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AFMAO hosts Honor Guard Management Course

  • Published
  • By Christin Michaud
  • AFMAO Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  The Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center hosted the Honor Guard Management Course here June 15-17. The course, the first of its kind in the Air Force, is targeted at base honor guard noncommissioned officers in charge. It is designed to offer comprehensive training for program managers.

"AFMAO is charged with policy, guidance, and support to installation honor guards," said Master Sgt. Donald Cleveland, AFMAO Honor Guard NCOIC. "Consistent with that charter, we saw a need to provide training for base honor guard managers and moved out to meet that need by building this course."

In addition to creating, scheduling and hosting the course, Sergeant Cleveland teamed up with the Air Force Honor Guard to establish a curriculum for the course.

Instruction during the course included training on the funeral honors database system, creating operating instructions, managing a budget, flyover request procedures, ceremonial support, weapons and ammunition handling and flag etiquette. Members of the Air Force Honor Guard also offered instruction on the ceremonial uniform, retiree, veteran and active-duty funerals and ceremony guidance.

Tech. Sgt. Hector De La Concha, 30th Space Wing, Honor Guard NCOIC, has been in his position for more than a year. He had a four-day overlap when he transitioned to his position as program manager for the Honor Guard at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Sergeant De La Concha was forced to learn most of what he knows on the job.

"I wish (the course) was available a year ago," he said. "It will benefit brand new program managers."

The course is a requirement for new program managers according to Air Force Instruction 34-242, but wasn't offered until now.

More than 20 Honor Guard NCOICs from across the Air Force attended the three-day course, and more are scheduled for the second class in September.

The course will be offered twice a year to allow new program managers to attend and gain the information and tools they need for a successful program at the base level.
The first course went very well, according to Sergeant Cleveland.

"We were able to create a bridge between the Air Force Honor Guard, policy, and the base honor guard," he said.

The course also allows program managers to network with other managers assigned to different bases.

"This course is an absolute life saver," said Staff Sgt. Lynda Blankenship, 9th Force Support Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, Calif. "Three days is not enough. At home there is no one to talk to for advice, but here there is a room full of people with experience. This is a blessing."