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Honoring Those Who Served
by U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Caleb Butler
August 11,
2021
Five verses, three days, and one goal – an
acrostic that spells out HONOR.
The Honor Guard Charge is a
sacred creed memorized by every ceremonial guardsman since the
1980s. Upon arrival to the Luke Air Force Base Honor Guard building,
trainees are immediately tasked with their first assignment: to
learn the Honor Guard Charge and recite it from memory.
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U.S. Air Force 56th Fighter Wing Honor Guard
Airmen fold the American flag during a ceremony on July 28, 2021 at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. The Luke AFB Honor Guard is responsible for a large amount of Arizona’s ceremonies, providing coverage to six different counties. The base honor guard’s primary mission is to provide military funeral honors for active-duty members as well as retirees and veterans who served honorably in the U.S. Air Force and Army Air Corps. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Caleb F. Butler)
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The first letter “H” stands for “Handpicked
to serve as a member of the Luke Air Force Base Honor Guard, my
standards of conduct and level of professionalism must be above
reproach, for I represent all others in my service.”
Honor
Guard consists of Airmen from various career fields nominated by
their leadership to represent Luke AFB, as well as the Air Force, in
local ceremonies.
“When you step out onto that platform for a
detail you have to lock in, there’s no room for mistakes,” said U.S.
Air Force Airman 1st Class Bryce Evans, 56th Fighter Wing ceremonial
guardsman. “It takes an incredible amount of professionalism, and
it's definitely made me think twice about how I go about my daily
business now, with both the way I talk and how I act. I recognize
that I represent myself, as well as Luke, the Air Force and the
service member that I am performing for.”
After graduating
from training, Airmen receive ceremonial blues. The “O” in HONOR
explains the importance of this uniform. “Others earned the right
for me to wear the ceremonial uniform, one that is honored in a rich
tradition and history. I will honor their memory by wearing it
properly and proudly.”
“When I get to my detail and I put
that ceremonial coat on, it flips a switch, I'm in my uniform now
and it's showtime,” said Evans. “I just get into a zone where I lock
in and don't focus on anything other than the mission at hand –
paying my respects.”
Honor guard members at Luke often
perform in harsh conditions, wearing wool suits in over 110 degree
weather. In addition, they encounter distraught families and
difficult emotional situations. “N” stands for “Never will I allow
my performance to be dictated by the type of ceremony, severity of
the temperature or size of the crowd. I will remain superbly
conditioned to perfect all movements throughout every drill and
ceremony.”
“To maintain my bearing, I try to put myself in a
mental state of whoever I'm performing for,” said U.S. Air Force
Tech. Sgt. Zachary Sheene, 56th FW Honor Guard training lead. “If
I'm there for a family at a funeral, I internalize that emotion that
they're feeling through my past experiences, like funerals that I've
been to for my loved ones. I do my best to see through their eyes
and use that as motivation to do the best that I possibly can.”
The fourth letter is “O,” which stands for ‘Obligated by my
oath, I am constantly driven to excel by a deep devotion to duty and
a strong sense of dedication.’
“When my grandpa passed away,
they had the honor guard at the funeral and it was really cool at
the time,” said Evans. “However, during my time here, I came to
realize there were a lot of mistakes made during his ceremony. I
refuse to make their mistakes now that I have my chance to fill
those shoes. I just want to be able to honor that service member and
their family with every aspect of my performance.”
Often,
the only interaction community members may have with the Air Force
is with a base honor guard. According to the Honor Guard Manual, the
image portrayed by honor guard members must be one that instills
confidence and pride in our service and country.
“R” stands
for “Representing every member, past and present, of the United
States Air Force. I vow to stand sharp, crisp and motionless, for I
am a ceremonial guardsman.”
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Airmen from Luke Air Force Base Honor Guard participate in the S.S. Mayaguez Memorial Retreat Ceremony
on May 14, 2021 at Luke AFB, Arizona. This retreat is held annually at Luke AFB to honor the Air Force Security Police who gave their lives in a rescue attempt of the S.S. Mayaguez on May 14, 1975. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Leala Marquez)
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“We represent the Air Force’s gratitude
toward families for the time that they put into supporting their
loved one throughout their military service,” said U.S. Air Force
Tech. Sgt. Mathew Ramirez, 56th FW Honor Guard flight chief. “It is
also a chance for us to give the service member a final send-off in
the most respectful and dignified way that we know how to in the
military.”
The ceremonial guardsman is an individual of good
reputation responsible for protecting and overseeing the maintenance
of high standards on and off duty. Honor guard personnel are
expected to exceed the Air Force standards and present a flawless
image to the public.
“We don’t perform for the crowd per
se,” said Sheene. “We celebrate with ceremony. It’s a mission of
gratitude. That is what’s important, giving thanks to those who
served before us.”
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