Honoring Our Military: Navy Sailor Will Lynde
Author: Matt Nelson
Matt Nelson
Townsend native Will Lynde has been serving in the United States Navy since 2023. His sister Scout, his dad TJ, and his grandfather Stan are also Navy Veterans. Will joined a month after graduating from Broadwater High School. He had joined to become an Aviation Machinist Mate, which is a mechanic on any type of aircraft that the Navy is using. However, while he was in Boot Camp at Great Lakes, IL, he was interviewed about becoming a member of the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard (USNCG) in Washington, D.C. The same night he graduated from Boot Camp, he was on a plane to D.C., where he was stationed at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling.
Immediately, he started training with strict ceremonial uniform inspections, polished brass belts, drill movements, physical tests, and disassembly of the M-1 rifle and lacquering it, then reassembling it, before being allowed to participate in the actual duties of the USNCG. The training for new members is very intense; they call it Boot Camp 2. Lots of exercise, lots of push-ups, lots of being yelled at, etc.
Once this initial training is complete, the sailors are assigned to the Marching Platoon and go through another month of more specialized training to be assigned to one of four different positions. Will picked the Color Guard. The other positions are the Firing Party for gun salutes, to perform at different funerals or retirements, mostly working at Arlington National Cemetery, and also, they do the cannon shoots in the Navy Yard. The Casket Bearers work mostly at Arlington. The last group is the Drill Team, which specializes in performing rifle stunts and movements.
Will liked being in the Color Guard because it had the most variety for ceremonies. Although their job was basically Monday through Friday, often they had to go to Arlington for a couple of hours on either a Saturday or Sunday, but not both, honoring our nation’s fallen heroes. A couple of times, Will was there for the funeral service of some astronauts, but he doesn’t remember who they were. He has been to the memorial grave site of the Challenger astronauts who perished during the explosion on January 28, 1986.
While working in the USNCG He did meet President Biden in a formal greeting, but wasn’t able to have a conversation. Most of Will’s time there occurred during President Biden’s term. At the time of President Trump’s inauguration, Will was a Squad Leader and involved with training new Ceremonial Guard troops, so he didn’t have much to do during the inauguration. He wasn’t going to the ceremonies anymore.
He was in D.C. for two years, which is the actual time that the members of the Ceremonial Guard all stay. Last August, he received orders to go to Pensacola, Florida for his actual Aviation Machinist job. He started training in September, working on the engines of F-35 jets, and in October was reassigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 125 in Lemoore, California. After his honorable discharge in June 2027, he expects to enroll at Montana State University in Bozeman. Thank you, Will, for your service to our country.
Article Images
Click on Image Thumbnail(s) to view fullsize image
PhotoCredit: See Captions
Image 1 Caption: Seaman Will Lynde with the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard.
Photo Courtesy: TJ Lynde
Image 2 Caption: The Lynde Family - L-R TJ, Scout, Samara, Will.
Photo Courtesy: TJ Lynde
Image 3 Caption: Seaman Will Lynde is wearing his F-35 flight line coveralls.
Photo Credit: Will Lynde
