
Does the Navy have a color guard?
The Color Guard ECA is a group of Midshipmen hand-selected over Plebe Summer that will carry the colors as representatives of the U.S. Navy and the Naval Academy at all Naval Academy events and any public events they are requested for.
What's the difference between honor guard and color guard?
Colors, or flags, are often carried by both, but the primary purpose of the Color Guard is to present the National Colors at a presentation or ceremony. The Honor Guard may present the Colors, but their main purpose is to present a contingent to bear honors at ceremonies or funerals.
Why does color guard have guns?
“Color guard originated from the military and they use actual rifles to spin. In the military, it's more of a form of respect,” junior color guard member Tia Strege said. “Since that's it's origin, we don't spin actual rifles here, but we still incorporate them.”
Why do they call it color guard?
Color guard takes its name from soldiers responsible for guarding a regimental flag, or colors. That military origin accounts for the guards' rifle-shaped wooden props and dull-edged sabers.
How long is a color guard good for?
Color Guards, along with Rogues, Military Drummers, and Champions have the longest healing times in the game with two hours and 24 minutes to heal one hit point.
Does the color guard say the pledge?
The color guard will post the colors in a manner appropriate for ceremony. “Girl Scouts the flag of our country, Pledge of Allegiance.” The caller leads the audience in the Pledge while the color guard/bearers remain silent and at attention.
Do you have to dance in color guard?
Do I need dance experience to be on color guard? Not usually, but it depends on the type of color guard team you'll be joining. Generally, if you're joining a school team, dance experience won't be necessary.
Do you have to be fit to be in color guard?
You can do this simply by jogging then running if you are not already in shape. Now, it is not required by most color guards that you are physically fit, but it will help you so much during all of the practices and games.
What skills are needed for color guard?
Skills requirements observed in a Color Guard example resume are leadership, knowledge of performing arts, choreography expertise, and supervisory abilities. The ideal candidate for the job should make display of an Associate's Degree in security or a similar field.
What do people in color guard do?
Information. The Color Guard is a group of four cadets that present the United States and Air Force flags at games and ceremonies. Presenting the Colors is a military tradition dating back to the beginning of our country.
Is color guard female only?
Color guards consist of both male and female members. The band director may refer to the color guard section as the flagline or guard. Tubas may be featured in marching bands. The attire worn by the members of a marching band color guard may be military or a band uniform with colors of the team they represent.
Is color guard easy?
Every season, colour guards rehearse several times a week to prepare for competitions. They make it look easy, but it takes a huge amount of skill to gracefully spin and toss colour guard equipment.
Is color guard an honor?
Composition of the US colour guard Being assigned to the colour guard is considered an honour 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.
What does it mean to be Honor Guard?
noun. : a guard assigned to a ceremonial duty (such as to accompany a casket at a military funeral)
What is the purpose of an Honor Guard?
The primary role of the unit is to provide funeral honors for fallen comrades. The honor guard also serves as the "guardians of the colors" by displaying and escorting the national flag on ceremonial occasions at official city functions.
Is there another name for color guard?
Auxiliary: Another term for the color guard. This term is often used in the marching band setting to describe the visual ensemble which may include color guard but which also may include other visual performers such as a dance team, baton twirlers or pom poms.
What branch of the military has a color guard?
In the United States, every branch of the service, the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), and the Junior ROTC (JROTC) have a military color guard. Currently, the modern color and honor guard performs at funeral services and in ceremonial and state events.
How many different streamers are there in the Marine Corps?
This platoon is the only group within the Marine Corps Color Guard to carry the Marine’s Battle Colors. The Battle Colors include 54 different streamers representing all Marine Corps missions and campaigns.
Why did the Color Guard carry flats?
Therefore, the color guard carried flats so soldiers could find their place and know where to go. These days, the military color guard’s existence is traditional and largely ceremonial.
How long does it take to become a ceremonial guard?
The process for being a member of the Naval Ceremonial Guard is a long one, and potential members should begin the process of applying up to 15 months in advance of the next guard rotation.
How tall do you have to be to join the old guard?
For instance, males must be between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet 4 inches. Also, the height range for females is 5 feet 8 inches to 6 feet 2 inches. Furthermore, the weight restrictions are the same as other soldiers in the Army.
