The Beijing Garrison Honor Guard Battalion (Chinese: 北京卫戍区仪仗大队), officially the PLA Honour Guard, is a ceremonial honour guard and specialised unit of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). It is composed of representatives of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force, Navy, and Air Force. Male soldiers in the battalion must be at least 180 cm tall, while females must be at least 173 cm tall. This honor guard battalion, while reporting directly to the Central Military Commission, falls under the operational control of the Central Theater Command. During parades, the battalion is led by a color guard detail bearing the PLA flag, a tradition which began in 1981.