Nurse Honor Guard salutes fellow nurses and veterans

During the recent Branson Veterans Day Parade, spectators and participants likely noticed a group of nurses, wearing traditional nursing capes, on a float depicting a military field hospital. The Southwest Missouri Nurse Honor Guard is an area chapter of the National Nurses Honor Guard Coalition, dedicated to honoring fellow nurses at special events and memorial services. 

The inspiration for a Nurse Honor Guard stemmed from discussion about how to honor a fellow nurse who had passed away, and the realization of how much such an honor impacted grateful families, leading to the formation of the National Coalition in 2019. In 2024, a group of Springfield area nurses attended their first national conference, and Mary Gillam of Springfield was asked to help develop Missouri groups. Her efforts have helped facilitate the Coalition’s goal of having an Honor Guard chapter within an hour’s travel for special events and memorial services. Missouri is well on the way to meeting that goal, with 13 chapters presently active. Members include nurses currently employed full or part time, retirees, instructors of nursing, and every combination of those.  

The original intent of the Coalition was to honor nurses who passed away, commemorating their service and dedication at their funerals or memorial services. With nurses having saved many lives as a valuable part of the U.S. military over the course of our nation’s history, and some making the ultimate sacrifice, participation in Veterans events was a natural connection due to shared values including the concept of honor. 

In addition to the Branson parade, the Southwest Missouri Nurse Honor Guard was on hand for the October 19 Honor Flight of the Ozarks’ return to Springfield, greeting veterans as they passed through the airport. Many returnees paused to thank them for being there, and several veterans among waiting families and friends commented on their appreciation for nurses during their own service time. The group also regularly visits the Veterans Administration Home in Mt. Vernon, Missouri. Regular monthly meetings are held in Springfield. 

Nurse Honor Guards are easy to spot at special events, sporting traditional navy-blue capes with a symbolic red lining. Lanterns are carried to funerals and memorial services; and the cape is folded back to show the lining, symbolizing the release of the nurse’s spirit from duties on earth to the blessings of heaven. Families at the memorial services are given special mementoes, in keeping with the value placed by nurses on legacy and tradition. 

“Pins are important to nurses,” shared Southwest Missouri Honor Guard member Kristine Strong, referring to the special caps and pins that honor years of service and achievements. Some readers may recall being around hospitals that were affiliated with a nurse training program, in the days before more casual “scrubs” became the standard healthcare worker’s uniform, as student nurses proudly displayed newly-acquired caps and eventually the all-white garb of the graduate nurse. Although the clothing may have changed, the commitment to honor and tradition has not. 

The Southwest Missouri chapter and Missouri Coalition are a registered Missouri nonprofit, and leadership and event participation are entirely by volunteers. Donations are welcomed and are tax-deductible, to help fund special event travel and the family mementoes given at memorial services. 

The Missouri Coalition will hold their first statewide conference on April 25, 2026, in Jefferson City, with the theme “Tradition of Nursing,” remembering special individuals who paved the way for modern nursing as a career. Learn more, stay up to date on meetings and special events, or request guidance in forming a local chapter, by visiting the Facebook pages for the Southwest Missouri Nurse Honor Guard or the National Nurses Honor Guard Coalition. 

Thank you to these wonderful dedicated professionals for their service and commitment, whether in the military or serving us right here in our communities every day!