Fort Snelling, Minn. – The New York National Guard’s Honor Guard – including a soldier from North Syracuse – was judged the nation’s best on Thursday, the state Division of Military & Naval Affairs announced. The eight-man New York competition team, part of the state’s 120-member New York Military Forces Honor Guard, included Sgt. 1st Class Wayne Stone, of...
Sgt. 1st Class Wayne Stone, right, of North Syracuse, commands as the New York National Guard Honor Guard conducts an honorable remains transfer Wednesday from a Minnesota Air National Guard C-130 Hercules at the 2010 Army National Guard Honor Guard competition at Fort Snelling, Minn. The New York team was awarded top honors ThursdayFort Snelling, Minn. – The New York National Guard’s Honor Guard – including a soldier from North Syracuse – was judged the nation’s best on Thursday, the state Division of Military & Naval Affairs announced.
The eight-man New York competition team, part of the state’s 120-member New York Military Forces Honor Guard, included Sgt. 1st Class Wayne Stone, of North Syracuse.
National Guard honor guards provide honors at 80 percent of all military funerals for veterans nationwide.
New York’s team, which also represented New England, beat teams representing seven other regions across the country in four days of competition.
Sgt. 1st Class Wayne StoneActive duty soldiers assigned to the Army 3rd Infantry Regiment, which provides funeral honors at Arlington National Cemetery, judged the competitors on military bearing, appearance and the ability to execute tasks ranging from removing a casket from an aircraft to presenting a flag to a fallen soldier’s survivors.