 The man's instinct to honor the living and the dead reaches back to the very dawn of time. It is an instinct that has embraced all nations and all peoples, and one of its noblest and proudest expressions is found today in the modern Military Honor Guard ceremony. And every part of the Honor Guard ceremony that soldiers know so well, the Honor Guard, the colors, the music, the salute of the firing battery, and its origin in the splendid, often heroic tradition of the past. The word guard, as we know it today, comes from the word bodyguard, and as such, represents the inner ring, the personal defenders of a king. Bodyguards made up an elite corps, the strongest, the bravest, the men who took their places in battle around their king. The tradition of the salute as a sign of recognition goes back to medieval days when a knight wore steel armor covering his body and face, and it was necessary for him to raise his bizer to expose his face. This was always done with the right hand. The left hand was used to hold the reins. It was considered a gesture of friendship because it exposed the face and also showed that the right hand contained no sword. The use of colors dates back to Nubian mercenaries in ancient Egypt. Colors are mentioned in the Old Testament. Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard with the ensign of their father's house. There were two specific purposes served by the use of colors. They were the distinguishing marks of persons of superior social status, and they acted as rallying points on the battlefield. Throughout the centuries, when not all soldiers wore uniforms, colors were needed simply to distinguish friend from foe. To lose the standard meant to lose one's leader. The importance of keeping the flag flying stands from this. Sometimes in the confusion of battle, trumpets, bugles, drums, and later bands were stationed near the colors to tell soldiers where they were and reassure them the colors were still flying. In the American Revolution, the fife and the drum accompanied the colors into battle, and as long as they could be heard, the revolutionary soldiers took heart. From this long and heroic tradition of the colors, the bodyguard, and the battle music sounded above the firing has come the modern Honor Guard. Today, the Honor Guard is used to present to persons of high military or civilian rank the honors to which they are entitled upon arriving or departing from a military installation. To serve in an Honor Guard is a mark of recognition of which any soldier may well be proud. Preparations for an Honor Guard ceremony usually follow a standard routine. Before the actual visit, the commanding officer is notified that a distinguished visitor is expected. He then selects one of his very best company grade officers as the Honor Guard commander. The Honor Guard commander, in turn, selects a guard of which both the United States Army and the honoree can be justifiably proud. For this duty, he chooses only the best soldiers in his command. Honor Guard, but is good! The Honor Guard rehearsal usually takes place with the color guard and when possible the band and the saluting battery, which will be present on the day of the actual ceremony. The color guard consists of a sergeant and four specialists or privates selected by the commander. A position on the color guard is one of honor. The sergeant carries the national color and commands the color guard. The army and the unit colors are always placed to the left of the national color. During a rehearsal, only the bare staffs are carried. When the colors are posted, the color guard, guided by the senior sergeant, approaches to a position in front of the Honor Guard commander and halts. The Honor Guard commander faces the colors and salutes. The color guard is marched by the senior sergeant directly to its post. The platoons dress to the center on the colors. An Honor Guard is normally made up of two units of equal size. They may be squads, platoons, or companies. White gloves may be worn with a service uniform on occasions of ceremony. However, non-regulation embellishments, ornaments, or frills are not authorized. On the day of the ceremony, there is an inspection in ranks in the company area. The rehearsal and the attention to detail given to the inspection are what make the difference between an Honor Guard and an ordinary formation of troops. A firing battery is often employed to honor the arrival of visitors. The number of rounds fired will depend on the rank of the honoree. The higher the rank, the greater the number of rounds. Upon the arrival of the honoree, the commander brings the Honor Guard to attention. The host, usually the post commander, escorts the honoree directly to a position ten steps in front of the Honor Guard commander. The host stands to the left of the honoree. The honors, rendered by the band and by the firing battery, are coordinated with a hand salute of the Honor Guard commander. Upon completion of the honors, the Honor Guard is brought to the order. At this time, it is customary for the honoree to inspect the guard. The guard commander takes the position to the right of the honoree and guides him through the inspection. The band plays appropriate music until the inspection is completed. Trooping the line begins at the right front of the band. The inspecting party passes along the front rank of the troops. Ranks are not opened, nor do the individual members of the Honor Guard come to inspection arms or execute eyes right. The members of the inspecting party salute when they pass in front of the colors. When the inspecting party reaches the left front of the Honor Guard, it passes around the rear of the formation. When the inspecting party reaches the right front of the band, the Honor Guard commander halts, exchanges salutes with the honoree, and then returns to his post. The host escorts the honoree back to his original position in front of the Honor Guard. The commander then brings the Honor Guard to present arms. With a hand salute of the Honor Guard commander, the band plays the national anthem. Honor Guard commander reports. The honoree returns the salute. The ceremony is terminated. An Honor Guard ceremony is conducted in the same manner when the honoree departs from the post, except that trooping the line is usually omitted at that time. The Honor Guard remains at