What Base Honor Guard Members Need to Know: Uniform Trousers

Spangdahlem Air Base Honor Guard After Posting the Colors at Rhein Mein in 2010

The Air Force Base Honor Guard (BHG) uniform is a modified standard USAF uniform. Stripes, an aiguillette, BHG arc and sewn creases are added like in the picture at right (that’s me, second from the left).

You may notice that the right rifle guard’s stripe on his trouser leg is slightly bunched. This is a rampant problem with BHGs around the world. Have a look at the picture below. That looks extraordinarily poor.

The stripe is supposed to be as smooth as possible, like the left rifle guard’s stripe in the picture at the top. So, why is this happening? Those who are sewing on the stripes are pulling the trouser leg much too much while sewing on the stripes. This causes bunching of the stripe as pictured above.

The Fix is in
The BHG member in charge of issuing uniforms and the NCOIC/Superintendent all need to visit the seamstress/tailor where the uniforms are altered and explain exactly how the uniforms are put together and how to obtain the perfect look. That is, if it hasn’t already been accomplished.

When I was on the BHG at Spangdahlem (as a retiree, mind you), we knew our seamstress and her coworkers by name and had an excellent relationship with them. When we graduated a T-Flight, we would escort all of the graduates over to the tailor shop and ensure all was squared away for each graduate individually. Yes, this takes time, but the outcome is as close to perfection as one can come.

All the best to my brothers- and sisters-in-arms and especially my fellow Ceremonial Guardsmen.