Since World War II, The Old Guard has served as the Army's Official Ceremonial Unit and Escort to the President of the United States. In that capacity, 3d Infantry soldiers conduct military ceremonies at the White House, the Pentagon, national memorials, and elsewhere in the National Capital Region. Old Guard soldiers also maintain a 24-hour vigil at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, provide military funeral escorts at Arlington National Cemetery, and participate in parades at Fort Myer and throughout the National Capital Region.

Fort Myer, Va., traces its origin as a military post to the Civil War. Since then it has been an important Signal Corps post, a showcase for Army cavalry, and the site of the first flight of an aircraft at a military installation--as well as the first military air fatality. Fort Myer has been the home of Army chiefs of staff for a century, and today is home for service members working throughout the Military District of Washington and the National Capital Region.