United States Air Force Base Honor Guard
The United States Air Force Honor Guard (USAF HG) is the official ceremonial unit of the United States Air Force. The Honor Guard's primary mission is to represent the Air Force at all public and official ceremonies within the National Capital Region and abroad when directed by the Military District of Washington, Headquarters U.S. Air Force or subordinate commands. Ceremonies include those for visiting dignitaries and military officials, funerals for deceased Air Force personnel and their dependents, and wreath-laying ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. USAF HG also provides color bearers for official White House receptions, state and military occasions and for joint service colors presentations which comprise all five services (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard). Every base in the Air Force has a Base Honor Guard (BHG) team; each team is composed of selected members from various other units stationed at that base. USAF HG is a stand-alone unit that is permanently assigned to Bolling AFB, Washington DC. A posting to this unit is considered a special duty assignment, meaning that Air Force members world-wide from all career fields apply for this duty. If selected, they are withdrawn from their career fields and reassigned to Bolling AFB for a standard tour of duty (normally 3 years; basic trainees are assigned for 2). It is separate from BHG units whose members perform both Honor Guard and their primary functional duties. The ceremonial uniforms worn by BHG and USAF HG are identical with the following exceptions: members assigned to USAF HG wear white shirts, full-size anodized medals, a chrome-plated Honor Guard badge and a left shoulder arc reading "USAF Honor Guard" while members assigned to a BHG wear standard-issue Air Force blue shirts, ribbons, a colored enamel Honor Guard badge, and a left shoulder arc reading "Base Honor Guard". A USAF Honor Guard member is traditionally referred to as a Ceremonial Guardsman.
Read more about United States Air Force Base Honor Guard: Origins, Base Honor Guard Training Role, Types of Ceremonies Performed
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