Colors -- leading the charge

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Timothy Carney
  • 35th FW Command Post
The smoke from the artillery battery hangs in the air, stinging the eyes and nostrils of the assembled troops. Arrayed in line formation, the troops stand shoulder-to-shoulder at rigid attention, their bayoneted rifles gleaming in the sun. As the smoke clears from the field, an image breaks through the pall.

The image is of the colors of the United States of America accompanied by the colors of each of the branches of the U.S. armed forces, each one carried by a proud bearer and protected by two rifle guards. No, this isn't a scene from a battlefield in our nation's past. It is part of the sequence of events of an armed forces full honor arrival ceremony, in honor of a military. At the center of this formation is the armed forces color team, which includes an Air Force honor guard colors element member.

The colors element represents the Air Force at all public and official ceremonies in the national capital region and throughout the world. The teams attend ceremonies that require the proper display of the U.S., Air Force colors and other flags, when required. It is no small tasking, and neither are their responsibilities.

The history of colors can be traced back to the very origins of armed warfare. The practice of carrying a colored banner was first a matter of simple necessity. Soldiers needed a symbol to indicate the positions of their armies when the lines and formations of troops became entangled during battle. Later, these banners became the symbols of nations and kingdoms, and fostered pride and patriotism in the soldiers that fought for them.

Probably more acts of battlefield heroism and courage have been attributed to protecting or defending the colors of one's nation than any other act documented until recent times. The colors were the symbol of one's country and were fiercely defended at all costs. It was considered disgraceful if an enemy force captured the colors, and Soldiers often gave their lives in defending them.

During the civil war, Corporal Nathaniel Allen, the national color bearer for Company B, 1st Massachusetts Infantry, received the Medal of Honor at the Battle of Gettysburg.

While his regiment was falling back, Corporal Allen advanced toward an approaching confederate force totally alone and under fire to retrieve the regimental flag that was pinned under the body of its fallen bearer. In doing so, he saved the flag from capture and brought both flags back to safety. Only the best and most honorable Soldiers were ever given the privilege of carrying them.

Although colors are no longer carried into battle, they remain important symbols of national and unit pride during military ceremonies -- thus, the need for the colors element. A typical day begins at 6:45 a.m. when roll call is taken. This is followed by up to six hours of ceremonial practice throughout the day and entails adherence to the proper sequences of events during a ceremony, proper courtesies paid to the colors, and a large amount of strength exercises consisting of push-ups and weight training.

While carrying a flag doesn't sound too difficult, it quickly becomes apparent how difficult it really is. The flag bearer not only carries the flag itself, but also a vast assortment of battle streamers. These streamers are strips of silk with hand-embroidered upon them every conflict and campaign the Air Force has participated in since the birth of the U.S. Army Aeronautical Division in 1907--102 streamers in all. When attached to the top of the Air Force flag, this combination can weigh up to 40 pounds. The Air Force color bearer is also responsible for rendering a salute to the national color by tilting the flag out at a 45-degree angle and holding it during an assortment of salutes that can last up to 10 minutes. Couple all this with a day when the wind is blowing at 20 to 25 mph, and one can see where strength is a necessity.

The color team also must stand motionless in ceremonies that can last up to two hours or more. It takes a very special and motivated person to perform this honored duty. The colors element is made up of 40 members, with the average height being 6 feet. This is important because height aids in the ability to control the colors during ceremonies when national and international press and news media are focusing their attention on the centerpiece of any formation: the colors.

Examples of high-profile ceremonies that the Colors element have participated in include the inauguration of the president, the retirement and change of command ceremony for the Air Force chief of staff, and most recently the State Funerals for Presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford.

The members of the U.S. Air Force honor guard colors element carry the symbol of our nation in ceremonies ranging from funerals to ceremonies at the White House. In doing so, they are charged with a solemn task that has existed since our nation was founded, to display and protect the national colors that represent every U.S. citizens. They dedicate themselves to that task every day, and take pride in the same motto that other flag bearers throughout history have had: Leading the Charge.