News

Honor guard team looking for a few good Airmen

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Amanda Currier
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  Becoming an honor guard member means upholding standards of conduct, and a level of professionalism, above all others. 

That is exactly what members of the RAF Mildenhall Honor Guard agree to do when they recite the group’s creed upon acceptance to the team. 

Right now, the team is looking for about 27 razor-sharp, highly-motivated people who are interested in joining the honor guard and representing the Air Force and its members past and present. 

“If you’re interested in being here, and you’re a sharp person, we want you,” said Capt. David Bartley, RAF Mildenhall Honor Guard officer in charge. 

RAF Mildenhall Honor Guard members represent the Air Force while performing at ceremonial functions on base and in the local community. They perform at a variety of events ranging from retirement ceremonies to funerals. Some of the details they are responsible for include posting the colors, performing retreat, conducting ceremonial flag folding, forming sword cordons and executing drill movements. 

The team practices for two hours every Wednesday and also has one six-hour practice a quarter in order to maintain the precision in movement, which people expect from honor guard members. 

“It’s worth it because you get appreciated for serving your country. It’s very rewarding,” said Airman 1st Class Jonathan Haggen, who has been a member of the honor guard here for three and a half months. “You learn what it truly means to be in the Air Force.”
Honor guard members sign up for a 12-month commitment when they join the team, which can be interrupted by temporary-duty assignments, deployments and long periods of leave and resumed upon a member’s return. 

“If people are afraid of how much off-duty time this will take, it’s not that much of an off-duty commitment unless they want it to be,” said Capt. Bartley. 

RAF Mildenhall Honor Guard members usually work on a two-week-on, two-week-off schedule, meaning they are on-call to perform details for two weeks and then off for two weeks. While members are on-call, they must attend practice. 

The honor guard provides all uniform and other necessary materials to its members free of charge, provided people fulfill their 12-month contractual commitment to the team. 

“I joined the honor guard because I thought is sounded interesting; I stayed for the camaraderie,” said Staff Sgt. Jessica Chapman, who has been an RAF Mildenhall Honor Guard member for about two years. “It feels like family.” 

There are additional perks to the job aside from becoming an honor guard family member and getting a free uniform. The RAF Mildenhall Honor Guard performs details throughout the United Kingdom, so there are opportunities for members to travel. There are also specially-marked parking spots for honor guard members around base. Plus, serving on the team provides members with positive bullets for their performance reports, and possibly with the chance to earn a decoration. 

“This is not something you want to join half-heartedly,” said Sergeant Chapman. “At funerals, you have to be strong. You’re there for support. I think it has kept me sharper than some troops. It definitely gives you an edge.” 

Training for potential honor guard members includes a two-hour training lesson once a week for six weeks. After that, new honor guard members undergo an evaluation from seasoned honor guard members. Veteran guard members evaluate new recruits to see how well the trainees have retained their lessons. New recruits then either become full-fledged members of the team or undergo two additional weeks of training before joining –– depending on how well they do during the evaluation. 

Servicemembers who are interested in joining the RAF Mildenhall Honor Guard should stop by an honor guard practice to fill out an application and undergo a brief interview. The honor guard meets for practice every Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. in Bldg. 764. 

People can also apply online by visiting the dotmildenhall page, clicking on the units button on the left side of the page and looking for the honor guard link under wing staff.
For more information, call Captain Bartley at 238-5275.