soldier in uniform saluting

Base Honor Guard

8:30 AM – 3:30 PM

air force honor guard logo

Honor Guard Recruitment

The Joint Base Andrews Honor Guard is looking for members who display the highest level of military professionalism and discipline.

We are looking for members who fit the proper military image, along with the strength and endurance to carry a fallen hero to his/her final resting place, and the poise and tenacity to stand in front of your Air Force leaders and present the colors.

Military Funeral Honors

The Honor Guard offers the following ceremony types:

Veterans: 3 or 2-man team, performing Flag folding and playing of Taps.

Retiree: 7-man team, performing Pall Bearer tasks, 6-man flag folding sequence, Firing Party and Taps.

Active Duty: 20-man team, performing Pall Bearer tasks, Colors team, 6-man flag folding sequence, Firing Party, Taps, and flag hand-off by Officer/NCOIC.

soldiers carrying a fallen soldier's coffin with flag atop

FAQ’s

What is needed from the Funeral Home for Military Funeral Honors?

DD Form 214 showing member has Honorable discharge, all DD Form 214’s showing AD, Reserve/Guard.

Joint Base Andrews MFH Request Sheet, properly filled-out by the Funeral Home.

What services are provided by the JB Andrews Base Honor Guard (HG) team?

The teams primary mission is to render Military Funeral Honors for Active-Duty, Retired, and Veteran service members of the U.S. Air Force and Army Corps across the 4 states and District of Columbia. In addtion, the team can provide Colors Posting or Presenting and Flag Folding for traditional ceremonies across the National Capital Region.  

What do I need to know about a Colors team performance by the HG?

The team can present or post/retire the Colors for member and units across the National Capital Region’s 50 square mile radius on a manning permitting basis. Colors attendance can be confirmed a week prior to the event date due to funeral honors precedence.

Color Definition

Presenting the Colors:

The team carries the colors in and takes them out immediately after the National Anthem.

 

​Posting the Colors:

The team will post and leave the flags in stands after the National Anthem.

 

Retiring the Colors:

The team will formally remove the flags at the close of the event.

Colors Protocol & Equipment

Since NO ONE should be moving during the Advancement, Presenting or Departure of the Colors, please have the singer(s) in place prior to the team advancing to the front.

The National Anthem will be played/sung once the team reaches the front of the room and presents arms (visual cue is the dipping of the AF flag).

We bring all equipment unless the POC already has the necessary equipment.

Flag-Folding for Retirement Ceremonies: The flag-folding ceremony is not an official part of the Air Force retirement ceremony. If manning permits, honor guards may perform flag-folds as “special presentations.” Only the two-person flag-fold will be preformed during individual retirement ceremonies. The ceremonial uniform will not be worn while performing this ceremony.

Music will NOT be played during the flag fold.

Flag-folding will be performed IAW paragraphs 9.33 and 9.35. of this manual; as well as AFI 34-1202, paragraph 2.15.

Program Manager

MSgt Alicia Bertoch

Lead Scheduler

 A1C Adian Diaz

Head Trainer

SrA Paris Johnson