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What Does the Team Andersen Honor Guard Do?

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jamie Powell
  • 36th Wing Honor Guard NCOIC
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  The Honor Guard is the installation commander's program. The team's primary mission is to provide final military honors to fallen military members. On Guam, most of the ceremonies performed are funerals for veterans and retirees. The team conducts ceremonies on a regular basis with both the Army and the Navy for joint service funerals. The team may not have to travel hundreds of miles to a funeral like some bases in the states, but it does not mean Andersen's Honor Guard's mission is any less important.

Take a moment to think about what ceremonial guardsmen actually do - they are the Airmen who ensure your loved one is given the proper final military honors to include a flag fold, firing party and the playing of Taps. For guardsmen, they know the ceremony they perform is something to be proud of. There are no words to describe how an Airman feels when a detail is performed and the American flag is folded neatly and crisply over the casket and presented to the loved one. 

A guardsman is a professional Airman who maintains military bearing and is ready to provide those final military honors at any time and any place during any weather conditions. Airmen on the team not only perform funeral details, but they conduct many other types of details like sword cordons, colors team and retirements to name a few. Each detail performed by the Honor Guard team is special. By the time guardsmen have completed their year-long commitment to the Honor Guard, they have performed most of these details. 

The pool of Team Andersen guardsmen come from units all over the base, consists of all ranks, primarily airman through technical sergeant, lieutenants and captains, and the team has an Honor Guard first sergeant. 

You may have thought about joining an Honor Guard team at some point in your career, so I ask you now: What are you waiting for? The time to do it is right here, right now. There are so many reasons to join the Team and the incentives are numerous, but the genuine reason why you should join the elite is to give back to the base and the community. Why not try something new and be the person who instills pride in all you do?

The Honor Guard Charge is: "To Honor With Dignity!" There is no finer way to put it. Even if joining the Honor Guard is not for you, please take a moment to acknowledge the team and thank them for what they do. Many of the guardsmen perform up to three funerals in a weekend on their own time. There is so much that can be said about a ceremonial guardsman, but next time you see an Airman walk by in the ceremonial blue uniform, watch them carefully and you will see their professionalism.

What does it take to become a member of the Andersen AFB Honor Guard Team?
You must be "fit to fight," have no unfavorable information file or control roster, obtain supervisor and first sergeant or commander approval, be highly motivated and commit one year to the team. 

There are many benefits to joining the Andersen Air Force Base Honor Guard team, such as: opportunity to earn a decoration, opportunity to win guardsman of the quarter, special Honor Guard parking spaces and free dry cleaning on any military uniform. If interested in joining the elite, please feel free to send an email to the "36 WG/Honor Guard Leadership" distribution list or to Staff Sgt. Jamie Powell and we will gladly answer any of your questions.