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Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska — The Alaska National Guard’s honor pole, which is a monument dedicated to the profound contributions of Alaska Natives to the safety and heritage of the state in the past and present, proudly sits in front of the Alaska National Guard armory here and is seen by everyone who enters the building. This 11.5-foot pole, built by George Bennett Sr., a Vietnam war veteran and rural veteran liaison with Alaska’s Veterans Affairs, and his son, James Bennett, was refurbished April 16-17 after 12 years of standing tall in front of the building.
Although this structure bears many similarities to the totem poles of the Tlingit culture, it is considered an “honor pole."