Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “honor guard”
Introducing the Updated Training Framework For years, I have provided guidance, manuals, and critiques to help Honor Guard programs improve their performance. Departments across the country—and internationally—have used these resources to build teams, correct procedures, and elevate their ceremonial standards. However, one consistent issue has remained: Most programs do not struggle because they lack information.They struggle because they lack structure. …
It’s important to clarify the distinction of the Melophori (Mēlophoroi), or Apple Bearers, from the larger body of the Persian “Immortals” as historical sources have revealed.
In the grand narratives of ancient history, figures like Roman Emperors, Persian Kings, and Macedonian conquerors stand at the apex of power. Yet, their authority—and often their very lives—rested in the hands of their most trusted and feared subordinates: the elite bodyguards. Far more than mere soldiers, units such as the Roman Praetorian Guard, the Persian Apple Bearers, and the …
When an Airman or Guardian dies, the nation makes a visible promise: no one will be forgotten, and every honor will be rendered with precision, dignity, and certainty.
That promise is not symbolic. It is operational. And today this duty is in danger of not being met.
Across the United States, organizations of many types—federal agencies, uniformed services, public safety departments, schools, and civic groups—seek meaningful ways to honor the United States flag during ceremonies and public events.
The photo at the top of the page shows what is called a “Committal Shelter” or a “Committal Pavilion”. For a more modern, utilitarian structure, “Committal Terrace” is also sometimes used to describe a paved, roofed area specifically set aside for the service to take place away from the mud or grass of the grave site. Why these are used …
The ‘Good Idea Fairy,’ the destroyer of motivation and crusher of souls, is back, and this time it’s haunting the drill field. As I detail in my previous work, ‘The Magic White Glove Effect,’ this phenomenon is all due to unrealistic expectations. Recently, I received a message detailing a ceremony rehearsal where a prepared junior NCO and his Color Guard …
This investigation is grounded in a review of five critical articles from prominent news sources—including Stars and Stripes, NBC News, Washington Post, the American Legion, and NPR—which collectively detail a pattern of failures that constitute a betrayal of trust by Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations (AFMAO). This historical record highlights instances of mishandled veteran human remains and failed accountability, unequivocally …
Finished 24 October 2025. I’ve spent years detailing the operational conflicts that are actively undermining the Base Honor Guard program online through my website and social media. This is more than just a turf war; it’s about the legal requirement to preserve a congressional mandate. To download this position paper in PDF, click here. Download the sample suggested DAFI rewrite …
I speak with law enforcement officers and firefighters around the country on all matters of drill and ceremonies. This crops up every so often and needs to be addressed.