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Base hosts honor guard appreciation ceremony

  • Published
  • By Danielle Gregory
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., --  Last week Tinker members showed up to the Honor Guard Appreciation Ceremony to show their support for those who show their support to military members every day. The ceremony opened with a letter from a family member who appreciated the honor guard's presence at a family member's burial.

The letter read that while their family merged with the dozens of others that the honor guard has honored for the U.S. Air Force, they wanted to assure them that what they do is clearly a major tribute Air Force veterans receive. The honor guard offers families the closure they need.

"They are representing Tinker Air Force Base, the surrounding community, United States Air Force and our Nation with supreme honor," said Col. Allen Jamerson, 72nd ABW commander. "They do that only because you allow them the time to come participate and we know that's a huge sacrifice."

The Tinker Honor Guard is made up of a 132 members. They post the colors for a myriad of events: promotions, parades, civic functions and memorials. The team also pays respect to the flag at the end of the every duty day each week with the retreat.

"One of the reasons our honor guard is so great is because of leadership, and it takes leadership to put a team this large together and outfit them and train them so that they perform the way they do," said Colonel Jamerson.

Before going out on a detail, all honor guard members must successfully complete a 10-day course where they are trained and evaluated on basic honor guard drill.

From October 2007 to October 2008 the Tinker Honor Guard had been present at 507 funerals: three active duty, 180 retiree funerals and 327 veteran funerals. They have provided services at 326 Team Tinker and community events and executed 836 details covering a span of 38,000 square miles. Their busiest month, the month of May they supported 54 funerals and 54 colors, more than average.

"Honor, you bring those families honor. You bring our deceased veterans honor. You bring this base honor and you bring our nation honor. We are honored to be here and support you for performing a fantastic job," said Colonel Jamerson.