United States Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard
Pride Poise Perfection
Training
Pride. Poise. Perfection.
These are the time honored
values of the Coast Guard
Ceremonial Honor Guard.
These values are the
foundation upon which the
Honor Guard was formed and
are fundamental in training
new Honor Guard members. All
of the Coast Guard Honor
Guard members are selected
directly from Training
Center Cape May. Current
Honor Guard members travel
to Cape May each week to
educate and recruit the
future members of the Honor
Guard.
There are several
criteria that must be met
before a recruit is
considered for Honor Guard
service. The primary
requirement is minimum height: 6
feet for males, 5’ 10” for
females. This is a general
requirement for all Armed
Forces Honor Guard members,
because it provides
uniformity among all five
Joint Service platoons. Other criteria
considered include the
ability to gain a security
clearance for White House
jobs, any health problems
that would prevent long
periods of standing or
marching, and any visible
tattoos and markings.
Once a recruit is
selected for the Honor Guard
and arrives at TISCOM from
Cape May, they begin a
rigorous training program.
The program is self-paced
but is designed to advance
the trainees in
approximately four weeks.
The objectives of training
include ceremonial drill,
knowledge of Honor Guard job
sequences, stamina during
extensive ceremonies in
excess of two to three
hours, and to maintain the
ceremonial uniform to the
standards of the Honor Guard.
While in training, new Honor
Guard members are expected
to excel in all areas and
will remain in training
until they do so. Strict
standards are placed upon
the trainees regarding
uniform maintenance, due
mainly to the precise
uniform regulations that
must be upheld by the
Ceremonial Honor Guard at
all times.
Trainees have
uniform inspections every
day, sometimes more than
once a day, and brass
inspection every morning.
Trainees are also required
to learn ceremonial drill
and are evaluated on their
progress daily. The training
program is led by designated
seamen in the Honor Guard
and the Training NCO. Once a
trainee has excelled in all
necessary areas, they are
considered for advancement
into the Honor Guard. The
trainee must perform in a
“going up” ceremony,
demonstrating poise in front
of his/her peers, pride in uniform appearance,
perfection in ceremonial
drill, and basic knowledge
of Honor Guard job
sequences. If the trainee is
successful in all of these
areas, they are honored with
the Honor Guard badge and rope
as well as
accept the Honor Guard Oath.
The Honor Guardsman is then
inducted in to the Honor
Guard way of life, as one of
the elite few.
If you were selected to join
the ranks of the Ceremonial
Honor Guard, then the below
links will assist you in
your transition.
Please take a few minutes to
familiarize yourself with
them. If you have any
questions that are not
answered in the documents
below, please contact the
Training Petty Officer,
FS1 Subra via email or
phone, (703) 313-5412.
Welcome aboard!!
Welcome Aboard Memo from the Honor Guard Company Commander
Adobe Acrobat Reader (PDF)