Training standardizes honors among honor guards

Honor guard training

Senior Airman Andrea Isder (right), an instructor with the Air Force Honor Guard, explains proper flag posting procedures March 7 at the former Enlisted Club. Posting the colors are Senior Airmen John Hagens, 2nd Space Warning Squadron, Buckley AFB, and Nicholas Ziegler, 27th Fighter Wing, Canon AFB. (U.S. Air Force photo by Steve Brady)

Honor guard training

Tech. Sgt. Charles Forrest (second from left), an instructor with the Air Force Honor Guard from Bolling Air Force Base, teaches flag folding techniques to area honor guard members. The AF Honor Guard team was here for two weeks instructing Canon, F.E. Warren, Schriever, Peterson and Air Force Academy honor guard members. (U.S. Air Force photo by Steve Brady)

Published March 13, 2007
By Steve Brady
21st Space Wing Public Affairs

PETERSON AFB, Colo. -- Folding flags, posting colors and firing party training were on the agenda as the Air Force Honor Guard mobile training team arrived here recently.

The team, from Bolling AFB in Washington, provided two weeks of training for Peterson, Canon, F.E. Warren, Schriever and the Air Force Academy honor guards.

"We provide training about 14 times each year," said Tech. Sgt. Charles Forrest, one of the instructors from Bolling. "We do it to standardize military funeral honors throughout the Air Force."

The Air Force Honor Guard provides ceremonial support for Headquarters Air Force, the Department of Defense and the White House. When former President Gerald Ford died in December, the Honor Guard's capabilities were stretched to its limits and it had to call in support from other bases.

"If we're not doing the same thing at all bases, then more training is needed," Sergeant Forrest said. "This training will make sure all honor guards throughout the Air Force perform the same sequence and present the same honors."

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