Public duties are performed by military personnel, and usually have a ceremonial or historic significance rather than an overtly operational role.
Since September 2018, theHonour Guard Battalion of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia has been responsible for performing public duties at thePresident's Residence inYerevan, the national capital. A pair of ceremonial guards are posted at twosentry boxes in the front of the residence and are relieved in a briefguard mounting ceremony and anexhibition drill. Guards are posted every weekend in the afternoon and evening hours and on national holidays.[1]
The service branches of theCanadian Armed Forces typically maintains one or more public duties detachments and units. Public duties have been performed throughout the country, with public duties having been performed at various provincial capitals, typically at the legislature, or the official residences of thelieutenant governors. However, public duties in Ottawa and Quebec City are the only regularly scheduled performances in the country.
Public duties in Ottawa is formally the responsibility of two regiments offoot guards, theCanadian Grenadier Guards, and theGovernor General's Foot Guards; with one of their main tasks being the provision of sentries for public duties in support of the Government of Canada in Ottawa.[2][3] The two regiments of foot guards, along with theGovernor General's Horse Guards, based inToronto, make up Canada'sHousehold Division. Public duties in which these regiments take part in includes mounting the guard atParliament Hill; andRideau Hall, theofficial residence for theMonarch, and theGovernor General of Canada. The two units are also tasked with mounting theguard of honour for visiting dignitaries. Public duties were also performed by theCanadian Guards until 1970, when the unit was reduced to nil-strength, and moved to theSupplementary Order of Battle.[4]
The Canadian Army also operates a summer public duties detachment known as theCeremonial Guard, which assumes public duties in Ottawa from late-June to late-August.[5] The Ceremonial Guard is made up ofregulars orreservists of the Canadian Army,Royal Canadian Air Force, and theRoyal Canadian Navy.[6] Public duties undertaken by the Ceremonial Guard includes sentry duties at theNational War Memorial, Rideau Hall, as well as performing the Changing of the Guard ceremony in Parliament Hill, and theFortissimo Sunset Ceremony.[5] Members of the Ceremonial Guard wear the uniforms of the Canadian foot guards, as they have historically staffed the summer public duties detachment, before membership in the Ceremonial Guard was opened to the entire Canadian Armed Forces.[6] The Ceremonial Guard are considered anad hoc detachment, as its members are drawn from various units of the armed forces, and does not constitute a permanent unit in the Canadian Forces'order of battle.
The Canadian Armed Forces also maintains a National Sentry Program, where its members perform sentry duties at the National War Memorial from early-April to 10 November, the day beforeRemembrance Day.[7] The program formally falls under the command structure of the Ceremonial Guard, although its volunteers are permitted to wear the ceremonial dress uniforms of their respective units/service while performing public duties at the war memorial.
Public duties at theCitadelle of Quebec, a military installation inQuebec City, are carried out by theRoyal 22nd Regiment.[8] The regiment carries out public duties at the Citadelle of Quebec from late-June toLabour Day, which falls on the first Monday of September.[8]
The military installation serves as the home garrison for the regiment, as well as the secondary official residence for the Monarch, and Governor General of Canada.[9] The regiment has carried out public duties at the Citadelle since 1928, excluding a brief hiatus from 1939 to 1945, due to theSecond World War.[8]
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There are two regiments in Denmark, who provide soldiers for public duties, theRoyal Life Guard regiment andGuard Hussar Regiment. TheGuard Hussar Regiment Mounted Squadron provide mounted escorts for theRoyal family and foreign dignitaries, and carry ceremonial services for the Royal Danish Army.
TheRoyal Life Guards provide a permanent guard at the Amalienborg Palace, Kastellet (part of the old fortification of Copenhagen), Rosenborg Castle/garrison of the Royal Life Guards in Copenhagen and the garrison of Høvelte. On occasions guard is kept at Fredensborg Palace, Marselisborg Palace, Gråsten Palace, Christiansborg Palace and other locations inside the Danish realm.
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TheWachregiment Berlin was founded in early 1921. In addition to genuine security duties, the unit was used for ceremonial public duties in the capital. The regiment was disbanded in June 1921 and shortly after was revived asKommando der Wachtruppe (lit. Headquarters Guard Troop).
TheWachtruppe comprised seven companies, each drawn from one of the seven active army divisions. Each company served for three months before returning to its parent division. In this way, the Wachtruppe represented the wholeReichswehr.
TheKommando was based at Moabit Barracks, and every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, performed a modest changing of the guard ceremony for the public. On each Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, the entireWachtruppe, accompanied by the regimental band, marched from the barracks through theBrandenburg Gate and to the Berlin War Memorial, providing a greater spectacle for public view.
