Honor guards hang on as numbers dwindle
Sandy Young of Washington is a former Marine who now marches with the local Marine Corps Honor Guard.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Sandy Young, a former Marine who lives in Washington, discusses why she believes younger military members do not perform with local honor guards that are usually present for military presentations and funerals.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
A jacket belonging to Mahlon Sibert is shown. He wears the jacket during certain events with the Washington County Detachment of the Marine Corps League.
Mahlon Sibert of Claysville holds up the hat from his Marine Corps League uniform.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Pins are displayed on a hat worn by Mahlon Sibert of Claysville during Claysville American Legion services.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Mahlon Sibert of Claysville stands outside his home. Sibert is a World War II veteran who served in the Marine Corps. He has been a member of the Marine Corps League and the Claysville American Legion for about 17 years.
Bonnie Droboj of Prosperity stands with her father, Mahlon Sibert, outside his Claysville home.
Bonnie Droboj of Prosperity stands with her father, Mahlon Sibert, outside his home in Claysville. Sibert keeps a flag outside for every member of his family that served in the military.
The outside of Mahlon Sibert’s home is adorned with American flags, his living-room walls with military memorabilia. A single picture frame may be the most impressive indoor piece, displaying eight medals that attest to the World War II veteran’s four valorous years in the Marine Corps and marksmanship.
He is a link in a lengthy chain of Sibert service to his country, extending to four generations across a century. It includes his late father, Mahlon Sr., a World War I vet; Mahlon Jr.; three brothers who served in the Korean War; two sons (Vietnam) and two grandsons (retired).
“He’s teaching his great-grandchildren to salute military personnel,” Mahlon’s daughter, Bonnie Droboj, said chuckling.
Now 89, Mahlon Jr. lives casually on a bluff in Donegal Township, just outside Taylorstown. He gets around more tentatively than he did a year ago, when his first-ever surgical procedure rendered him colon cancer-free, but weakened him. A prostate issue afterward also exacted a toll. The health challenges didn’t diminish his passion for the military, though. Sibert is a proud Marine.
Sixty-eight years after leaving the corps, this WWII veteran (1945-49) is still serving – in a different sense. Sibert is among a group of volunteers who participate in honor guards, units that are military in nature that assist in funeral services, gravesite honors, parades and other ceremonies and events. Members, bearing military-style uniforms, hold flags, fire rifles, salute and march in honor of their brethren.
They aren’t always prominent in their appearances, but will be today, Veterans Day.
“They do it for honorable reasons. It’s their way of giving back, making sure veterans get a proper ceremony,” said Larry Maggi, Washington County commissioner and a former Marine who participates with three honor guards.
Members are distinctive for other reasons: The vast majority are men, they are generally gray and – most significantly – their numbers are diminishing.
“We do not have lot of younger people involved. They’re making a living,” said Maggi, a member of honor guards with the Washington County Marine Corps League (Detachment 1138), Claysville American Legion and the Mon Valley Leathernecks.
Sandy Young, the only female member in the Marine detachment, said that unit’s youngest member is 52.
Mahlon Sibert is nearly two generations older, a man who retired long ago as a maintenance supervisor at Franklin Mall, now Washington Crown Center. Sibert, who coached Maggi in youth baseball decades ago, also belongs to the Marine Corps League and Claysville Legion guards. He joined those units in 2007, more than a half-century after leaving the Marines, and used to be an avid marcher. The cancer surgery precludes him from doing that now.
“I do this because I enjoy it,” Sibert said, choking up. “I’m proud. I want to give back like I received.
“It’s an honor for me to serve as much as I can. I can hold a flag. As long as I don’t march.”
He has been an inspiration to Droboj, a Prosperity resident and the only daughter among his six children. Droboj, who is not a veteran, joined the Marine Corps League as an associate member and accompanies her dad in honor guard events. Mahlon also has 15 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandson.
Young echoed Mahlon’s sentiments. She was a Marine for three years during the Vietnam War, when the U.S. military did not send women to Southeast Asia. She is a member of two local honor guards, the Marine Corps detachment and Washington Legion, and was once commandant with the Marine unit. She said there are approximately 50 Marine detachments statewide and “about 80 percent have honor guards.”
“It’s an honor to do this, even if it’s just an honor service at a funeral home. The family appreciates in,” said Young, 71, who has returned to her Washington County roots. She grew up in Lawrence and graduated from Canon-McMillan High School before entering the military. Young lived in Southern California for 45 years while she was a vice president of a conveyor company, before retiring and relocating to Canton Township in 2009.
The first Wednesday of every month, she participates in a Moments of Remembrance ceremony at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, honoring those who have been buried without military honors on the Cecil Township property. There were 25 or so acknowledged at a ceremony last week. Young also is involved with Wreaths Across America ceremonies there.
“We try to teach the kids to read the name, see when they served and think about them,” she said.
Young also would like to encourage younger vets to join honor guards and other veterans organizations, but realizes many don’t have the time.
“We’ve tried do that across the state, but they’re working or have families. Some have kids and they’re involved in sports. It’s difficult. I know when I was younger, I wouldn’t always have time. But I wish we could get younger ones.”
Greene County does not have a Marine Corps League detachment, but there are American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars organizations – and several honor guards.
John “Buzz” Walters does not belong to an honor guard, but he has a vested interest in many things military. He is a WWII veteran, a former Marine and the current commander of the Mt. Morris American Legion. As the post leader, he is in charge of cemetery events and military funerals and has been involved with the Toys for Tots program.
Once a longtime wrestling coach at West Greene High School, Walters is another older vet grappling with the membership quandary facing veterans groups, including honor guards.
“The number of people involved is going down,” he said. “Younger ones are not picking it up and becoming part of these organizations.
“This is a tribute to the older people who are participating, but we need the younger ones to join in.”