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The Blue Knights: honoring Airmen past and present

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Natasha Marakowski
  • 36th Comptroller Squadron
May 3, 2011, it's 1:30 at Guam Veteran's Cemetery and a seven-member funeral team silently awaits the arrival of the funeral procession.

Beads of sweat drip off their expressionless faces as they stand motionless in their wool ceremonial uniforms in the sweltering heat. Despite the screaming urge to move out from the roasting sun, they stand like statues and try not to think about their burning shoes, or the wooziness that begins to set in. These men and women are a part of the Blue Knights Andersen AFB Honor Guard Team; they volunteered for this.

"To be considered part of the Blue Knights Honor Guard is an honor in itself," said Staff Sgt. Dereck Hutcherson, the team's head trainer. "We provide funeral honors for active duty, retired and veteran members who served honorably, and there is no feeling like knowing that you are honoring a fellow Airmen, comrade and friend."

The Andersen Honor Guard supports a wide variety of functions both on, and off-base and even off-island. During the past year, the Honor Guard supported 129 events, including 28 funerals-three of which were for active duty members. They also had the honor of supporting the Secretary of State visit, Tinian Bomb Pits Memorial, Linebacker II ceremony and several joint events with the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air National Guard.

The biggest challenge facing the team has been recruitment. Unlike 70 percent of the Air Force, the Blue Knights are completely voluntary. However, because of increased deployment tempos and cuts in Air Force personnel, low manning has been a constant battle.

"We're always looking for sharp Airmen that can dedicate their time to attend weekly practices and perform Honor Guard details during the duty week," said Staff Sgt. Roy Silva, the team's program manager and noncommissioned officer in charge. "Our low numbers have placed additional time requirements and work load on our Guardsmen."

But it's not all work and no play. The Blue Knights enjoy several exclusive perks to reward their efforts; most recognizable is the reserved parking spaces on base. The Blue Knights also benefit from being recognized during wing quarterly and annual awards ceremonies, receipt of achievement medals, and an increased chance of getting Below-the-Zone promotions.

"Honor Guard has allowed me to meet other Airmen on Andersen that I would not have otherwise had the opportunity to work with," said Staff. Sgt. Chris Beck, a brand new Blue Knights recruit. "The most satisfying aspect of the team is being able to showcase the Air Force core values and recognize our Airmen, past and present."

For information in the Andersen Honor Guard, contact Sergeant Silva at 366-2492