To honor with dignity

Published March 16, 2010
By Airman 1st Class Artemy Shpakovsky
Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- A group of Airmen stand in formation with their rifles at hand and game faces on. The Airmen are members of the Minot Air Force Base Honor Guard and this is one of the most important times for them - practice.

Entirely composed of volunteers, the honor guard cannot devote a lot of time to practice, as members have their regular jobs and the mission to keep as their primary focus. So when they do get to practice, they focus on why they chose to be members.

"The main reason for the base honor guard to exist is to provide military funeral honors," said Tech. Sgt. Paul Nixon, Minot AFB Honor Guard noncommissioned officer-in-charge. "We want to honor those who have served, ones who've answered their nation's call."

Honor guard is one of the most important assets of any base. It provides services for many different events like retirements, raising of the flag and senior noncommissioned officer induction ceremonies. It also plays an important role in community relations.

"We presented the colors at a basketball game in Bismarck [N.D. capital] for their military appreciation day," Sergeant Nixon said. "We also participate in a lot of events in downtown Minot."

As of now, the base honor guard has practices once a week during a specially scheduled four hour time bracket. This bracket was made to make the practice easier to attend for more Airmen.

"The honor guard trains in the base linen exchange building," said Sergeant Nixon. "Though the conditions of the hall provided to us are not perfect, right now we are working on remodeling it."

Like any other duty, honor guard has its challenges and rewards. With the help of the installation commander and many different programs on base the rewards outweigh the challenges.

"There are multiple programs designed for the honor guard," Sergeant Nixon said. "We get free bowling, free haircuts - little things that reward us. But to me the most rewarding thing is being in the honor guard by itself."

Being an honor guard member is a big responsibility and not everybody can take that extra step, said Sergeant Nixon. Maintaining their uniform, taking care of the haircuts - these are the little things that make it difficult for a lot of people to be a part of honor guard.

"This is why the Airmen who join are also usually drill enthusiasts who know how to and love maintaining a professional image," said Sergeant Nixon.

One such Airman, who polishes her boots and shines her accouterments before every ceremony, explains what makes honor guard important to her:

"I like the honor guard, and consider it fun," said Airman 1st Class Kara Kwiatkowski, 5th Logistics Readiness Squadron materiel management receiving apprentice and member of the honor guard. "We do some cool stuff like the saber arch during drill. But the main reason for me joining the honor guard is because it's an honorable thing to do - to serve those who've served before you."

From the folding of the flag during a retirement ceremony to the last salute for military members who have passed away - these are the things honor guard members believe gives meaning to what they do.

"I feel the honor guard is important to the base because when the public looks at them, they see precision, excellence, duty and honor - and these are the values that are very important to me as a member of the Air Force," said Lt. Col. Michael Swift, 5th Bomb Wing director of staff.

The honor guard is the face of the Air Force. They serve all Airmen, both active duty, Reserve, National Guard, retired or deseased. They make connections with all bases across the world as they continue a long standing tradition of excellence and live by the phrase, "to honor with dignity."