What is the Air Force Honor Guard?
The Air Force Honor Guard represents the Air Force, and it has since the beginning of the Air Force.
What unit is responsible for the military honor guard?
The unit responsible for the military honor guard for the Army is The Old Guard, which is the 3 rd U.S Infantry.
What type of flagstaff do color guards use?
All military service color guards use the two-piece light ash wood guidon flagstaff with a ferrule at each end. The AF may also use one-piece staffs. Metal staffs are not authorized. AR 840-10, MCO P5060.2, and AFI 34-1201.
What is the difference between a flagpole and a flagstaff?
I differentiate between the two. A flagstaff is what color guards carry and are used for indoor display and a flagpole is a permanent structure outside with a single or double halyard. All color guard flagstaffs must be the same height and use the same finial.
What is a color guard?
Definitions. Military color guard. A uniformed Active Duty, National Guard, or Reserve color guard made up of a minimum of four members. This then extends to all Veteran Service Organizations, First Responders, ROTC and JROTC cadets, Scouts, Explorers, and any other uniformed military or paramilitary organization.
What color cord is used on the American flag?
Gold-color is not authorized for any color guard. The only cord authorized for the American flag is colored red, white, and blue. Streamers, when authorized, replace the cord and tassels.
How many inches does the Army take to march?
Marching. The majority of the services take a 30-inch step forward at quick time ( AF- 24″) and a 15-inch half step (AF- 12″). Both steps for the Army and AF require a heel strike, no stomping. Half step for the other services requires a toe strike.
What is the Honor Guard Manual?
The Honor Guard Manual is the only published manual for first responders and others wanting to incorporate ceremonial drill into their program.
How big is the organization flag?
Organizational flag: 3 feet by 4 feet, mounted on an 8-foot staff. Battle streamers are not authorized on this staff/flag.
What was the first baton to be used on the American flag?
In 1965, Haug succeeded in combining the swing flag with a baton. It was an idea on which he had worked for years. He called his invention the "twirl-flag" baton. He wrote that it was "a truly American flag baton idea suitable for solo and corps exhibition." It was a 32" baton with a colored flag at each end that rotated around the shaft to prevent fouling. The invention was first featured by the University of Arkansas marching band at the Cotton Bowl on January 1, 1966, and later manufactured by Kraskin Batons of Minneapolis. For all of Haug's efforts, however, the "twirl-flag" baton never caught on, but regular flags and batons remained standard for most marching bands.
What is the purpose of a color guard?
The purpose of the color guard is to interpret the music that the marching band or drum and bugle corps is playing via the synchronized work of flags, sabers, rifles, the air blade, by dance, or by non-traditional equipment for example a trident if you were to do an Atlantis Show.
What is WGI in the arts?
WGI frequently partners with companies that provide services and products to competing groups, as well as leading educators in other fields to highlight the activity. The organization is promoted using the tagline "Sport of the Arts". There are different types of membership fees that must be paid in order to be a part of WGI, or winter guard (or color guard) in general. Possible scholarships are given out to hardworking performers.
What equipment does a marching band use?
This way of performing continued into the civilian marching bands, and today a marching band's color guard is usually found carrying equipment descending from those of military color guard: flags, banners, wooden rifles, and plastic or metal sabres. Modern guards use real sabers as well, but without the sharpened point.
What tradition contributed to the color guards in American marching bands?
One tradition that contributed to color guards in American marching bands is the Swiss art of flag swinging or Fahnenschwingen. The 1936 Olympian Franz Hug of Lucern, Switzerland, came to America and introduced flag swinging in 1937. Leonard Haug, an assistant band director at the University of Wisconsin, was intrigued.
What is a color guard in football?
Color guards perform with marching bands during football games at halftime. During marching band competitions, the guard adds to the overall score of the band and can be judged in many categories including but not limited to: visual effects, general effect, auxiliary, and color guard.
What do color guards do at halftime?
Color guards perform with marching bands during football games at halftime.
