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Honor Guard Airmen meld precision with dignity

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Stefanie Torres
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Silence fills the room as all eyes focus on them. Every step is scrutinized as they perform in unison. They are guardians of the flags; they represent honor, dignity and the Airmen of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing.

Without missing a step, members of the Base Honor Guard mark the start of every ceremony here with a precisely choreographed display of military protocol perfected through countless hours of drill, said Tech. Sgt. Sarah Bowen, the team's NCO in charge.

But for the 45 Airmen who comprise the group, it's not all hard work and no play.

"We are a very detail-oriented group and take pride in what we do," Sergeant Bowen said. "But we also have a lot of fun, too, and I think that is what has allowed our membership to grow exponentially. I can't believe how many people we have."

In fact, the number of volunteers joining the Honor Guard has doubled within the last couple of months - a level of success Sergeant Bowen attributes to word-of-mouth as Honor Guard members spread the news about the program's unique benefits.

"You can see in their faces the amount of pride (our members) have when they complete a detail, and I can see the sense of accomplishment they have. I think they are letting other people know what a great team this is to be a part of."

Master Sgt. Dennis Washington, Honor Guard head trainer, believes the dedication expressed by current and former members has added to the growing number of Airmen who want to be a part of "honor and tradition."

"What makes the Honor Guard here so great is the fact that the members take pride in being part of such an elite team," he said. "The Airmen that have stepped up to be a part of the Honor Guard have shown they can perform at levels higher than expected. The team has performed at promotions, the 9-11 tribute, Reveille, Retreat, the Air Force birthday and the POW/MIA ceremony - all flawlessly."

With Airmen constantly rotating in and out for deployments here, the majority of Honor Guard members are relatively new, explained Sergeant Bowen. That makes the team's high level of precision all the more remarkable, she added.
"Everyone has gone forward by leaps and bounds every time we get together for training," she said. "I couldn't be more proud of them. They have made tremendous progress."

The growth is noteworthy considering the fact that the ceremonial movements are learned in just two hours of formal training per week. Although Airmen learn facing and execution movements in basic military training, the three-point movements required of the Honor Guard are substantially different and take time to learn.

The brain essentially has to "rewire" itself in order to learn new steps and override the movements already mastered, Sergeant Bowen explained.

"There are only a couple of hours a week for formal training, but because we have a mix of members who have had previous Honor Guard training and are helping to train our newest members on their own time, we find that (new members) are coming up to speed very quickly," she said. "I think what I am the most proud of is our contingency of Honor Guard trainers. They are on point all the time."

Progress is marked with a black rope, called an aiguillette, worn over the shoulder of the uniform. An aiguillette is awarded to those who have performed at least one detail with the Honor Guard, Sergeant Bowen explained.

Airmen who wear the Honor Guard sleeve, called a brazard, are trainers. Becoming a trainer takes practice and extraordinary dedication, she explained. A brazard is earned after passing a series of tests which show that a member has the ability to master all the techniques, movements and drills; and teach them to others.

"To be a trainer, the Airmen have to show a passion, a comprehension of the program and a certain level of personal ability because we have a vast membership, and we want someone who can teach anyone," Sergeant Bowen said. "We are extraordinarily nitpicky, so we pick only superior performers for this position."

Such commitment to duty is what the Base Honor Guard -- and the Air Force as a whole -- is all about, Sergeant Bowen noted.

"Excellence," she said, "is who we are."

Sergeant Washington agrees the Airmen on the team have "truly demonstrated the core values of the Air Force" with Integrity First, Service Before Self and Excellence in All We Do.