions . The 3rd Battalion , was inactivated on August 25 , 1994 . From 1963 until its inactivation , it was one of the three light infantry battalions that made up the Army Reserve ' s 205th Infantry Brigade ( Light ) ( Separate ) , which in turn was the round - out brigade for the Regular Army ' s 6th Infantry Division ( Light ) , based at Fort Richardson and Fort Wainwright , Alaska . The 205th Infantry Brigade was headquartered at Fort Snelling , Minnesota until its inactivation . The 3rd Battalion was scheduled to activate at Fort Carson as part of the 5th IBCT / 4th Infantry Division . The activation was cancelled when the army froze at 45 brigades . The 5th Battalion , was activated on November 24 , 1967 and assigned to the 6th Infantry Division at Fort Campbell , Kentucky . It was relieved from assignment to the 6th Infantry Division on July 24 , 1968 , and inactivated on July 21 , 1969 at Fort Campbell , Kentucky . The 6th Battalion , was activated on November 24 , 1967 and assigned to the 6th Infantry Division at Fort Campbell , Kentucky . It was relieved from assignment to the 6th Infantry Division on July 24 , 1968 , and inactivated on February 1 , 1969 at Fort Campbell , Kentucky . The 7th Battalion , was activated on November 24 , 1967 and assigned to the 6th Infantry Division at Fort Campbell , Kentucky . It was relieved from assignment to the 6th Infantry Division on July 24 , 1968 , and inactivated on July 25 , concurrent with the inactivation of the 6th Infantry Division at Fort Campbell , Kentucky . Medals of Honor . The following 3rd Infantry soldiers have been awarded the Medal of Honor :