FORT STEWART, Ga. - Three elite honor guard Soldiers from the Army's 3rd U.S. Infantry [The Old Guard] from Fort Myer, Va., traveled to Fort Stewart June 21-23 to train 3rd Infantry Division honor guard on the proper techniques to perform firing party and funeral details.
Forty-five Soldiers throughout the division attended an extensive three-day training class, designed to sharpen and fine tune their honor guard skills.
“Command Sergeant Major Edd Watson, 3rd ID command sergeant major wanted to standardize how military honors are rendered throughout 3rd ID,” said Master Sgt. Anthony Calhoun, operations non-commissioned officer in-charge assigned to Operations Company, Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, Third Infantry Division. “So plans were made and the Old Guard accepted a request to come down to Fort Stewart and train all 3rd ID honor guard members. Regardless of which brigade’s are conducting a ceremony, it is important that all full-honors ceremonies are conducted precisely and in the same manner.”
Old Guard members spent the three days rotating 3rd ID Soldiers through the various degrees of precise movements and techniques that are expected of an honor guard.
“We are teaching the Soldiers movements by the numbers and I am quite surprised how well the Soldiers are picking up on what we are teaching them,” said Sgt. Michael Packer, a squad leader assigned to the Presidential Casket Platoon at Fort Myer, Va. “They have picked up faster than some of my Soldiers back at Fort Myer.”
Honor is what is bestowed upon the many service members and their Families throughout the hundreds of ceremonies the 3rd ID honor guard performs every year but, it does not stop there.
“I am honored that I was selected to be on the honor guard,” said Specialist Jeffery Cordero, a track vehicle repairer, assigned to the 1/3 Brigade Special Troops Battalion.”I have always wanted to be on the honor guard.”
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