|
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 does
not execute an about face. He stops on the 21st step, then turns and
faces the
Tomb for 21 seconds. Then he turns to face back down the mat, changes
his weapon
to the outside shoulder, counts 21 seconds, then steps off for another
21 step
walk down the mat. He faces the Tomb at each end of the 21 step walk
for
21
seconds. The Sentinel then repeats this over and over until he is
relieved at the
Guard Change.
|
5. How often are the
guards changed?
The Guard
is changed every thirty minutes during the summer (April 1 to Sep 30)
and
every
hour during the winter (Oct 1 to Mar 31). During the hours the cemetery
is closed,
the guard is
changed every 2 hours. The Tomb is guarded, and has been guarded,
every minute
of every day since 1937.
|
6. What are the physical
traits of the guard limited to?
The average tour at the Tomb is
about a year. There is NO set time for service
there.
The Sentinels live either in a barracks on Ft. Myer (the Army post
located adjacent to the
cemetery) or off base if they like. They do have living
quarters under the steps of the
amphitheater where they stay during their 24
hour shifts, but when they are off, they are off.
And if they are of legal age,
they may drink anything they like, except while on duty.
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.
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.
The
Tomb Guard Identification Badge is awarded after the Sentinel passes a
series of
tests.
The Badge is permanently awarded after a Sentinel has served 9 months
as a
Sentinel at the Tomb.
Over 500 have been awarded since it's creation in the late
1950's. And while the Badge can be
revoked,
the
offense must be such that it discredits the Tomb. Revocation is at the
Regimental Commander’s discretion. But you can drink a beer and
even swear and still keep the Badge.
The Badge is a full size award, worn on
the right pocket of the uniform jacket, not a lapel pin.
|
ETERNAL REST
GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT
SHINE UPON THEM.
It was erroneously reported that during Hurricane Isabel, the Sentinels
were
ordered to abandon their posts for shelter and that they refused.
No such order
was ever given. All proper precautions were taken to ensure
the safety of the
Sentinels while accomplishing their mission.
Risk assessments are constantly
conducted by the Chain of Command
during changing conditions to ensure that
soldier welfare is maintained during
mission accomplishment
|
