To: Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department Honor Guard

Subject: Retiring Honor Guard Uniform

To my Honor Guard family, I’m writing this letter to inform you that I will walk in the “Sea of Blue” on October 10, 2014. However, it will be the final time that I will wear my Honor Guard Uniform. After 25 years of Honor Guard service, I feel the “Sea of Blue” will sum up my career of serving the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, City Officials, my Brothers and Sisters and the 22 names on the Memorial Wall at Fire Station 1. Over the course of my career, my duties as a member include the following; keeping my uniform ready at “ALL TIMES”, being  available at a moment’s notice, carrying colors, serving as a liaison officer between JFRD and Family, escorts for families,  pall bearer, and positioning apparatus. My travels have been to honor our fallen brothers on the walls of Ocala, Colorado Springs, Emmittsburg, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. We welcome the Newest Recruit Firefighters at every graduation, and we honor our retirees at the annual luncheon. For the last several years, I’ve been assisting in mentoring our new members into being “COMMITTED”. Due to events beyond my control, I could not attend every event however, I will say that every time I did put on my Honor Guard Uniform, I was committed to whatever role that was given to me. We have a saying in the Honor Guard Family “It’s not about you, It’s about the Family”. In closing, I would like to recognize past Honor Guard Commanders, Captain Mike George, Captain Howard Davidson, and Captain Charles Moreland. Thank you for your vision and leadership. To my retired HG members, thanks for your time and support, your friendship is golden. To Chaplain Percy Golden, you are certainly a prayer warrior for our men and women of JFRD, certainly, keep praying. To my Active / current HG members, Ed Cobb, our first self-taught Bagpiper, you have come a long way, thanks to you, we have our very own pipe and drum band.  Dave Alder, you get on my last nerve, but at the end of the day, I forgive you. Joe Howell, everything lines up behind the Honor Guard, hazmat, and swat. Nate McNamee, my brother from another mutha, marching beside you, and folding the American flag, you’re, the best. To Pam Ramsdell, HHGC, you are the glue that keeps this family together. Thank you for the training, phone calls, taking time away from your family to make sure the Honor Guard family shines, though you have grown up, you are like a baby sister to me. To Ken Middleton 25 years of Honor Guard, 25 years of friendship. Thank you for staying. You are the reason why I stayed. The Honor Guard has made me a more “Humble” person. Some say I look too serious at times in my uniform. I do smile when someone comes up to me and say, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. And sometimes I shed tears when carrying the casket, giving the helmet or the American Flag to the family of an Active Member or Retiree. So on October 10, 2014 I will Salute to my Honor Guard family FAREWELL………

Respectfully,

Engineer, Tony (Tbone) Ragans

R-46C