Air Force Honor Guard visits Air Force Enlisted Village

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SHALIMAR, Fla. (AFPN) --  Residents at the Air Force Enlisted Village here were treated to a special visit from the Air Force Honor Guard drill team July 13.

The team was in Florida for a recruitment tour, and during their visit to nearby Hurlburt Field, the Airmen asked about the possibility of performing at the Air Force Enlisted Village. 

The members of the team weren't sure what the AFEV did, but they wanted to learn, said Capt. Joshua Hawkins, the Honor Guard drill team commander .

To help the Airmen learn more about AFEV, before the drill team demonstration, the team members got a tour and a briefing to familiarize them with the AFEV which, as one of the four official charities of the Air Force, provides a home for the surviving spouses of enlisted servicemembers.

The Airmen were impressed with the mission of the AFEV. 

"The Air Force Enlisted Village is a prime example of the Air Force family taking care of its own," said Senior Airman Michael Rowe. "I'm married and I have a son who's in school, so I know it's hard to deal with the time away from home. My wife pretty much has to handle everything. I think this place is a great way to express our gratitude to the family members who make that sacrifice."

Rain threatened and thunderclouds rumbled the afternoon of the demonstration, but more than 100 Enlisted Village residents gathered in front of the Bob Hope Village Community Center for the performance. The crowd hushed as the team marched out of the building and positioned themselves directly in front of the audience.  Several wide-eyed residents gasped as the team members tossed their bayonet-equipped rifles. 

"Just think," said one resident, "Their mothers wouldn't even let them play with scissors."

But as memorable as the five-person drill routine was, the most memorable part of the visit, for residents and the airmen, happened after the performance was over, when the team spent more than two hours sharing stories and hugs with the ladies. The reception that followed featured homemade cookies and sandwiches prepared by the residents.

Dian Haynes, an AFEV resident, made sure to help the team members feel welcome after the performance. 

"I need a hug," she said to each drill team member as he entered the reception. "That's the good part about being 81. You can get as many hugs as you want," she said.

"Talking with the ladies here today, I was most impressed with how happy everyone seems," said Airman 1st Class Peter Ising, Drill Team member. "It's like this place gives them a new sense of life.  Everyone seems so happy to be here. They have that camaraderie of being with other Air Force spouses who have been through the same things. It's almost like an Air Force base."

The event culminated in the 25 young drill team Airmen joining together to sing "Happy Birthday" to 91-year-old Air Force widow Gladys Matthews. The serenade was unusual in this overwhelmingly female community, which consists predominantly of the elderly widows of enlisted Airmen. 

Ms. Matthews was singled out for the performance because, "When you turn 91, you get special privileges," said AFEV President and CEO Jim Binnicker, who was the 9th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. 

Ms. Matthews blushed furiously when Chief Binnicker called her up to the front of the ballroom to sit in a chair flanked by drill team members. As the young men sang, she beamed. When the song was over, the audience of residents and AFEV staff members applauded. 

The applause may not have been the loudest the drill team Airmen had ever heard, but coming from a hundred women who had lost military husbands like the members of the drill team, it may have meant more.

More information is available on the Air Force Enlisted Village Web site or call 1-800-258-1413.

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