Shined, pressed and gloved in new Class-A uniforms, the first official Valencia County honor guard posted the colors at the Los Lunas council meeting in a gesture of appreciation for the new uniforms they were provided by the village.

Los Lunas Fire Chief Lito Chavez gave a brief biography of each guard member, who then approached the council to shake hands before Chavez pinned on their honor guard badges.

"There was no formal color guard for the village," says David Foreman, a Los Lunas volunteer firefighter who works for the village as a heavy equipment mechanic, "and I thought we should have one. A professionally trained unit to do the honors, to be there for fallen police officers, firefighters, to let families know their loved one was appreciated."

Foreman is classified as a Firefighter 1, emergency medical technician first responder and a high-angle rescue technician.

"I like to swing from ropes," he said.

Foreman had been in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Cadets (JROTC) in high school, and pursued a career in the Navy. He served in the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Color Guard for eight years.

The honor guard consists of six volunteers and two career Los Lunas firefighters.

Del DeAnda retired from the Los Lunas Fire Department after a 20 year career in July, and has become a volunteer fire fighter and a member of the honor guard.

Juan Martin is currently enrolled at the University of New Mexico to become a paramedic, where he works in the emergency room. He's a volunteer firefighter classified as an FF1.

Steven Walker, who joined the fire service in 2004, isn't classified yet, but runs the pumps on the trucks, He is a ditch rider for the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District.

Ramona Torres has been a volunteer firefighter for more than 20 years, and is a driver for the Los Lunas Transportation Department.

Renaldo Carrillo has been in the fire service for 12 years and a career firefighter with the LLFD for four years.

Jason Gonzales has been a career firefighter with the LLFD going on five years, and is the volunteer fire chief at the Rio Grande Estates Fire Department.

Elaine Aragon, who tends bar, came to the group after attending the 911 Ceremony in Belen.

"I had already taken EMT classes to help my son in sports, and I got into fire fighting in Belen. I saw the guard at the 911 Ceremony, and thought it was great. I called to see how to get on, and transferred to Los Lunas in 2007."

Since Aragon now lives in Albuquerque, she can only continue as a "third rider" volunteer firefighter, but she is committed to serving with the honor guard.

"We do it because we want to do it," said Foreman. "There is no monetary compensation, but that's the way we like it. Nobody thought it could happen or last."

"There wasn't a lot of support," adds Aragon.

"A lot of people don't know what it is or what it's about," explains Foreman.

He began recruiting for the honor guard in late 2005.

Their first public engagement was the Los Lunas 4th of July parade.

They have since posted the colors for the Belen 911 Ceremony, organized by Gloria and Sonny Sanchez, the Valencia County Sheriff Department Awards Ceremony, the Albuquerque Tea Party, the Rio Rancho 911 candlelight vigil, a muscular dystrophy association fundraiser, and they were the casket guard for Private First Class Henry Bird's funeral.

They also assisted the funeral of retired Los Lunas councilman Henry Perea. The honor guard also posted the colors for a friends of the National Rifle Association event.

They helped form and train the Rio Grande Estates Fire Department honor guard when L.E. Rubin was chief.

"Our next step is to get an old fire engine for a casket carrier. I'm hoping we might get this one," Foreman says as he points to a truck in the department's substation garage. "It doesn't hold water anymore, so it can't be used.

"I'd like to see all volunteer fire departments develop an honor guard for when a larger number of guards are needed. It's best to have about 30 guards for a funeral."

Foreman would also like to go to the schools and teach kids about the flag code and how to handle the flag.

"The flag code is the regulations the government put down on how to handle the flag; when it can be flown, where it can be positioned and how to retire a flag. We should know this," he said, "They don't teach it in school anymore."