USAF Honor Guard

The unit emblem was designed by former superintendent Malcolm Haines prior to 1973. It is composed of crossed M1 Garand rifles with fixed bayonets silhouetted over a silver/gray Roman helmet adorned with a scarlet red horsehair festoon on a field of ultramarine blue with the attached organization motto. The Roman helmet is symbolic of the Praetorian Guard of the Roman Empire, the original Honor Guard of the Western World whose duty it was to protect the reigning emperor. The red festoon denotes courage and valor. The silver/gray of the helmet proper represents the excellence expected of all USAF HG personnel. The crossed M1 rifles historically denote the unit's primary weapon (the M14 rifle became the unit's primary weapon in 2002; however the Drill Team still continues to use the M1). The ultramarine blue background symbolizes the primary theater of Air Force operations, the sky and beyond. The attached motto, "To Honor With Dignity" best describes the unit's elite mission. The emblem is the centerpiece of the Air Force Honor Guard Badge, functional badges, that are worn by USAF HG personnel as well as Base Honor Guard members with slight differences between the two.