Air Force Honor Guard sharpens base team

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Allison M. Boehm
  • 2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  The Barksdale Honor Guard trained with three members of the Air Force Honor Guard Aug. 24 through Sept. 23. 

Last Fall, the Barksdale Honor Guard flight chief requested Air Combat Command allow the mobile training team to visit Barksdale to ensure the Base Honor Guard is up-to-standards and trained by the best the Air Force has to offer. 

"It is very important to train and maintain consistency and stay up to date with the latest changes," said Master Sgt. Nordyica Woodfork. "Since Barksdale's Honor Guard is split between three flights, the biggest problem that we were having was consistency and getting everyone on the same page. 

"Each flight was training and doing things slightly different especially in the small details," Sergeant Woodfork continued. "I wanted to make sure that we got all of the trainers, flight leaders and staff together as one big group to get correct training at the same time." 

Although the base team is proficient in their details, leadership wanted them to have a little fine-tuning. 

"This training made a sharp team sharper," said Master Sgt. Chris Phillips, noncommissioned officer in charge of Barksdale Honor Guard. "The Air Force Honor Guard has definitely brought us up to a higher standard; we're going be even better." 

More than half of the Barksdale Honor Guard members were able to attend the nine-day training session. Duty days started an hour earlier than usual to ensure Barksdale Airmen would take as much knowledge and experience away as possible. 

"I was very excited when I found out the Air Force Honor Guard was coming to train us," said Staff Sgt. Jonathan Garcia, 2d Communication Squadron. "They are really breaking the training down to the minuscule things that we should perfect. They are challenging us to be more proficient in our details and I plan to implement a lot of what I am being taught here." 

Since only three trainers were available to train the Airmen, Barksdale Honor Guard's members were organized into three teams according to skill level. 

"Although our training tempo here is pretty fast paced, we want to make sure everyone gets trained very well," said Staff Sgt. Joshua Malyemezian, Air Force Honor Guard NCOIC of base honor guard training program. "In order to accomplish this goal, we break the flights into a two-day rotation with one of us. They will get trained on pall-bearing, firing party and colors for two days before switching." 

Once the Barksdale Honor Guard members finished their training, they were evaluated by the Air Force Honor Guard members on their performance. 

"Their training served as a huge wake-up call," said Senior Airman Joseph Mitchell, 2d Communication Squadron. "I've been out here for a year and a half and things constantly change with how movements are performed. It's a huge help to have them out here to have them guide and critiquing us. There's always room for improvement and I'm grateful to be training with them."

To test the Airmen on what they had been practicing, a mock-active duty funeral was held which allowed the instructors to not only critique the Airmen, but give them a pass or fail grade. Every Airman passed the evaluation. 

The training tools the Barksdale Honor Guard have received from the three Bolling Air Force Base Airmen will stay with them as they continue to train for future details. 

"There is nothing like doing it right and performing a near-perfect funeral for a family and providing them with their one lasting memory of the United States Air Force," said Sergeant Woodfork.