Honor Guard

Idaho
Department of
Correction

Standard
Operating
Procedure
Title:
Honor Guard

Page:
1 of 6
Control Number:
112.02.01.003
Version:
2.0
Adopted:
02-28-2014

Jefferey Zmuda, division chief, approved this document on 08/22/2016.
Open to the public: Yes
SCOPE
This standard operating procedure (SOP) applies to all Idaho Department of Correction
(IDOC) honor guard members and staff involved in the selection, training, and supervision of
honor guard activities.
Revision History
Revision date (08/22/2016): version 2.0: Deleted application criteria regarding unscheduled
absences, added eastern region team, and minor grammar edits to meet current SOP
standards.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Board of Correction IDAPA Rule Number ............................................................................. 2
Policy Control Number 112................................................................................................... 2
Purpose ................................................................................................................................ 2
Responsibility ....................................................................................................................... 2
1. Honor Guard Mission Statement .................................................................................. 2
2. Honor Guard Structure ................................................................................................. 2
3. Honor Guard Activation ................................................................................................ 3
4. Honor Guard Configurations ........................................................................................ 3
5. Honor Guard Applicant Criteria .................................................................................... 4
6. Selection Process ........................................................................................................ 4
7. Roles and Responsibilities ........................................................................................... 4
8. Honor Guard Training .................................................................................................. 5
9. Honor Guard Uniforms ................................................................................................. 5
10. Honor Guard Retention ................................................................................................ 6
Definitions ............................................................................................................................ 6
References ........................................................................................................................... 6
Control Number:
112.02.01.003
Version:
2.0
Title:
Honor Guard

