ROSWELL, Ga. — A Roswell native and Centennial High graduate has joined the elite U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard, the service branch said.
"I joined the Navy to serve my country," Airman Jackson Risse, a 2018 Centennial graduate, said in a statement. "“Serving in the Navy means I’m earning my right to be a citizen of our beautiful country."
Airman Risse completed a 10-week training program to join the honor guard, the Navy said in an outreach blog post. The honor guard was established in 1931 and serves as a primary mission to "represent the service in Presidential, Joint Armed Forces, Navy and public ceremonies in and around the nation’s capital. Members of the Navy Ceremonial Guard participate in some of our nation’s most prestigious ceremonies, including presidential inaugurations and arrival ceremonies for foreign officials."
Another function of the guard is in serving as part of the funeral services for servicemen and veterans, and Risse said he enjoys "serving in my current command because we provide support for our fallen sailors."
According to the Navy, recruits for the honor guard are selected while at boot camp.
"Strict military order and discipline, combined with teamwork, allow the Ceremonial Guard to fulfill their responsibilities with pride and determination. They are experts in the art of close order drill, coordination and timing," the branch's blog post stated.
It added that members of the Ceremonial Guard "know they are part of a service tradition providing unforgettable experiences through leadership development, world affairs and humanitarian assistance" and that their work "will have a lasting effect around the globe and for generations of sailors who will follow."
