3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)

3rd United States Infantry Regiment
3rd Infantry coat of arms
Active	3 June 1784 – 20 November 1946 6 April 1948 – present
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Memorial affairs, ceremonies and special events (two battalions) Stryker infantry (one battalion)
Size	Four battalions (three active)
Garrison/HQ	1st Battalion – Fort Myer, VA 2nd Battalion – Fort Lewis, WA 4th Battalion – Fort Myer
Nickname(s)	"The Old Guard"
Motto(s)	Noli Me Tangere (English: Touch Me Not)
Colors	Buff and black (historical)
March	The Old Guard March
Anniversaries	21 September-Organization Day
Engagements	Indian Wars *Hardin's Defeat *Battle of the Wabash *Battle of Fallen Timbers *Battle of Sugar Point War of 1812 *Siege of Fort Meigs *Battle of Fort Stephenson Mexican–American War American Civil War Spanish–American War Philippine Insurrection World War II Vietnam War Global War on Terrorism * Operation Iraqi Freedom * Operation Enduring Freedom
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Jason T. Garkey
Notable commanders	Lieutenant Colonel Paul Octave Hébert Colonel Henry Leavenworth Lieutenant Colonel Ethan A. Hitchcock Colonel Benjamin Bonneville
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia
Combat Service Identification Badge
Distinctive Trimming (Buff Strap)

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 US Army, having been first organized as the First American Regiment in 1784.

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.

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. 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 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.