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Six Airmen earn spot on Air Force Honor Guard team

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Dan DeCook
  • 11th Wing Public Affairs
AIR FORCE DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON --  Upon completion of nine weeks of training, six Airmen earned the right to be called U.S. Air Force Honor Guardsmen Nov. 15.

Senior Airman Joshua Hull, Airmen 1st Class Robert Barnhart, Richard Howard, Devin Kizer, Nicholas Spencer, and Airman Richard Tapani graduated from the Honor Guard's technical school and are now ready to begin training as members of the firing party, body bearers or colors elements of the Air Force Honor Guard.

The first night Airmen arrive at the Honor Guard compound, they are greeted by a team of instructors who quickly let them know they are here for business. For the five Airmen coming from basic training, there wasn't much difference. But for Airman Hull, a C-130 crew chief, it was much different from what he was accustomed to at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.

"After seeing an Honor Guard video in the Base Exchange at Davis-Monthan I realized that I wanted to do something more than what I was currently doing," said Airman Hull. "I joined the base honor guard and had the opportunity to work an order of the sword ceremony where I was trained by noncommissioned officers from the Air Force Honor Guard. Seeing how they conducted themselves inspired me to take the next step and apply."

While the Honor Guard technical school doesn't fall under Air Education and Training Command, they do follow many of the same training guidelines, with their own special twists. During technical school, the students must keep their rooms in inspection order at all times, including hospital corners on their green wool blankets.

Instruction during the course covers everything it takes to become honor guardsmen, from how to properly wear and keep the many uniforms worn by the Air Force Honor Guard, to the correct facing movements, to weapons manuals. The biggest difference from other Air Force specialty technical schools and the Honor Guard technical school it that not only do the students learn how to accomplish their jobs, Honor Guard members also receive instruction on leadership, public speaking, nutrition and cooking.

"As instructors for the Air Force Honor Guard technical school, we have to prepare the Airmen who come through our doors to be some of the best people the Air Force has to offer," said Senior Airman Peadar Clark, Class 2008-E primary instructor. "With that in mind, it's our job to instill humility in our guardsmen because they will hear that they are the best the Air Force has to offer time and time again."

A typical day for the students starts with physical training at 4 a.m. Then there's uniform and room inspections, drill and class room instructions. Then students finish up their 12-hour-day with one last physical training session. The two daily sessions have proved their worth. All students scored more than 90 percent on their final physical training tests this class.

"The toughest part of the training for me was definitely the physical training program," said Airman Hull. "I came here with a 36-inch waist. I've dropped down to a 31-inch waist and my run time went from 13 minutes to under 10."

The Honor Guard's technical school includes a staff of 10 instructors who have all completed technical school themselves and spent time in one of the Honor Guard's flights. With a very busy season ahead of them, the newest guardsmen will be expected to perform their new jobs quickly and flawlessly.