Miles McNair is a lot of things. He’s a local pastor, a Wyoming Army National Guard chaplain, a member of the state honor guard and the 2024 Wyoming Honor Guard Soldier of the Year.
McNair …
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Miles McNair is a lot of things. He’s a local pastor, a Wyoming Army National Guard chaplain, a member of the state honor guard and the 2024 Wyoming Honor Guard Soldier of the Year.
McNair was named Wyoming’s Honor Guard Soldier of the Year for 2024 during the Outstanding Soldiers and Airmen of the Year Banquet in Cheyenne on Jan. 11.
As for the award, he’s appreciative that somebody noticed the extra time and work he was putting in.
“As much as myself I think it was awarded to my family, because I'd be picking up extra duties on Saturdays and Mondays and extra time spent away from the family,” McNair said. “So I think that's a credit to them, just as much, if not more so than myself.”
The award is given to soldiers who work hard for their honor guard team, the number of funerals an honor guard member attends over the year and miles walked are taken into account, McNair explained. He has attended roughly 23 funerals around the state and locally since joining the honor guard in 2023.
Wyoming has “a great funeral honors team,” McNair said, emphasizing that it is always a team effort.
McNair had always wanted to join the Army, he said. He grew up next to his grandfather who was in the Army during the Korean War, and after consulting his wife he decided to go the chaplaincy route and join the National Guard.
“Being a chaplain in the Wyoming National Guard you have three responsibilities, to nurture the living, care for the wounded and honor the dead,” McNair said. “So being part of the honor guard was a natural fit into that third category there.”
As a chaplain it is McNair’s job to be with the soldiers providing spiritual support, something he also does as outreach pastor at New Life Church in Powell.
“I'm privileged to do it, to be in the honor guard. It is a privilege to serve those who've already served and to be able to present their family with a flag and have taps played at their funeral,” McNair said.
He added that he is grateful for his wife and kids understanding and for New Life Church where he serves as outreach pastor for allowing him to “pop out” and perform funeral honors.