Honor Guard Competition
LA Air Force Base took second place overall (out of 7 AF Space Command Bases competing - the 8th, Vandenberg AFB wasn't able to compete). We took first place in pall bearing (carrying the casket). The impressive part is that the team is 7/10 officers, who normally don't do pall bearing, firing party, or other rolls - we're normally the detail commander for the funeral.
We significantly impressed the judges from the USAF Honor Guard - they didn't know what to expect from a team of 1 captain, 6 lieutenants, 2 master sergeants (E-7), and one staff sergeant (E-5). A normal team is one or two officers, mostly Airmen/Airmen First Class/Senior Airmen (E-2 through E-4), and maybe 3 NCOs (E-5 through E-6). The USAF HG knows that officers don't get as much training in drill and ceremony and normally don't do these duties in actual funerals.
Our captain says she wants to work on getting the officers on pall bearing and firing party more at funerals. I'm not sure I agree - I think still putting the senior member as the detail commander is the right thing to do - plus I have been personally enjoying the chance to take the leadership roll, even in such a small activity. And, I appreciate being able to interact with the family and see the direct and immediate impact of what I do on people.
We significantly impressed the judges from the USAF Honor Guard - they didn't know what to expect from a team of 1 captain, 6 lieutenants, 2 master sergeants (E-7), and one staff sergeant (E-5). A normal team is one or two officers, mostly Airmen/Airmen First Class/Senior Airmen (E-2 through E-4), and maybe 3 NCOs (E-5 through E-6). The USAF HG knows that officers don't get as much training in drill and ceremony and normally don't do these duties in actual funerals.
Our captain says she wants to work on getting the officers on pall bearing and firing party more at funerals. I'm not sure I agree - I think still putting the senior member as the detail commander is the right thing to do - plus I have been personally enjoying the chance to take the leadership roll, even in such a small activity. And, I appreciate being able to interact with the family and see the direct and immediate impact of what I do on people.