Randolph County Honor Guard looking for a few more good men

ASHEBORO — If you’re a military veteran and have some spare time, the Randolph County Honor Guard can use your help.

Ken Spivey, commander of the Honor Guards, said, “If we could get 20 new members I’d be tickled pink.”

The organization, which was founded in 1990 to provide full military rites at funerals of honorably discharged veterans, was formed when the federal government cut funding for the military budget.

“A bunch of guys got together to provide military honors for deceased veterans,” said Spivey. 

Currently, he said, there are 48 full-time Honor Guard members. The group serves eight counties plus the National Cemetery in Salisbury.

They served at 386 funerals, or missions, last year, compared to 15 the first year. Last year’s total worked out to about 24 funerals per month.

One mission requires nine members. When there are more than one mission in a day, the number multiplies. That’s why the Randolph County Honor Guard is actively recruiting veterans to join their group. 

Spivey defined a veteran as someone who has served in any branch of the military and received an honorable discharge. That includes the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard and National Guard.

According to Spivey, Randolph County has the largest veteran population in North Carolina. All the more reason for recruiting Honor Guard members from here.

“We’ll provide training and a uniform,” said Spivey. “They just need to get to one of our staging areas” where Honor Guard 15-passenger vans are kept. 

Staging areas are at Ridge Funeral Home in Asheboro, Cumby Family Funeral Service in Archdale and George Brothers Funeral Service in Greensboro.

Besides veterans’ funerals, the Honor Guard will “participate in most any function that’s about veterans, but no political functions,” Spivey said.

As for time commitments from members, he said a veteran should commit to three missions per month, with a funeral normally requiring about four hours, six when the funeral is at Salisbury. 

“But we just want people willing to go and do and not make excuses, who want to honor our fallen comrades.”

Each part of the Honor Guard ceremony is founded in tradition and has meaning. The three rifle volleys represent honor, duty and sacrifice. The playing of “Taps” symbolizes “day is done.” Even the folding of the flag has deep meaning (see story).

For more details about the organization, go to www.randolphcountyhonorguard.com or visit its Facebook page. Or, you can call Spivey at 336-953-2178.

More about the Honor Guard:

■ The 19 original members of the Honor Guard, formed in 1990, were:  Arthor Coble, Odel Hayes, Doug White, Martin Shaw, Leroy Diggs, Herman Bolton, Jesse Hulin , Carl Odham, Tom Moore, William Grant, Charles Morton, Waylon Ingold, George E. Brown, Frank Davis, Terry Stutts, L. R. Auman, Gary Edwards, Robert Cheatham, Frank Rose.

■ The first ceremony performed by the Randolph County Honor Guard in May 1990 was not a funeral but a Memorial Day service at the Blue Star Memorial Marker on Dixie Drive in Asheboro. Gradually, funeral homes began to ask the Honor Guard to perform services. After serving just in double figures in the first year, succeeding years saw those numbers balloon, including 48 in 1994, more than 90 in 1996, 112 in 1999, 146 in 2000, 215 in 2002, 339 in 2007, 377 in 2008, 414 in 2009, 486 in 2010 and 534 in 2011.

From the organization's website: “Today, the Honor Guard performs funeral honors at veterans’ funerals within our current limitations. Our member median age is in the mid-70s.  There is still a need in our community for veteran volunteers to assist us.”