Scott Honor Guard serves a large area with professionalism Published Jan. 19, 2011 By Senior Airman Amber R. Kelly-Herard 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of three articles about the Scott Honor Guard's mission, presence in the community and the honors they render. The Honor Guard at Scott has the solemn and proud duty of rendering military honors at the funerals and memorial services of active duty, retirees and other Air Force veterans. They also conduct military ceremonies such as posting and presenting the colors throughout the greater Scott community. Team Scott's Base Honor Guard is responsible for serving a six-state area--the third largest area covered by an honor guard in the Air Force. The Honor Guard will participate in ceremonies so long as they honor the life and service of a deceased active duty, retired or former Air Force member or enhance the Air Force and military image, according to Tech. Sgt. Robert Wise, Scott Honor Guard's acting superintendent. Honor Guard is classified as a special duty and its members hail from across the base for a four-month rotation. Newly assigned members begin their rotation with a week-long training that enables members to perform all ceremonies with the exception of the posting of official colors. "Training is Monday through Friday and by that Saturday, they could be on a detail," said Sergeant Wise. "We work on official colors a little longer." Honor Guard members are prepared for official color duty by the third week of their rotation. Training includes practicing the different types of ceremonies and the aspects of those ceremonies including pall bearing, firing party duties, folding and presenting the flag, and more. There is one aspect that Honor Guard training doesn't cover, though: the emotional response. "I did a detail for an active duty retirement and it really got to me," said Airman 1st Class Carmela Sena, who came to Honor Guard in November from the 375th Force Support Squadron. "I'm normally such a cry baby so it was hard for me to control my emotions." "The ceremonies are still sad, but I have learned to keep my bearings," said the Airman who volunteered for Honor Guard after she saw them perform during her First Term Airmen Center class. The Scott Honor Guard has 36 members who are permanently assigned for the duration of their four-month rotation. "It's similar to a deployment in that, for those four months, members handle all of their business through the Honor Guard," said Sergeant Wise. Honor Guard keeps busy; over the last six months they've performed more than 1,400 details. "I enjoy honoring veterans," said Airman Sena. "I get to try new things that I wouldn't normally do in my job." "The Air Force and my respect for the military have become more important to me," she added. The Scott Honor Guard keeps members in Chicago on a weekly rotation because it is more logistically and financially feasible to keep them there since there are so many events in the area. Reserve members in Wisconsin and at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., also help perform some of the details to help with manning. Part two in this series will cover the honors rendered at military funerals.