Unlike Skill tabs such as Ranger, Sapper, or Special Forces, the Honor Guard tab is worn only by personnel assigned to an Honor Guard unit, such as the Honor Guard Company, 4th Battalion, 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (“Old Guard”) and Hotel Company of the 3rd Infantry’s 1st Battalion. It was officially approved for wear by the Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel on 14 October 1959.
The tab is considered part of the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, or unit patch, and is thus worn immediately above the unit patch on the Army Combat Uniform. The exception to this rule is the Army Service Uniform (ASU), which eliminated the colored Shoulder Sleeve Insignia worn on the Class A Army Green Service uniform; the colored version of the Honor Guard tab is thus worn by itself on the shoulder of the ASU.