How do I request the Honor Guard for off-base events?
The mission of the Nellis Honor Guard is to represent the Air Force in ceremonial functions in Southern Nevada, some areas of California, Arizona and Utah. They render military honors for Air Force personnel and their family members during funeral services and serve at Change of Command and retirement ceremonies. Another function of the Honor Guard is to provide their services for opening ceremonies for appropriate events attended by the general public.
For Honor Guard support for funerals or memorial services for active-duty personnel, veterans or retirees, contact the Honor Guard directly at (702) 652-4136. Funeral and memorial service requests do not need Public Affairs approval.
Guidelines (except for funerals or memorial services mentioned above):
1. You must provide at least 30 days advance notice. Due to the high demand for the Honor Guard's attendance at events, late requests are rarely accepted. Please do not call the Honor Guard or Public Affairs to explain late submissions -- late requests will only be approved if the Honor Guard is willing to schedule the late request.
Keep in mind the Honor Guard has the most aggressive schedule of all Public Affairs programs. They typically schedule upwards of 8-10 events a day. Throughout the year, the Honor Guard is responsible for presenting the colors in front of millions of people. Prior planning on your part will prevent scheduling problems for you and the team.
2. Please remember that the Honor Guard's primary function is to support funerals. Though rare, an approved request could be cancelled.
3. Requests are balanced against several factors:
- Does the event support the Air Force?
- Does it project a proper image for military participation?
- Is it open to the public?
- Is it a political or religious event? (See Guidleine 4)
- How many people will attend?
4. Though we often receive requests from religious and political organizations, the Honor Guard is prohibited by the US Constitution and federal law from supporting most religious events except for funerals and all partisan political events. The Honor Guard cannot participate because doing so implies US Government endorsement of specific religious beliefs or particular political viewpoints.
5. We may ask the requestor to cover some of the cost associated with the event. If the visit is overnight or involves travel outside Las Vegas, we may ask you to pay for travel and accommodations. If a meal fee, entry fee or parking fee is required, we also expect the requestor to cover this. In most cases, however, there is no cost to the requesting group.
To request the Honor Guard:
By fax: Download an Honor Guard request form here, or if not possible, call our office at (702) 652-2750 and we can mail a form to you. Once you complete the form you can mail it back to us or fax it to the Public Affairs office at (702) 652-9838.
By e-mail: Use the Contact Us page, select Honor Guard Requests as the recipient and provide the information requested.
If your request is approved, Public Affairs will direct you to coordinate directly with the Honor Guard. Please do not contact either office if your request is disapproved.
|
