Tomb of the Unknown SoldierARLINGTON
CEMETERY
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
1. How many steps does the guard take
during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why? 21 steps. It alludes
to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military or
foreign dignitary.
2. How long does he hesitate after his
about face to begin his return walk and why? 21 seconds. It alludes to the
twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military or foreign
dignitary.
3. Why are his gloves wet? His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle. 4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and if not, why not? He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder. 5. How often are the guards changed? Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year. 6. What are the physical traits of
the guard limited to? For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must
be between 5' 10" and 6' 2" tall and his waist size cannot exceed
30".
Other requirements of the Guard: They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives . They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform (fighting) or the tomb in any way. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin. The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt. There are no wrinkles, folds, or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror. The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175
notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery . A guard must
memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are:
President Taft, Joe E. Lewis (the boxer) and Medal of Honor winner Audie
Murphy, (the most decorated soldier of WWII) of Hollywood fame. Every guard
spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.
ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND
LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
In 2003, as Hurricane Isabelle was
approaching Washington, DC, our US Senate/House took 2 days off with
anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that
because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the
duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to
suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, 'No way, Sir!'
Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said
that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that
can be afforded to a service person. The tomb has been patrolled continuously,
24/7, since 1930.
God Bless and keep
them. |