Note: *All the information about a given position are generalized and very from unit to unit.
In the military of the United States and other militaries, the color guard (where the word color here means flag) carries the National Color and other flags appropriate to its position in the chain of command. Typically these include a unit flag, a departmental flag (Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard), or a state flag. In addition to the flag bearers, who are positioned in the center of the color guard, there are two individuals who carry rifles(mostly M1 Grands, the type of rifle that was used to defend the colors).