Photo By Staff Sgt. Oriana White | Soldiers participating in the Army National Guard Military Funeral Honors Level 2...... read more read more
FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – A group of non-commissioned officers stand stiffly at attention in the center of a vast concrete drill floor, their Army Service Uniforms crisp and badges shined meticulously. The tired group of soldiers have practiced drill and ceremony movements nonstop for over two hours, striving for perfection in order to graduate from the intensive two-week course that will certify them as Army National Guard Military Funeral Honors Level 2 trainers.
Non-commissioned officers from seven different states participated in the physically and mentally challenging 80-hour course held July 11-24 at Fort Indiantown Gap. The course, hosted by the Pennsylvania State Military Funeral Honors Program, was instructed by Bryan Hise and Kevin Palladino, both of whom are full-time national trainers for the Army National Guard Military Funeral Honors Program.
The Honor Guard is an all-volunteer force; Soldiers interested in joining must have excellent bearing and be in good standing with their unit before being selected. After selection, they must graduate the Level 1 Funeral Honors course taught by their state trainer.
The Soldiers attending training at Fort Indiantown Gap are seasoned members of their respective states' Honor Guard program and were sent to the Level 2 course because of their leadership skills, dedication, and high level of technical proficiency.
“Honor Guardsmen are held to a higher standard in performance, conduct and appearance,” said Hise. ”These are traits we look for even before a Soldier is selected.”
The position requires true dedication and selfless service. According to Palladino, members of the Honor Guard are constantly on call and regularly provide final honors for deceased veterans on holidays, weekends and even personal days off when necessary.
The Army National Guard Military Funeral Honors Program started in 2006 with only a handful of states and territories. Now, it consists of 52 programs out of the 54 States and Territories and conducts 85% of funeral missions for the entire Army -- about 120,000 funeral honor missions per year.
“We get called on by every installation across the country to assist in making sure that all veterans receive final honors,” said Hise. “The National Guard Funeral Honor teams have become the go-to because we provide a professional, highly experienced team, not just a detail of Soldiers called on for extra duty”.
According to Hise, the COVID-19 pandemic caused active duty and reserve forces to cease most of their operations. National Guard units were activated for extended COVID response missions, and Soldiers trained in funeral honors were doing double duty as they carried out missions with their units while being on call 24/7 in order to assist with funerals. Despite the sudden shortage in manpower, National Guard soldiers stepped up to the plate and continued to provide final honors for service members across the country, even as funeral numbers continued to climb.
“There was a significant lull in veteran funerals for about two weeks after Pennsylvania shut down due to group gathering restrictions and funeral homes closing. Families couldn’t get together, so they’d decide to skip the funeral. Once restrictions lifted a little bit, it was a literal flood of missions,” said Staff Sgt. Jason Tetkoskie, senior trainer for the Pennsylvania Army National Guard Military Funeral Honors Program.
It was a huge relief to the program when the Department of Defense reduced the minimum requirement for a full honors detail; according to the new guidance, only two Soldiers were required to give full military funeral honors.
This allowed the program to cover more funerals at once and accomplish their main mission: to give every single veteran the respect and dignity they deserve for their self-sacrifice and service to their country.
“Funeral honors are a way to correct a countries errors, so to speak. The Vietnam vets, they didn’t get the welcome home we got. They got spit on, they got yelled at. But as honor guardsmen, we can say that we’re here for them. We train to precision in every detail, in the way we carry the casket and fold that flag that will sit on their family’s mantel for the next 80 years,” said Hise. “That sound of Taps, the sound of the firing volleys, we can’t get those back or re-do them. We have one chance to get it right, so our Honor Guardsmen take this seriously.”
| Date Taken: | 07.25.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 07.25.2021 15:37 |
| Story ID: | 401678 |
| Location: | FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PA, US |
| Web Views: | 371 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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