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"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the
selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. I ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen."
Of all the gifts you could give a US Soldier,
Sailor, Airman, Marine & others deployed in harm's way,
Prayer is the very best one.
Here is some interesting information about what
a guard for the "Tomb of the Unknown", has to go through and give up, for the honor to guard the Tomb! AWSOME!!
"Here Rests
In Honored Glory
An American Soldier
Known But To God"
The Tomb of the Unknowns, near the center of the cemetery, is one of Arlington's
most popular tourist sites.
The Tomb contains the remains of unknown American soldiers from World Wars I and II, the Korean Conflict and (until 1998) the Vietnam War. Each was presented with the Medal of Honor at the time of interment and the medals, as well as the flags which covered their
caskets, are on display inside the Memorial Amphitheater, directly to the rear of the Tomb.
The Tomb is guarded 24-hours-per-day and 365-days-per year by specially
trained members of the 3rd United States Infantry (The Old Guard).
The Memorial Amphitheater has been the scene of the funerals of some prominent
Americans (such as General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing) as well as the site of both Memorial Day and Veterans Days celebrations.
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Facts about the soldiers who guard the tomb of the Unknowns
This must
take a special kind of person.
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."
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.
I don't know if you saw this in the news but it really
impressed me.
Funny, our US Senate/House took 2 days off as they couldn't work because
of the expected storm.
On
the ABC evening news, it was reported tonight that, because of the
dangers from Hurricane Isabelle approaching Washington
DC, 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 serviceperson.
The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.
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The Sentinels Creed
My dedication to this sacred duty is total and wholehearted.
In the responsibility bestowed on me never will I falter.
And with dignity and perseverance my standard will remain perfection.
Through the years of diligence and praise and the discomfort of the elements,
I will walk my tour in humble reverence to the best of my ability.
It is he who commands the respect I protect.
His bravery that made us so proud.
Surrounded by well meaning crowds by day alone in the thoughtful peace of night,
this soldier will in honored glory rest under my eternal vigilance.
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