New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services

16th Annual Military Honors Fall Training Conference & Competition

Friday, August 22nd, 2025

Albuquerque Veterans Memorial

1100 Louisiana Blvd.

Albuquerque, NM 87108

In 2000, a federal law was enacted requiring that all honorably discharged deceased veterans of the United States military be provided a burial with dignity and honor. Initially, veterans’ service organizations were recruited to carry out this mandate. The provided services were often performed under loosely implemented funeral standards featuring pre-recorded versions of Taps played over a loudspeaker and without the honor of a flag-draped casket.

In 2005, the New Mexico State Legislature sought to improve these early funeral services in New Mexico and earmarked recurring funds for the New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services to establish the “Honors Burial Program”.The purpose of the program is to train volunteer Honor Guard teams to perform services using established military funeral protocols to provide proper military burials.

Thirty-three all-volunteer Honor Guards now perform full military burial services throughout the state. These services are touching and profound; veterans are now honored with a Final Salute appropriate for the men and women who served our country as members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

As Part of the program, Honor Guards undergo regular training to perfect their performance. The annual Honor Guard Training Conference provides an opportunity for teams to receive instruction from active-duty Honor Guards from the five military service branches. The conference also recognizes the dedication, hard work, proficiency, and excellence of these volunteer Honor Guards.

The New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services, the New Mexico National Guard, and the New Mexico Chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) are profoundly proud and grateful for the services provided by our volunteer Honor Guards.