Air Force Honor Guard visits Goodfellow Published Sept. 11, 2013 By Staff Sgt. Austin Knox 17th Training Wing Public Affairs GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The United States Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team conducted a prior service recruiting event which included a drill demonstration at the Carswell Field House Sept. 6. "Most Air Force Honor Guard members are recruited straight out of basic training," said 1st Lt. Michael Lemoire, Air Force Drill Team commander. "These recruiting events give us the opportunity to find other highly qualified individuals within the functional Air Force." During their visit to Goodfellow, the honor guard drill team demonstrated a choreographed sequence of weapon maneuvers, precise tosses and complex weapon exchanges. They provided a four-person demonstration centered on a stationary drill commander, while simultaneously hurling their 11-pound weapons over and around their commander. The Air Force Honor Guard origins can be traced back to May 1948 when Headquarters Command directed the creation of an elite ceremonial unit comparable to that of the other services in the U.S. military. The ceremonial unit was activated within the 1100th Air Police Squadron at Bolling Air Force Base. The U.S. Air Force Honor Guard officially became an Air Force squadron in 1972. The mission of the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard is to represent Airmen to the American public and the world. The vision of the honor guard is to ensure a legacy of Airmen who promote the mission, protect the standards, perfect the image and preserve the heritage. "After today's demonstration and talking to the current drill team I was motivated do it all over again," said Staff Sgt. Kevin Lewis, former U.S. Air Force Honor Guard member. "Those were some of the best years of my life." To find out more about this elite career field and available positions, visit www.honorguard.af.mil.