In 1934, the unit was renamedWachtruppe Berlin and in 1936, a headquarters and administration company were added. In June 1937, the unit was again renamedWach Regiment Berlin. Postings were now done by individuals, not entire companies, and each man served six-month tours of duty. The unit provided escorts and Guards of Honour for State Visits, Conferences and even theOlympic Games.
In 1939, the unit was reorganized as theInfantry Regiment Großdeutschland. While equipped as a field unit, the regiment also maintained a public duties detachment in the capital. The ceremonial guard was pressed into service during the July bomb plot in 1944 and helped round up conspirators in the capital.
In 1957, the post-warBundeswehr established theWachbataillon, a tri-service unit, for ceremonial duties.
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The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery threeinfantrybattalions,incremental companies of the Foot Guards and Balaklava Company, 5 SCOTS (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) of theBritish Army are currently tasked with the provision of Public Duties. Two of these are from the Foot Guards of the Household Division, and two are aninfantry battalion. The former are normally based atWellington Barracks in centralLondon, within a short distance ofBuckingham Palace, and atVictoria Barracks inWindsor Castle, while the latter is at theCavalry Barracks, Hounslow.
Apart from providing theKing's Guard atBuckingham Palace andSt James's Palace, and theTower of London Guard, the Public Duties battalions also provide theWindsor Castle Guard, which is otherwise provided by the battalion based atWindsor. From 1783 to 1973, the Guards provided a nightly detachment called theBank Picquet for guard duty at theBank of England.
Public duties are also carried out inEdinburgh, although not as frequently as in London. Prior to 2002, sentries were permanently stationed at the entrance toEdinburgh Castle, but these were withdrawn due to cost-cutting measures. Today, sentries are posted during the evenings between 6 pm and 9 am, and throughout the week that the monarch spends in Edinburgh at both the castle and thePalace of Holyroodhouse. Sentries are also posted at the castle during the month of theEdinburgh Military Tattoo prior to each performance, with the regiment forming a guard of honour at the end of each performance.
Public duties are performed by theBalaklava Company of theRoyal Regiment of Scotland a single incremental company based permanently in Scotland for public duties.
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The3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment is an official ceremonial unit of theUnited States Army, and has provided the escort for thePresident of the United States, as well as formally provides security forWashington, D.C.[10] Public duties performed by the regiment includes ceremonies at theWhite House,the Pentagon, and other national ceremonies throughout the capital and its neighbouring areas.[10] The guard also provide military escorts for military funerals atArlington National Cemetery, and a perpetual sentry at theTomb of the Unknown Soldier since 1948.[10] Other service branches of the United States Armed Forces also maintain their own units for public duties in Washington.
The United States Army installation,Fort Huachuca, maintains a ceremonial cavalrytroop known as B Troop,4th Cavalry Regiment. It is one of only four remaining in the Army, and participates in mounted ceremonies, parades, and public relations. B Troop, 4th Cavalry Regiment resides at the main post stables and conducts events around thesouthwestern United States. Troopers are volunteers who are employed at or stationed at Fort Huachuca for their regular duties.[11] Prior to being issued their horse, carbine, and saber, each recruit must undergo a three-to-four month riding school. Once proficient in mounted drill, the recruit must demonstrate a proficiency in saber, and carbine/pistol accuracy. Only then does the recruit become a Trooper and is issued a horse. B Troop was specifically chosen as it was the Troop that capturedGeronimo in 1886.
A number of other military units from theUnited States National Guard, andstate militias also maintain units which undertake public duties. TheGovernor's Guards ofConnecticut is another unit which engages in public duties for the state, primarily in the capital ofHartford. Composed of two foot guard units and two horse guard units, the company-sized unit is a part of the Connecticut State Guard, which is a branch of theConnecticut State Militia.[12] Public duties undertaken by the Governor's Guard include presidential, and gubernatorial inaugurations, as well as supporting memorial dedications, local parades, and celebrations forMemorial Day andVeterans Day.[13]
TheRoyal Guards of Hawaii is a ceremonial reenactment unit made up of members of theAir National Guard, formed in 1963. Public duties performed by the Royal Guards ofHawaii include official state functions involving theGovernor of Hawaii, and other public functions for descendants of theHouse of Kawānanakoa, the descendants of the Hawaiian royal family. The uniforms used by the guards are similar to the uniforms used by the royal bodyguards of the formerKingdom of Hawaii.
TheRoss Volunteer Company serves as the guard of honour for theGovernor of Texas.[14] Formed in 1897, the unit is composed of junior and senior cadets of theTexas A&M University Corps of Cadets.[14] The unit performs in ceremonial activities from its base atCollege Station, Texas, and itsarea of responsibility inAustin.