Luke Air Force Base, Arizona -- Luke Air Force Base Honor Guard members are enjoying some much needed relief from the extreme Arizona elements from sun shades that were installed outside of the honor guard building June 10.
Honor guardsmen train several hours daily to maintain their level of professionalism for funerals, ceremonies and the presentation of the colors.
Installation of the shades has given honor guardsmen the ability to practice longer while also helping to sharpen focus.
“When the sun is beating on you, you tend to focus on the heat and how hot you are, making it difficult to focus on the task at hand,” said Senior Airman Ryan Baez, 61st Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew chief and lead honor guardsman. “With these shades, guardsmen can be outside longer and train more effectively for three to four hours at a time without the risk of becoming a heat casualty.”
Training is crucial for new Airmen replacing honor guardsmen who have completed their time with the Luke Honor Guard.
“Without the shades, training sessions stop every 20 to 30 minutes for water, and that would be pushing it with those extreme temperature environments,” Baez said. “Training as a rookie takes eight hours a day for the first two weeks and with these sun shades, it is now possible all year long.”
Once a guardsman passes rookie month, the official journey begins.
“When honor guardsmen are able to get the training they need, they are able to present themselves professionally in those special and meaningful ceremonies,” said Airman 1st Class Matthew Green, 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron and honor guard flight trainer. “Sometimes these ceremonies are the last look people will have of the military, so performing at our best is crucial to leaving a professional and respectful image of the United States Air Force.”