We went to Arlington Cemetery a week ago today, and since yesterday Nicole and Grandma were going to a couple more art galleries, I decided that I'd bookend the week with what was probably my favorite part of the trip: Arlington Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Here are a few pictures and a video.
The guards themselves are the pinnacle of solitary military precision and discipline. Their uniforms and weapons are flawless. Their eyes are fixed straight ahead. Their movements are crisp. They stand perfectly straight and still until the 21 seconds of each pause expire. The guard I watched yesterday paused for _exactly_ the same amount of time at each pause in his post. (by my watch it was 21 1/2 seconds)
The Sentinel's Creed, posted outside the quarters of the guard detachment, says it all:
Ignore the crappy camera holding and notice the perfect synchronization of the movements of the guards during the changing of the guard ceremony:
Many units of the Army have paid their respects to the Unknown Soldiers of war. These are posted by two units in which my dad served: the first in Germany, the second in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
The soldiers of the who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier exemplify that discipline, and are a credit to a profession I am proud to have been a part of.