What is the flag with a red, white, and blue tassel?
q. The U.S. Flag, when displayed or carried on a staff (pike) is adorned with a red, white, and blue rope and tassel. The organizational colors are adorned with a scarlet and gold rope and tassel. However, once a unit has been awarded a streamer, the rope and tassel is removed from the organizational colors and a streamer attachment set added between the upper ferrule and the spearhead. Ropes and tassels are affixed to the top of the staff between the two ribs of the upper ferrule using a girth hitch knot. (See figure 7-5.)
How long is a DM cord?
[For the USMC color -DM] Except when streamers are authorized, each standard shall have attached below the spearhead of the staff a cord of scarlet and yellotN threads approximately 3/8-inches in diameter and 8 feet 6 inches in length, with a tassel at each end.
What flags can Marines carry?
4. Carrying Flags of Foreign Nations and Non-Military Organization . Marine Corps personnel may carry flags of foreign nations in official civil ceremonies when an official of the nation concerned is present in his official capacity and is one for whom honors normally would be rendered. In this capacity the flag of the foreign nation will be carried by a separate color guard (normally three Marines). This color guard will be preceded by a Marine Corps color guard during the ceremony. In all other public events or ceremonies, Marine Corps personnel in uniform and in an official capacity are not authorized to carry flags of foreign nations, veterans groups, or other nonmilitary organizations.
What is the color guard?
5. h. The color guard is for med and marches in one rank at close interval with the color bearers in the center. While marching, members of the color guard do not swing their free arms. The color guard does not execute to the rear march, about face, flanking movements or fix bayonets.
What is the national flag called?
1. a. The national flag is also called the “national ensign” or “ensign.”
How many flags does the Marine Corps carry?
The Commander. Notice here that this is it. The Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard color guard carries only two flags. No more, unless working joint service.
Do organizational colors salute?
b. Salutes by the organizational colors are not automatic when presenting colors. They will be rendered only during honors to national colors, to the commander of the organization represented by the colors or to an individual senior in rank to the organizational commander; (e.g., during a parade or review when the adjutant presents the command to the commander of troops. The organizational colors does not salute, unless the commander of troops is the organizational commander or of higher rank.)
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:
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 ).
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.

Definitions
- Military color guard. A uniformed Active Duty, National Guard, or Reserve color guard made up of a minimum of four members.
- Flag, Colors, or Color. Different terms for the same thing.
- American, US, Ensign, National Ensign. Terms for the American flag.
- Color Guard and Color Team can be used interchangeably.
General Information
- The senior guidance for the flag comes from Title 4, United States Code, Section 7. All manuals mentioned refer to this section commonly called the “Flag Code”. The three military drill and ceremonies manuals are: 1. Training Circular (TC) 3-21.5 (US Army), 2. MCO (Marine Corps Order) P5060.2 (USMC, USN, & USCG), 3. and AFMAN (Air Force Manual) 36-2203 (USAF). All three ma…
Equipment For The Color Bearers
- Colors Harness. Air Force: black clarino (fake, shiny leather) for performances, dark blue web (same style) for practice. Personal note: If you get any other type of colors harness/sling/carrier than the one show here, you will be restricted in size and quality. Your hand won’t be able to fit at the cup and there are a couple of others issues I’ve come across as well. The AF mandates this t…
Equipment For The Guards
- Guards, depending on their organization, have several options. Military, VSOs, Cadets. You are authorized to carry a holstered handgun, but that just doesn’t give off the professional tone that we look for. The M1 Garand, M14, and M1903 are perfect rifles for ceremonial applications. Any kind of more modern rifle (M16, etc.) does not present a ceremonial image. And while, we need t…
Techniques
- Marching. The majority of the services take a 30-inch step forward at quick time (AF- 24″) and a 15-inch half step (AF- 12″). Both steps for the Army and AF require a heel strike, no stomping. Half step for the other services requires a toe strike. Staffs. The flagstaffs always remain vertical when at Attention and Parade Rest (Stand at Ease). Do not push a staff forward for Parade Rest, that i…
Authorized Formations
- The minimum standard for all services. You must carry the US and your service’s departmental colors. Color guards are not authorized to replace the departmental flag at any time with any other flag. The image below is called Line Formation, members abreast. TC 3-21.5, MCO P5060.2, and AFMAN 36-2203. The minimum color guard authorized for Air Force and Air Force-related units. …