April 21 (8am-4pm) at the Las Cruces/Sonoma Ranch Golf Course, 1274 Golf Club Rd.

LAS CRUCES—The New Mexico Department of Veterans Services (DVS), the New Mexico National Guard, and AARP New Mexico will present the 2023 Military Honors Spring Training Conference & Competition on April 21 in Las Cruces. The conference will be from 8am-4pm at the Sonoma Ranch Golf Course, located at 1274 Golf Club Road.

This will be the first of two honor guard conferences scheduled this year, and is an opportunity for southern New Mexico honor guards to attend a conference more convenient for them than the annual summer training conference held in Albuquerque. A date for this summer’s conference will be announced by DVS as soon as details are finalized.

New Mexico’s Honor Guards are all-volunteer units that perform the flag-fold, rifle volley, and bugle rendition of Taps at most funerals of honorably discharged veterans in the state.

The conferences are presented as a learning and training opportunity for the volunteer Honor Guards. Instruction and coaching will be provided by the New Mexico Army National Guard Honor Guard. Veterans service groups interested in forming an all-volunteer honor guard are also encouraged to attend.

The highlight of the conference is a two-tiered performance competition between large and small-size honor guards. A free catered lunch will be provided courtesy of AARP New Mexico.

Pre-registration required

Honor Guards, and representatives who would like to form an Honor Guard, must pre-register to attend the Southern New Mexico Honor Guard Training Conference by contacting Diana Myklebust at diana.myklebust@dvs.nm.gov or (505) 231-8911.