Air Force changes military funeral honors requirements Published Sept. 20, 2013 By Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The Keesler Honor Guard is on track to perform more than 600 funeral details this year, in spite of the impact of sequestration on honor guard resources. In June, Air Force policy reverted to requiring a minimum of two personnel for retiree military funeral honor details, consistent with statute and Department of Defense policy. Historically, the Air Force went a step further by providing a seven-member detail for all retiree funerals, but now a two-person team is sent to fold and present the internment flag and play taps. The change is an update to Air Force Instruction 34-242, Mortuary Affairs Program. "We cherish the service and sacrifice of our retirees," said Brig. Gen. Eden Murrie, director of Air Force Services. "While we had to adjust the Air Force requirement as a result of sequestration, commanders still have latitude to provide seven-member details if local resources permit." "Seven-member teams are a thing of the past for us at this time," commented Master Sgt. Tonya Santiago, Keesler Honor Guard superintendent. "We're required by federal law to provide military honors if the family requests it," explains James Taylor, chief of readiness, plans and mortuary affairs for the 81st Force Support Squadron. "The law states that the military services will provide at least two members for military honors, but we have always exceeded the requirement by providing more members to perform honors. "Now with budgets cuts and less manpower, we have to do more with less -- much more," he continued. "We are still committed to providing our fallen comrades with the best trained and equipped members for funeral request, showing our support for the service they gave." "While all members are important assets to the Air Force, whether they served one year or even 30 years, a firing party and pall bearers were an Air Force addition to what was required by law to express honor differently for those members who have served 20 years or more," Santiago remarked. Currently, 32 Airmen are assigned to perform details as part of a varying one-year commitment, according to Santiago. The requirement is still for 20-active duty members, but the numbers often fluctuate. Under the current program, honor guard members return to their duty sections after two weeks of initial training and are emailed or called to schedule them for a detail. Training every Wednesday keeps the members proficient. "After serving the initial 90 days, they are on stand-by status as extra support, then active 90 days again, followed by stand-by status again," she noted. During this one-year commitment, members are at their duty section the entire time until tasked for a funeral detail. The exception are for members, one from each group, who remain in the honor guard office to perform scheduling and other administrative duties during their 90-day active period. The Keesler Honor Guard's area of responsibility covers more than 48,000 square miles and 68 counties in the southern areas of Mississippi and Louisiana from the Alabama border to the Texas border north to Jackson, Miss. In addition to funeral details, the honor guard supports other ceremonies such as changes of command, retirements, civic functions and parades. "We have a lot of funerals six or seven hours away from Keesler," Taylor pointed out. "Our members could be on the road for six or seven hours, perform the detail and then travel six to seven hours back to Keesler, making for a long day." Although performing final honors can involve long road trips, honor guard members are committed to providing services marked with precision, professionalism and pride. One of those members is Tech. Sgt. Kristy Crespo, an air traffic control instructor supervisor in the 334th Training Squadron who's been in the Air Force for nearly 14 years. "I feel grateful and honored to show our respect to those prior heroes who have served our country faithfully," Crespo said. Capt. Lindsey Hahn, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs, and Susan Griggs, 81st Training Wing Public Affairs, contributed to this report.