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Idaho Department of Correction
BOARD OF CORRECTION IDAPA RULE NUMBER
None
POLICY CONTROL NUMBER 112
Emergency Response and Specialty Teams
PURPOSE
The purpose of this SOP is to standardize the organization, training, equipment, and
eligibility requirements for the IDOC honor guard.
RESPONSIBILITY
Prisons Division Chief (or designee)
The prisons division chief or designee is responsible for:
• Ensuring that this SOP is implemented and followed
• Selecting honor guard members
Facility Heads
Facility heads are responsible for:
• Facilitating the application process at respective facilities
• Managing facility staffing, employee specialty assignments, overtime, etc. to ensure
that specialty team involvement does not compromise the safe and secure operation
of the facility.
Prisons Division Emergency Coordinator
The prisons division emergency coordinator (emergency coordinator) is responsible for
providing oversight, support, and instruction to the honor guard.
Honor Guard Commander
Each region has an honor guard commander (commander) who is responsible for
supervising and coordinating honor guard activities.
STANDARD PROCEDURES
1. Honor Guard Mission Statement
IDOC honor guard is comprised of IDOC staff specifically selected, trained, and assigned to
perform ceremonial duties.
The honor guard serves as ambassadors of the department at local, state, and national
events. Members strive to represent the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and
dedication to duty. The honor guard provides ceremonial duties at parades, civic functions,
and other special events. In addition, they render honors at funeral or memorial services for
current or retired IDOC staff, law enforcement officers, local officials, and service members
whenever possible.
2. Honor Guard Structure
The department will establish and maintain honor guard teams in the following regions:
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112.02.01.003
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Idaho Department of Correction
• Eastern Idaho Region: 12 staff (maximum-cap)
• Northern Idaho Region: 12 staff (maximum-cap)
• Southern Idaho Region: 12 staff (maximum-cap)
3. Honor Guard Activation
The emergency coordinator, in consultation with the prisons division chief and deputy
director will establish guidelines for activations that are considered routine.
Requests for activation are made to the commander or the emergency coordinator.
Activations considered as routine are approved and facilitated at the commander level
pursuant to established activation guidelines. Activations that are not routine will require
emergency coordinator approval. If any question or issue arises regarding activation or use,
the IDOC deputy director, prisons division chief or designee will be the approval authority.
4. Honor Guard Configurations
The following configurations are used based on the type of ceremony.
Color Guard Detail
A color guard detail will consist of no less than four members: two carrying flags and two
carrying rifles. The number of flag holders may vary depending on the number of flags
appropriate to the occasion. The commander determines the number of people assigned
to each deployment.
Firing Party Detail
A firing party consists of no less than three riflemen typically firing three volleys and one
officer in charge, but could be as many as seven riflemen depending on the honors
rendered. The commander determines the number of people assigned to each
deployment.
Funeral Detail
The funeral detail consists of not less than two honor guard members at the burial of
current and retired IDOC staff, law enforcement officers, local officials, or service
members.
A family member of current or retired IDOC staff will be provided a United States flag.
The funeral detail will fold and present a flag to the family.
Casket Guard Detail
The casket guard consists of two members to watch over the remains of the fallen during
the viewing or wake. The emergency coordinator or deputy chief may authorize firearms-
qualified team members to carry an IDOC-issued sidearm during ceremonies as deemed
appropriate.
Pallbearers
• Pallbearers consist of at least six members who will carry the casket to the burial
site.
Funeral Honors
• Funeral honors consist of any number or combination of the honor guard
configurations.
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Idaho Department of Correction
5. Honor Guard Applicant Criteria
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
• Permanent status as an IDOC employee
• No formal disciplinary action pending or within the last 12 months (see Corrective
and Disciplinary Action, SOP 205.07.01.001)
• Most recent performance review must meet or exceed performance expectations
(see Performance Management, SOP 222.07.01.001)
6. Selection Process
When selecting staff for honor guard, use the following steps:
Functional Roles and
Responsibilities Step Tasks
Emergency
Coordinator 1
Provide applicable facility heads and managers with an
announcement that contains the following:
• Deadline for application submission;
• Honor guard applicant criteria.
Facility Heads
2
Within three working days:
• Post the announcement (email, physically post,
photocopies, etc.)
• Inform those staff members who wish to apply to
complete an, References.
3 Collect and review the applications, and forward the
approved applications to the applicable commander.
Commander 4
In conjunction with the emergency coordinator:
• Develop interview questions.
• Select an interview panel.
• Arrange interviews with applicants.
Interview Panel 5 Conduct the interviews, and submit recommendations
to the prisons division chief or designee.
Prisons Division Chief
or Designee 6 Review the recommendations, select members, and
forward the applications to the emergency coordinator.
Emergency
Coordinator 7 Forward the completed applications to the applicable
commander.
Commander 8
Notify the applicants of their selection or non-selection,
and file the photocopy of the application in each
applicant’s facility personnel file.
7. Roles and Responsibilities
This section describes the roles and responsibilities of honor guard team members.
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Idaho Department of Correction
Commander
• Provides supervision and guidance related to honor guard responsibilities and
activities
• Develops and schedules training
• Assigns honor guard members to approved ceremonies
• Coordinates logistics for functions
• Monitoring honor guard integrity related to selection, training, and professional image
• Determines appropriate attire for duties and travel
• Plans and trains approved activities
• Provides general administration and records keeping
• Reconciles discrepancies in the quarterly inventory
• Consults with the emergency coordinator, to determine the requirements for
approved functions such as the services provided, work force needs, and equipment
Assistant Commander
• Assists the commander in the supervision, training, and guidance related to honor
guard responsibilities and activities
• Assists the commander in assigned activities during ceremony or event
• Assumes command of the detail in the absence of the commander
• Completes a warning order for a ceremony or event after confirming the activation is
approved
Quartermaster
• Maintains, issues, and returns individual and team equipment
• Maintains records and inventories
• Provides the commander with a complete quarterly inventory of individual and team
equipment
8. Honor Guard Training
Following selection, new members must attend initial training as determined by the
commander. The team members receive up to forty-eight hours of honor-guard specific
training per calendar year. Staff must report training hours as work hours. Time spent in
performance for an approved function or ceremony are not count toward training hours and
are reported as work hours.
9. Honor Guard Uniforms
The department provides honor guard members with special uniforms, which consist of the
following:
Training Uniform
• Shirt: blue polo embroidered with “Idaho Department of Correction Honor Guard”
• Pants: tan cargo pants
Dress Uniform
• Shirt: light blue, with long sleeves
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Idaho Department of Correction
• Tie: navy, clip-on
• Silver badge: worn above the left breast pocket
• Nameplates: first initial and last name, worn centered on the right breast pocket flush
with the top of the pocket of the jacket
• One IDOC patch on each shoulder
• One honor guard rocker above the IDOC patch on the left shoulder
• Coat: navy, dress coat, single-breasted, four-pocket (men’s/women’s)
• Braided silver shoulder cord worn on the right side under the right epaulet to the
epaulet button
• Pants: navy, with 1” light blue stripe
• Belt: Sam Browne belt with leather shoulder strap, black high-gloss finish
• Headgear: navy, straw, four-dent double-brimmed campaign cover, IDOC badge on
the front, and silver acorns around the brim
• Footwear: black high-gloss finish, low-quarter shoes with black socks
• White gloves
10. Honor Guard Retention
Applying for continuing participation in honor guard is voluntary, and not a condition of
employment with IDOC.
Honor guard members serve at the discretion of the commander. The commander retains
the responsibility to remove team members from active membership for performance issues
conduct deemed unbecoming of an honor guard member, or other issues that makes
service on the honor guard not possible. Any decision by the commander to remove
members from the honor guard must be approved by the emergency coordinator, in
consultation with the facility head.
DEFINITIONS
Warning Order: A preliminary notice of an upcoming order or action
REFERENCES
Form, Specialty Team Application
Standard Operating Procedure 206.07.01.001, Attendance and Hours of Work
Standard Operating Procedure 205.07.01.001, Corrective and Disciplinary Action
Standard Operating Procedure 206.07.01.002, Paid Leaves
Standard Operating Procedure 222.07.01.001, Performance Management
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