Air Force Honor Guard and Biden

Factual Questions
1

There is a meme going around that purports to show that the Marine Honor Guard wasn’t present at the ramp to Air Force One when Biden left India for the G20 Summit, suggesting that they disrespected him.

I suspect the Honor Guard wouldn’t be present during a departure from a foreign country, but can’t seem to find anything that backs that up. The meme also stated that it was US Marines that dissed the President, but I thought it was the Air Force that provided that honor.

Please set me straight, Straight Dope?

2

There is no way a military unit (especially an Honor Guard) could/would pull such a thing and the only source that it happened is a meme.

3

I understand that, but my question was, is there any honor guard even present when a US President is traveling from one foreign country to another.

4

Indeed, I imagine the headline would read “former Air Force honor guard” if there were an inkling of truth to the tale.

5

For the record, I’m in no way suggesting that I believe that nonsense. But it did make me curious as to what the actual protocol is.

6

For the record, posting a nasty rumor then claiming that the nasty rumor has nothing to do with the actual question might not sit well with some.

7

[Moderating]
There’s a factual question here. Make an attempt to answer it, or leave the thread.

8

From Non-Deployable Air Force Jobs | Work - Chron.com
“The Honor Guard generally doesn’t deploy, but members on occasion can be deployed on an individual basis, given the need. This is a change from the honor guard’s history, when the unit was considered a “controlled tour” and thus completely non-deployable.”

9

A casual look at YouTube shows many videos of Biden getting on or off Air Force One*. Seldom do I see more than one person in a military uniform (and I’m guessing that’s an aide) at the bottom of the staircase.

*Those videos are often edited to make Biden look bad, but I think they prove the President does not travel with an Honor Guard wherever he goes.

10

Thank you. I’m trying to debunk this garbage elsewhere with facts. Asking in this forum seemed the best way to do that, since I was unable to find the information (that you provided) on my own. I only offered the backstory as context for my question, not to offend anyone.

11

It seems Biden is using the shorter stairs to get on Air Force One. He may not want a detail at the bottom drawing attention to that. Just guessing about the latter…

I do not think military personnel get to diss anybody no matter their political leanings. If your job is to be at those stairs then you are at those stairs. I’d think that might be a detail they seek out so, if you do not like the president, you probably don’t seek out that detail.

12

Have fun storming the castle!

In case you didn’t already realize this, the people who you’re attempting to correct reject facts and substitute their own bizarro-world reality, so this is a losing proposition. But enjoy fighting the good fight, if you can.

13

It’s not clear what claim is being made, but I would say that it’s up to whoever is making the claim to provide evidence that a certain protocol should have been followed.

Was this when Biden departed or arrived in India? If so, no US military other than flight crew would have been involved, as it would have been up to the host nation to provide honors.

Was this when Biden departed Andrews AFB? The Air Force Honor Guard manual does not dictate when rifle cordons are required.

Base honor guards are required to adhere to AFI 34-1201, which states:

11.3. Minimizing Frequency of Ceremonial Honors.
11.3.1. Formal welcoming ceremonies, when planned by appropriate authority for specific
purposes, are always appropriate when they are instrumental in improving morale or
maintaining national prestige.
11.3.2. In the interest of economy and manning, parades, honor cordons, motorcades, and
other ceremonial aspects, which involve large number of personnel and equipment, will be
held to an absolute minimum when officials entitled to such honors visit military
installations. (T-1). In general, full honors will be reserved for statutory appointees and
general or flag officers of the military services, for foreign dignitaries, and for occasions
when ceremonies promote international good will. It is the prerogative of the commander to
determine types of honors to be rendered. (T-1).

Departure ceremonies may be appropriate, but a president leaving from Andrews AFB has not typically been treated as such. In short, based on the above, forcing the Andrews base honor guard to suit up every time the president jumps on a plane is antithetical to maintaining morale. This is like waving goodbye to your spouse as they leave for a business trip, not saying goodbye to old friends who have been staying with you for a week.

I have no idea why the Marine honor guard would be involved in this at all.

In short, it’s going to be hard to provide proof because nothing says that an honor guard cordon is required every time POTUS boards air force one. Make someone show you something that says that.

14

Oh, I realize it. But every once in a while, it’s possible to at least reach the fence sitters.

15

I mentioned in the OP that Biden was leaving India for the G20 Summit.

Thank you for the additional information. Appreciated!

16

But the G20 summit was in India, no?

17

Surely he had to leave before he could arrive?

18

Left Andrews AFB to arrive in New Delhi, yes. I’m not sure how to parse “leaving India for the G20” unless I’m very much confused about something.

19

I was kidding, actually. Though I found a YouTube video of the POTUS departing New Delhi for Vietnam, and saw only a sole (Air Force, think) officer saluting him at the bottom of the staircase.

20

I wonder if that’s what the people in the OP were talking about.