Three rifle volleys broke the quiet outside San Albino Church in Mesilla on Sept. 25 as members of the El Perro Diablo Honor Guard carried out a ritual they have performed hundreds of times.
Weeks earlier, that precision earned the Las Cruces-based Marine Corps League Detachment 478 a sweep of the small, medium and large divisions at New Mexico’s annual Military Honors competition.
For the volunteers behind the rifles, however, competition is only part of the work.
“We’re there for the family. We’re not there for us,” member Frank Brennan said. “One day it’ll be my turn on the barrel. One day it’ll be Andy’s turn on the barrel.”
The Aug. 28 competition was held during the 18th Annual Military Honors Fall Training Conference at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial in Albuquerque. Volunteer teams were evaluated on flag folding and presentation, with larger units also judged on the rifle volley. El Perro Diablo took first place in all three team divisions.
“Anytime we have a funeral, that’s practice for us,” Brennan said. “That’s practice for the competition.”
That practice comes often. Andres “Andy” Rivera, a retired Marine who joined the Marine Corps League in 2003, said the group has handled as many as five funerals in one day and 23 in a single month. The Honor Guard serves veterans from every military branch, not only Marines.
Before a service, Rivera said members typically arrive 15 to 20 minutes early to coordinate with the funeral home, study the location and determine where the team will stand. When the hearse arrives, the Honor Guard salutes before moving into position for the ceremony.
Once the flag is placed over the casket, the team fires three volleys. Members then salute as Taps is played, and the flag is folded for presentation to the family.
At San Albino, the steps Rivera described unfolded outside the church as family members gathered nearby. The Honor Guard stood in formation with rifles at their sides before raising them together for the volleys.
The ceremony does not end with the last note. Rivera collects casings fired during previous military honors and polishes them at home. His wife makes small American flag bags to hold them, along with a pin representing the veteran’s branch of service. The family also receives a condolence card signed by Honor Guard members.
The work can also be personal for those performing it. Rivera has rendered honors for members of his own family, while Brennan said some of the most difficult services involve younger veterans who leave behind spouses and children.
Brennan said members take pride in their uniforms and movements, whether they are standing before judges in Albuquerque or a grieving family in southern New Mexico. Rivera said the goal is the same regardless of whether a veteran served for one year or more than 20.
“Sent to their final duty station with honor and dignity,” Rivera said. “That’s our goal.”
The workload can make that goal difficult. Rivera said the team does not always have enough members available for a full detail, and scheduling conflicts can leave only a handful able to attend. Still, members continue volunteering their time for funerals, practices and trips to Albuquerque.
The group also includes veterans from outside the Marine Corps. Brennan said Navy, Air Force and Army veterans serve as associate members, allowing the team to coordinate with different branches when possible so families see someone representing their loved one’s service.
For Brennan, the honors are a final recognition from those who understand what military service demands.
“It is a brotherhood,” Brennan said. “You recognize them for his or her service to the country and to the family.”
For Rivera, the reason to keep showing up is simpler.
“You do it from the heart.”