attention as the honoree departs. And the Honor Guard commander gives the final salute. Just as being selected for an Honor Guard is a mark of recognition. To be chosen to be a member of a funeral escort is equally a tribute to the soldier selected. For as men honor the living, so they also honor the dead. From the earliest of times, men have buried their dead with ceremony in some well-defined, traditional manner. The military funeral has been developed to express the nation's recognition of the death it owes to the services and sacrifices of its soldiers. Before the funeral, the officer in charge will conduct a reconnaissance of the gravesite. During the reconnaissance, he will designate the positions of the various elements. The funeral escort should be in full view of the next of kin. The firing party should be within 40 meters of the grave and positioned so they will not fire over the mourners. A route is selected for the movement of the casket from the hearse to the grave. A position for the colors is selected near the head of the grave. A full military funeral has three parts, chapel service, march to the grave, and gravesite service. The funeral escort plays a part in each. Escort! Before the beginning of the chapel service, the escort is formed in line facing the chapel. Order! The size of a funeral escort may range from a squad to a battalion depending upon the rank of the deceased. Hurry! When all is in readiness, the officer in charge signals the escort commander and the escort to attention. Escort! He then signals the hearse driver to move to the chapel entrance. The officer in charge, the escort commander, and the band director salute as the hearse approaches. They are paying honor to the American flag which is draped over the casket. Members of the immediate family, relatives, and friends are requested to enter the chapel before the casket is taken in. The color guard is placed at the side of the chapel entrance. In the case of a general officer, his personal color is also present. The driver opens the hearse door, removes the locking device, and prepares the casket for removal. The officer in charge checks the casket, and then signals the six active pallbearers to move into position. The active pallbearers are a separate element of the funeral escort and are stationed at the side of the chapel. The officer in charge signals the escort commander to bring the escort to present arms. On the hand salute of the escort commander, the band plays ruffles and flourishes, if appropriate, followed by a hymn. On the first note of the hymn, the last pallbearer on the left moves to withdraw the casket from the hearse. The pallbearers take five side steps to clear the hearse door. Casket is always carried feet first. There is another type of pallbearer normally present at a military funeral. These are honorary pallbearers selected by the family of the deceased from close personal friends. As soon as the casket enters the chapel, the band stops playing and the escort is brought to the order. When the chapel doors are closed, the escort is given parade rest. At the conclusion of the chapel service, the honorary pallbearers are the first to exit. They assume their original positions forming a cordon. When the casket appears again in the entrance to the chapel, the escort is brought to attention and then to present arms. Escort! Attach! The band again plays a suitable hymn. Active pallbearers preceded by the chaplain carry the casket between the two ranks of honorary pallbearers. Then when the casket has been secured in the hearse, the band ceases playing and the escort is brought to the order. The next of Kim are escorted to their sedan by the non-commissioned officer in charge. He then directs the other mourners to their automobiles. With the band as the leading element and the escort following, the procession begins to form for the march to the grave. The band and the escort are put in march by the escort commander. In slow cadence! Forward! Hard! The officer and the non-commissioned officer in charge of the funeral move by sedan ahead of the escort to the gravesite. The funeral procession marches slowly to solemn music. The chaplain takes his place in the procession behind the color team. The pallbearers march beside the hearse. The active pallbearers behind it. When there is a considerable distance from the chapel to the grave, the escort changes the cadence to quick time. As the funeral procession approaches the gravesite, slow cadence is resumed. The military escort and the band depart from the roadway to their predetermined position where they will form an align facing the grave. Followed by the remainder of the funeral procession continues to march to a point designated by the officer in charge. When possible, the honorary pallbearers are placed off the street to form an honor cordon. When it is only a short distance to the gravesite, the officer in charge positions the pallbearers at the head of the grave before the removal of the casket. The non-commissioned officer in charge is the next of kin. When all is in readiness to remove the casket from the hearse, the officer in charge signals the escort commander to bring the escort to present arms. Escort, attention! Again plays a hymn. At the first note of the hymn, the active pallbearers remove the casket from the hearse. Leads the procession to the grave. It is followed by the chaplain, the active pallbearers, the officer in charge, and other mourners. The casket has been placed over the grave, the band stops playing, and the escort is brought to the order. The active pallbearers remain in place facing the casket. They raise the flag from the casket and hold it in a horizontal position waist high. When the graveside service has been completed, the officer in charge signals the escort commander. Band plays the final music as the flag is fold. The pallbearer at the head of the grave hands it to the chaplain and salutes. It is presented to the next of Kim on behalf of a grateful nation as a token of appreciation for the honorable and faithful service performed by their loved one. The men who serve in a funeral escort are the living representatives of a nation's gratitude. To be chosen to serve in either a funeral escort or an honor guard is a tribute to the soldier chosen because in doing honor to another he does honor to himself.