Honor Guardsmen recognized for year of service

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Grace Lee
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  It's 105 degrees Fahrenheit, and each Honor Guardsman has on a ceremonial uniform consisting of a hat, jacket, pants and dress shoes.

As beads of sweat drip down their faces, they wait in position for the funeral ceremony to begin.

For their efforts and commitment to a one-year term as Luke Air Force Base Honor Guards, 13 Airmen were recognized and awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal Oct. 8 in Club Five Six.

"It's important for us to recognize our Honor Guardsmen because after a year of dedication and hard work, they deserve something special and this is our way to give them a small token of appreciation," said Master Sgt. Keith Cooper, 56th Force Support Squadron Honor Guard superintendent.

When they aren't performing color guard ceremonies on base, they are either training or doing other details such as funerals or color guard ceremonies for off-base functions.

"Luke Honor Guardsmen train when they're not on a detail or ceremony," Cooper said. "This is normally three or four days a week depending on the workload."

Being an Honor Guardsman requires one who is selfless and passionate about serving others because it is a duty that often means working during the weekend or on off-duty hours.

"When you're in Honor Guard you're always on duty, and those who are enjoy ceremonies such as weddings and teaching the Boy Scouts how to fold a flag," Cooper said. "On average, we schedule 60 details a month and perform about 690 funerals and 350 color guard ceremonies, retirements, weddings, and more annually."

For one Guardsman, being in the Honor Guard has given him a new perspective and outlook on what it means to serve.

"Honor Guard taught me the importance of having my uniform crisp and clean, and maintaining a professional image," said Senior Airman Harold Cade, 56th Communications Squadron client services technician. "During my time in the Honor Guard I enjoyed saluting and honoring those who served before me by giving them my best. If I was to tell an Airman why they should join the Honor Guard I would say, 'Being in the Honor Guard is one of the best ways you can serve your country and gives you a sense of accomplishment because you're honoring those who have served.'"

While Honor Guardsmen come from a plethora of career fields, each is essential to the Luke mission.

"Without these Airmen we wouldn't be able to provide honors to our fallen service members," Cooper said. "They are ambassadors to the community, and at the same time they're getting the Luke pilots what they need for training. Whether they're in administration, medical, operations or maintenance, each impacts the Luke and Air Force mission in some way."