Photo By Spc. Kevin Valentine | Spc. Shehab Awad, rifleman, District of Columbia Army National Guard Honor Guard,...... read more read more
WASHINGTON – Ready. Aim. Fire! With the sound of one shot, seven District of Columbia National Guard Honor Guard riflemen fired the first shots of the first ceremonial 21-gun salute performed by the D.C. Guard rifle team. As the smoke from the rifles rose, it was almost immediately lost in the gray-cloudy sky, which itself seemed to mourn during this occasion of occasions – The First Division Monument Memorial Day Ceremony at President’s Park.
Among this team of seven was Spc. Shehad Awad, rifleman, D.C. National Guard Honor Guard.
Awad, who went from understudy to performer with only three days to practice before the ceremony, committed to honoring fallen Soldiers of the First Infantry Division with excellence at his craft.
“I had some struggles early on, but I knew that I had to get it right,” Awad said. “This was a Memorial Day event to honor the fallen of a historic infantry division. I had to get it right.”
Awad focused during his training with the 3rd Infantry Regiment, also known as the Old Guard, in order to be proficient at his task. His focus did not go unnoticed.
Staff Sgt. Terrence O. Washington, operations noncommissioned officer, D.C. National Guard Honor Guard, paid close attention to the team while they trained and selected Awad to be a member of the D.C. National Guard’s first rifle team.
“I chose Awad because of his character,” Washington said. “Initially he didn’t get everything as quickly as some of the others but “honor” is the key word in honor guard. He shows up at the right place, at the right time, in the right uniform, with the right attitude.”
Washington, whose vision is to establish a full-time, certified and ready honor guard, says he is dependent upon model Soldiers like Awad to help build interest in participating among other units.
“The demand for honor guard services in the national capital region is definitely there,” Washington said. “We can and want to supply that demand. We’ve been guarding the capital and defending the nation since 1802. Now it’s time that we take on the task of providing ceremonial guard services to the nation’s capital as well.”
The D.C. Guard Honor Guard was called upon to perform two back-to-back Memorial Day ceremonies on the grounds of President’s Park. In addition to performing a 21-gun salute at the First Division Monument, they also provided color guard ceremonial services at the Second Division Memorial.
Sgt. 1st Class Clifford Thompson, noncommissioned officer-in-charge, D.C. National Guard Honor Guard, was called upon to coordinate both services at both ceremonies with a two-week notice.
“When I got the call asking if we could support two events on Memorial Day, my answer was, ‘Yes we can,’” Thompson said. “I hung up the phone and got to work.”
The work seemed to be evident to attendees.
“What a tremendous group of professionals,” said Tom Hollis, executive director, Society of 1st ID and host of the Memorial Day ceremony. “I can’t thank them enough and look forward to our next ceremony together.”
Although the D.C. Guard has supported both the First Division Monument and Second Division Memorial ceremonies on Memorial Day, the D.C. National Guard and Awad, have committed to continued support.
“On a day like Memorial Day I knew I had to be on point,” Awad said. “When it comes to honoring the fallen, you have to have that approach. I proved to myself that I can step up and as an organization, we set the tone for future events.”
| Date Taken: | 05.28.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 06.04.2018 14:46 |
| Story ID: | 279493 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DC, US |
| Web Views: | 44 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, UNDERSTUDY, by SPC Kevin Valentine, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT