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JB MDL Honor Guard perfects abilities with visit from USAF team

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Carolyn Glover
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST --  The U.S. Air Force Honor Guard mobile training team paid a visit to the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Honor Guard May 24 through June 2 here.

Three instructors provided routine refresher training to 24 members of the JB MDL honor guard team.

"We try to conduct these refresher courses every couple of years in each area of responsibility," said Senior Airman Schadrac Joseph, USAF Honor Guard team member.
The Air Force-accredited refresher course focused on active-duty funeral ceremony procedures.

"We instruct base honor guard teams on three elements of funeral duties: the colors, firing party and body bearers," Joseph explained.

Instructors also reviewed the seven-man sequence for nonactive-duty funerals with the JB MDL team.

"Training with the USAF Honor Guard was pretty intense at first," said Staff Sgt. Wesley Taylor, JB MDL honor guard member. "I had to catch on quickly; but once I got used to it, it became fun."

The pace was not a shock to local honor guard members who are used to a quick-paced training schedule. New honor guard members are expected to gain proficiency in all honor guard ceremonial procedures within 10 days.

Team members don't stop practicing once the material is mastered.

"We practice all day every day, whenever we are not performing military honors," said Airman First Class Adam Markham, honor guard member and event scheduler.

Manpower requirements pulled team members out of training with USAF Honor Guard constantly.

"Each and every member remained committed and put in numerous overtime hours to take advantage of this training opportunity," said Tech. Sgt. James Hoey, base honor guard noncommissioned officer in charge. "The Air Force Honor Guard team and their commander were amazed at how proficient and loyal our Airmen at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst are."

The 10-day training course ended with a graduation ceremony in the Tommy B's Community Activities Center. The ceremony included a demonstration of 20-man team funeral honors and a presentation of diplomas.

Lt. Col. Raymond Powell, USAF Honor Guard commander, attended the ceremony. He acknowledged the base team's fortitude and professionalism.

The demanding tempo here keeps the JB MDL team sharp and well-practiced.
The JB MDL Honor Guard is made up of volunteers from the installation's various units. Members travel more than 147,000 miles to support more than 3,200 funerals annually.

"Our base honor guard team is the busiest in the entire Air Force," said Hoey. "We provide military funeral honors across five states, covering 68,000 square miles."

The team performs services throughout the states of New Jersey and New York, five counties in Connecticut, two counties in Massachusetts and 23 counties in Pennsylvania.

Contact the JB MDL Honor Guard at 754-4117 if interested in joining the team.

Call (202) 404-7140 if interested in speaking with a USAF Honor Guard recruiter.

In order to become a member, applicants must: be eligible for permanent change of station reassignment; present performance reports showing consistently demonstrated high standards of character, discretion, loyalty and performance; have no physical disqualifiers; have 20/20 vision, or correctable via contact lenses; must present impeccable military image and conform to exacting grooming standards no shaving waiver; have no fear of firearms or have a history of anxiety, emotional or nervous system disorders; have the ability to speak clearly and distinctly with no speech impediment; have ability to lift 40 pounds; be 5'10"and 5'8" for females in height, have no conviction under the Uniform Code of Military Justice during current enlistment.