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McGuire honor guard named AMC team of the year

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Jill Helm
  • 305th Services Squadron
McGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. --  The McGuire Elite Honor Guard was recently named Air Mobility Command Honor Guard Team of the Year. 

Col. Rick Martin, 305th Air Mobility Wing commander, made the announcement and presented the team with a $10,000 check during a breakfast March 26 at the dining facility. 

"This award is great, but no medal and no amount of money can beat the feeling you get when you see the look on the faces of the families as you honor their loved ones," said Tech Sgt. Tamara Poindexter, McGuire Elite Honor Guard NCO in charge. 

Colonel Martin started the breakfast by asking the honor guard members what they personally got out of being an honor guard member -- whether it's being on funeral honors details or being part of a color guard at a ceremony. 

"The thing that I like best is the respect we get when we perform funeral honors," said Airman 1st Class Jasmine Rosario, 305th Aerospace Medicine Squadron. 

The funeral honors performed by the honor guard can mean a lot to family members. 

"My father was a veteran and at his funeral there was no honor guard," said Senior Airman Latrice Norman, 305th Aerial Port Squadron. "The funeral director just handed my family the flag from his casket. Now that I am in the honor guard, I know what my family missed and how important it is to pay our military respect." 

Other members of the McGuire Elite Honor Guard mentioned additional benefits to being a member of the team. 

"I've made 30 new friends from all different career fields," said Airman 1st Class Jon Benson, 605th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. 

The McGuire Elite Honor Guard attended the AMC awards banquet at Scott AFB, Ill., Thursday. Chief Master Sgt. Scott Kilbride, 305th AMW command chief, attended the banquet as well. 

"The honor guard represents the golden thread woven through the fabric of the Air Force," said Chief Kilbride. 

The McGuire Elite Honor Guard has the largest geographical area of responsibility in the Air Force -- four states covering 78,000 square miles. They performed more than 1,800 military honors in 2006. There are 30 members assigned at a time.