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Afghan AF adds first Honor Guard to its ranks

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Melissa B. White
  • 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan --  Afghan Airmen from the Kandahar Air Wing posted colors for the first time with their own Honor Guard at the one-year anniversary of the unit's activation Oct. 5 at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

For the past year, Airmen of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Honor Guard have posted the colors for the KAW's ceremonies. The team recently began working with members of the Afghan Air Force to introduce the traditions and, after seeing how the U.S. Air Force does it, the Afghans decided they were ready to make history and adopt their own style.

"I am proud of them," said Staff Sgt. Randall Abella, member of the 73rd Expeditionary Air Control Squadron and NCO in charge of the Honor Guard. "I hope that, with our basics, they will be able to write some standard operating procedures that will stand out in their history for presenting honor and dignity. Then, one day, they can look back on their first Honor Guard and remember the names of their first members and why they started it - kind of like how we look at our historical accomplishments and honor our traditions."

The 451st AEW Honor Guard met with the Afghans in the KAW twice starting Oct. 2 for a couple of hours each time. They covered all the basic Honor Guard movements, anywhere from marching in step to presenting arms.

"I was excited when I found out we'd be helping them," said Sergeant Abella, who is deployed from the 606th Air Control Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, and has three years of Honor Guard experience. "I had a lot of questions like how much training they had and what style they use."

Sergeant Abella said he first heard of the plans for an Afghan Honor Guard a couple of weeks ago, but it ended up happening a lot sooner than he had planned.

"The amount of time we had to prepare them was a big factor because our U.S. members practice for three weeks before they step up to do details and these guys didn't have that much time," said Sergeant Abella. "Our basic movements and marching techniques are quite different from theirs, so being told to do something opposite of what you're used to doing for a while can be tough. My favorite part though was having them laugh with us and seeing them eager to learn."

Plans to have an Honor Guard came about when Col. Bernard Mater, 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group commander, and Maj. Gen. Abdul Raziq Sherzai, KAW commander, were discussing having a celebration for the first anniversary of the KAW. General Sherzai said he wanted his Airmen to take the lead this time, to include posting the colors. The Afghan Air Force had no Honor Guard to speak of prior to the event.

"In the end, the event ended up being a huge success as the Afghans put it on completely by themselves with the exception of borrowing a little communication equipment from us," said Chief Master Sgt. David Staton, 738th AEAG superintendent. "That in itself shows the progress they've made."

Members of the 738th AEAG have partnered with the KAW for the past year. The Americans from three different services and 45 different career fields have mentored the Afghans and taught them skills for their jobs so they can eventually take complete ownership of their wing and support the mission.

"Our basic mission is to set the conditions for a self-sustainable Afghan Air Wing," said Chief Staton, a Gentry, Ark., native. "This is simply one more step toward that goal. The Afghan Airmen are professional, motivated and ready to add an Honor Guard to their ranks."