Base Honor Guard
OFFICE HOURS
9:00am – 3:00pm
PHONE
(301) 981-7892
DSN: 858.7892
Fax: 301.981.7065
If you fax a request, you must call to verify that our office has received it.
24-Hour Cell (1-(202) 706-8237) to request funeral honors.
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.
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 team can present, post, and/or retire the Colors.
What do I need to know about a Colors team performance by the HG?
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 Dudley
NCOIC
MSgt James Shepard