Yokota and Misawa honor guardsmen complete USAF Honor Guard basic course

Photo By Yasuo Osakabe | Base honor guardsmen from Yokota Air Base and Misawa AB pose for a photo with U.S. Air Force Honor Guard instructors from the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 28, 2024 after a basic Protocol, Honors and Ceremonies course graduation ceremony. With over 80 training hours, BHG members learned training and procedural guidance for rendering proper military funeral honors and ceremonies to include pallbearing, firing party, colors, maintenance and wear of the ceremonial uniform. (U.S. Air Force photo by Yasuo Osakabe)  

YOKOTA AIR BASE, TOKYO, JAPAN

03.28.2024

Story by Yasuo Osakabe 

374th Airlift Wing

The command was attention. An instructor yelled “Forward, March,” the cordon moved forward with the sound of their footsteps in absolute unison echoing the lot.

It was familiar with the sounds during ceremonies here but the only difference with it was the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard providing in-depth instruction to each member on how to hone their skills as guardsmen.

The U.S. Air Force Honor Guard held a basic Protocol, Honors and Ceremonies course March 18-28 to help the base honor guard during multiple member sequence training at Yokota.

“It is important for base honor guard members to receive the course as they represent the Air Force and are an extension of the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard,” said Staff Sgt. Adolfo Salinas, U.S. Air Force Honor Guard instructor.

This is the first time the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard instructors had come to Yokota to instruct base honor guardsmen (BHG) representing YAB and Misawa AB.
“Six of those members came down from Misawa Air Base to receive this course and it’s beneficial to them as well,” said Tech. Sgt. Michael Reynolds, NCO in charge of the Yokota Honor Guard.

Over 80 training hours, twenty BHG members learned and received certifications involving training and procedural guidance for rendering proper military funeral honors and ceremonies included pallbearing, firing party, colors, maintenance and wear of the ceremonial uniform.

“The great benefit was BHG members got to solidify their skills, while also learning better techniques on how to perform ceremonies,” said Salinas.

“The training was absolutely amazing, we were able to slightly modify some aspects during the course,” said Salinas. “We could hone in on what they do most; colors ceremonies and dignified transfers.”

The U.S. Air Force Honor Guard hosts the course ten times a year. Three of the courses are held at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C., and the other seven bring hands-on training to different bases around the world.

• Date Taken: 03.28.2024
• Date Posted: 04.01.2024 23:38
• Story ID: 467538
• Location: YOKOTA AIR BASE, TOKYO, JP