Times Chronicle & Public Spirit
Commissioners recognize Sheriff’s Office honor guard
Elite group took first place in state competition
NORRISTOWN » If there’s a VIP event in Montgomery County, chances are this group is there — and they’ve now been named the best in the state.
Montgomery County Sheriff Sean Kilkenny honored his office’s Honor Guard with recognition before the county commissioners.
“This is a team like no other,” Kilkenny said.
The all-volunteer honor guard was founded in 2015 and “are one of the crown jewels of our sheriff’s office,” Kilkenny told the commissioners, after introducing honor guard members Mike Wambold, Todd Cappiello and Bryan Lukens and handing each a ceremonial coin for “going above and beyond.”
“They are a highlytrained unit. You may see them out at parades and events; veterans events throughout the county,” he said. “They’ve done everything from Villanova basketball games to the Conshohocken St. Patricks’ Day parade.”
Most of the honor guard members are also military veterans, who bring precision and professionalism to the events they attend where they represent the county.
“They demonstrate discipline, motivation, and dedication to ethical standards, willingness to represent the best of our county and country,” he said.
“You learn precision, you learn discipline, you learn how to drill, and you really build a team,” Kilkenny said.
The honor guard group organizes practices after their normal work hours, maintain their own gear and schedules, and can be booked to attend events via the sheriff’s office website, often after hours and on weekends. They also take part in statewide
competitions organized by the Pennsylvania Sheriff’s Association Conference against their counterparts from other counties, and Kilkenny told the commissioners that this year’s competition in Altoona was a good one.
“A couple of times, even when we had it here in Montgomery County, I felt like we were robbed. I felt like we were better,” than the honor guards from other counties that won, he
said.
“The western people all kind of stick together, and we were kind of big bad Montgomery County, and although I think our team was the best for many, many years, it felt like we got robbed. That changed,” Kilkenny said, when the Montgomery County team placed first in the state, “so I guess we had good luck in Altoona.”
Deputy chief and honor guard member Bryan
Lukens said he’s been a member of the honor guard since it was started in 2015, and told the commissioners that “we do it for those who served before us, those who serve presently, and then those who are going to serve.”
“That is our motto, and that is why we do it, and we’re just pleased to do it for our county and for our department,” Lukens said.
Commissioners Chairwoman Val Arkoosh asked who judges the competitions, and Lukens said when Montgomery County hosted a competition last year, he recruited local veterans to judge the contest, one a U.S. Marine and one an Army Ranger.
“I like to get the community involved,” he said.
Arkoosh then asked how much the group practices and Lukens said they typically do so once or twice a month, with practices more often ahead of competitions in summer.
“Last year, we had about four new members, and for us to come in second place with four new members, it was pretty amazing to see what they accomplished,” he said.
Arkoosh then offered congratulations: “This is obviously all above and beyond what you do every day, and we’re really grateful for this. It makes us all so proud, you represent the county so well, all across the county and all across the state.”
Commissioner Ken Lawrence added that he’s seen the group often: “You all are everywhere, here in Montgomery County, representing the sheriff’s department and county government at countless parades and events. I concur with the sheriff, I can’t imagine that there’s a better honor guard,” he said.
And Commissioner Joe Gale said he’s “had the pleasure of watching your honor guard perform over the years at various community events and functions, and I know how outstanding you are, and it’s great to see you receive this high recognition from others. Keep up the great work, and this is very well deserved.”