FRIDAY FOTO (January 3, 2014)

Honor Guard Review

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have had a busy travel year — visiting allies, U.S. troops in the field and attending various security conferences. Almost everywhere they go, the top civilian and uniformed leaders of the Pentagon are met by an honor guard.

As longtime 4GWAR readers know, your editor finds the exotic uniforms some of these honor guards wear absolutely fascinating.

So here’s a sampling of some of the places Hagel and Dempsey have been and what the reception committee looked like. Click on each photo to enlarge the image.

In late April, Dempsey visited Beijing and reviewed the troops with Gen. Fang Fenghui, chief of the Chinese general staff.

Defense Dept. photo by D. Myles Cullen

The same day, April 22, 2013, Defense Secretary Hagel was in Israel, reviewing an honor cordon with Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon in Tel Aviv.

Defense Dept. photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Two days later, Hagel continued his trip through the Middle East in Cairo at an arrival honors ceremony with Egyptian Defense Minister Abdel Fatah Saeed Al Sisy.

Defense Dept. photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

In July, Dempsey visited Poland, where he took in a pass and review  ceremony in Warsaw with Lt. Gen. Mieczyslaw Gocul, chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces …

Defense Dept. Photo by D. Myles Cullen

… and then on to Afghanistan, where he visited the Ministry of Defense in Kabul.

Defense Dept. photo by D. Myles Culle

In August, Dempsey ventured to Jordan, where he saluted the honor guard after a pass and review ceremony.

Defense Dept. Photo by D. Myles Cullen

In October, Dempsey journeyed to Seoul, South Korea where he reviewed with Korean leaders a military parade marking the 60th anniversary of the U.S.-South Korea alliance …

Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Hinton

Well … that’s it for 2013. We wish you all a healthy, safe and prosperous New Year