Sunday, February 14, 2016

ARLINTON GUARD AT THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWNS

ARLINGTON CEMETERY    

Jeopardy Question: 
  

On Jeopardy awhile back, the final question was 

"How many steps does the guard take during his 
walk across the tomb of the Unknowns?" 

All three contestants missed it! 
  
This is really an 
awesome sight to watch if you've never had the 
chance . 
Fascinating. 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 for the same reason as answer number 1
    


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. 


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 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 Lewis {the 
boxer}
Medal of Honor winner Audie L. Murphy, 
the most 
decorated soldier of WWII and 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. 




We can be 
very proud of our men
and women in the service.
God Bless America

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