TWRA Honor Guard Welcomes 7 New Members

Monday, June 24, 2019

The TWRA Honor Guard recently acquired seven new members. The Honor Guard consists of 24 officers from across the state. Each officer interviews for this respected position. Officers must be in good standing with the agency and understand the importance of the guard’s mission, which is to represent the agency and honor any officer killed in the line of duty, which has died on duty or has retired and passed away.

Although not the primary duty, the Honor Guard also represents the agency and presents the colors at special events across the state and beyond. The Honor Guard represented Tennessee at the National Police Week in Washington D.C. to pay respect to fallen officers from across the nation. They’ve also presented colors at professional sporting events including the Titans, Predators and Nashville Sound, the National Wild Turkey Federation’s national convention and at the 2019 Bass Master Classic.

Members are held to the highest professional standards and spend up to four times per year training in addition to their regular duties. The Honor Guard is utilized six to eight times per year across the state since the inception of the program in 2013. The Honor Guard has also paid tribute to fallen conservation officers in North Carolina, Mississippi and Arkansas. Captain Matt Majors, the TWRA Honor Guard Coordinator, stated, “Our Honor Guard members stand at some of the most challenging positions; but we do it to show solidarity within the profession and to reflect the importance of those that have dedicated their service to the state of Tennessee.”

Any observer at a TWRA wildlife officer training would see professionalism, care and discipline. These are evident. However, there’s an underlying intensity that is indescribable when observing the TWRA Honor Guard train. Captain Majors continued, “During our deployments, we can’t imagine being anywhere else but at the side of our comrades. We take great pride in honoring those who have served and their families. Our trainings provide us the opportunity to obtain a precision in the execution of our duties, which reflects our reverence for this important mission.”

Find more on the TWRA Honor Guard at tnwildlife.org.

Honor Guard members include:

Sgt Robert Shannon

Captain Joe Campbell

Nick Luper

Captain Dale Grandstaff

Brandon Taylor

Captain John Parks

Sgt Pete Geesling

Joe McSpadden

Sgt. Andrew Ward

Jeff Webb