Changes to retiree funerals relieve strain on honor guards Published Nov. 8, 2007 Air Force and AFMC News Services reports WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- The Air Force's changes Nov. 1 to the way it performs retiree funerals are expected to relieve the operations tempo for honor guard members at Air Force Materiel Command installations, which in fiscal year 2007 performed 34 percent of all Air Force funeral honors. AFMC also provided 43 percent of all Air Force man days used for honor guard operations, according to figures compiled by the AFMC headquarters Personnel Directorate. The total area of responsibility for AFMC to provide funeral honors is 783,000 square miles. Manpower cuts and a high operations tempo as well as a higher number of retiree funerals than ever in Air Force history prompted the changes. The formal 10-person funeral will no longer be authorized for retiree funerals, according to the Air Force Honor Guard Public Affairs Office. The funeral detail will now consist of seven people who will serve as pall bearers, flag folders, flag presenter, bugler, spare and firing party. "The main concern people we had in the change of the funeral procedures was that we wouldn't be keeping with past traditions," said Staff Sgt. David Little, U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Base Honor Guard course supervisor. "Originally, the number of (Airmen) was going to be lowered to five, but we didn't want to lose the pall bearing aspect so we determined that seven people would still be able to carry on all aspects of the funeral." The new funeral sequence will have three major differences: the NCO in charge of pall bearers also will be NCO in charge of the funeral, the number of firing party members will be reduced to three and a spare position will be added. The new sequence begins with the NCO of pallbearers assuming the position of NCO in charge to ensure the casket and flag are situated properly in the hearse, then joining the pallbearers and calling commands to carry the casket to gravesite, and finally presenting the flag to the family while the other team members assume their roles as either the bugler, spare or firing party. The final sequences are the same. "Another concern we've heard is that people think we're taking away the '21-gun salute' by having only three people fire," said Sergeant Little. "But what people don't realize is that we've never done a '21-gun salute' during military funeral honors. What we do is fire three volleys in unison. Only the president receives a 21-gun salute, and only the Navy and Army have ever performed this. "The three volleys come from an old battlefield custom where the two warring sides would cease hostilities to clear their dead from the battlefield, then would fire three volleys to alert the other side their dead had been properly cared for and they were ready to resume the battle," he said. "The fact that we had seven people firing the three volleys was a coincidence." But overall the reaction has been positive, Sergeant Little said. "Retirees are grateful; they knew the Air Force was going to make changes, so they're happy we kept all aspects," he said. "The bases have been having a hard time supporting the 10-person funeral so this eases their personnel strain, and the base honor guards are happy with the new sequence." Training for the new sequence is not difficult either, Sergeant Little said. "We've had a lot of phone calls about the video, but what is important to remember is that all the manuals are the same. It's what you've already been trained on. "The only differences are the sequences, and those are narrated to help each person understand (his or her) role. We're not teaching movements, we're teaching the sequence," he said. For information or questions related to training or procedural guidance, call the Air Force Honor Guard training office at (202) 404-7498 or (202) 767-3603, or log on to the training office Web site. For information or questions regarding funeral policy or protocol, call the Pentagon air staff at (703) 604-4928.