Honor Guard

20ta

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Dec 20, 2015
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I have recently been appointed and was wondering if anyone knows where I can get more information regarding the Honor Guard team. I am a member of my AFJROTC Honor Guard and might be interested in joining at the Academy. Does anyone know how it works? Can anyone join or are there tryouts? Also besides color guards and drill routines are there any other ceremonies that the Honor Guard team does (like POW/MIA table, for example)?

Thank you
 
I have a good friend who is currently an Honor Guard trainee (4*), and based on his experiences and my own observations, I can confidently tell you that the first year of HG here is nothing like JROTC or CAP (I used to be a CAP Honor Guardsman so I have firsthand experience in the latter case). Honor Guard is probably the most challenging organization a freshman can join here at the Academy. The whole first year is essentially a tryout in which you are tested physically, militarily, and mentally. Honor Guard practices every day Mon-Fri (I think they train for 2 hrs/day), and strenuous physical training sessions for the 4*s are frequent. Honor Guard also has a separate Recognition ceremony in addition to the one for the entire freshman class.

There is also another organization, similar to Honor Guard, called the Sabre Drill Team. The Sabre Team performs sabre drill routines (quite spectacular to watch) in official functions, and also serves in certain ceremonies in which a sabre cordon/etc. is required. I am friends with several 4*s training to join the Sabre Team, and from what I've heard, the Sabre Team experience is similar to Honor Guard in many ways. Practices occur every day, and 4*s are also subjected to physical/mental training like in Honor Guard. The Sabre Team has a separate recognition ceremony as well.

The good news is that anybody can join either program (but not both). All trainees go through the same difficult program whether or not they have prior experience. Additionally, the program is only open to incoming 4*s (i.e. you can't join as a C3C). I believe that all of those who complete the first year of training successfully are then accepted as team members.

As far as ceremonies, Honor Guard is responsible for raising/lowering the flag, funeral ceremonies (such as the firing team) when applicable, and rifle drill performances. I am sure there are many other jobs they perform as well, but I will defer to an Honor Guardsman (or someone who knows the program really well) to answer your question more completely.

Good luck as you prepare for USAFA. Keep focused and don't get hurt. :cool:
 
Thank you for the reply! I look forward to learning more about the team once I actually enter the Academy.

Quick question though about recognition ceremonies. Is it common for other programs/clubs to have separate recognition ceremonies? And are those ceremonies around the same time as all of the other recognition activities or are they on different timelines?
 
I think some clubs do, but the ones I know of for sure are Sabre Team and Honor Guard. These would likely occur a couple of weeks before or after the wing-wide Recognition ceremony.
 
Man am I old.

Served in USAFA Honor Guard from 1979-1983. Was on the competition team and served on Color Guard as a 4th-2nd class man. Loved doing that. Didn't do JROTC in High School--wasn't offered. Was a football player. Tried out for USAFA football but didn't make the team. Then saw guys throwing rifles at each other and was hooked. Very sharp unit that well represented the school. Classmates and Upper Class called us "Hitler Youth" ;-). Just like we all called Drum & Bugle Corps "Dumb & Bungle" ;-). We could pick on each other but woe to those who insulted the family.

Used to be there was a men's and women's Honor Guard team. I assume still is the same, but not sure. There have been some changes. For instance, If I remember correctly, the tradition began with a Texas A&M Aggie as the AOC sponsor. Originally the competition teams were all Freshmen, in the Aggie Fish tradition, for both men's and women's teams. We would go compete at the USC competition in Anaheim, CA, or at Texas A&M, or at Arizona State., or in Kentucky at EKU. We won a lot of the drill competitions. I remember the NROTC from Oregon was our real competition. They were good. Believe competition team is now a mix of upperclassmen and no longer all freshmen.
 
So, is the Honor Guard team essentially a Drill Team that also performs color guards, or are they two separate teams?
 
In my day, the Color Guard was a subset of the Honor Guard. Had to be Honor Guard first to be considered and selected for the Color Guard. Will let those with more recent relevant knowledge answer for the way it is now.
 
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