Formertombguard

Well you are in a 624 acre cemetery through all hours of the night so it's almost constant.

The veterans. I will never froget the honor flight veterans that would be flown from all over the country to come see the memorials in DC and to visit the Tomb. During changing of the guard the crowd is asked to stand for the ceremony. These men an women came in wheel chairs very often and we do not expect them to stand obviously, but they would struggle to stand, sometimes being held by family members just to salute their fallen brother/sister. It had a huge impact on me every time I saw it. We would all make a point to go out and talk to them whenever they came. Some of the most amazing men and women I ever had the opportunity to meet.

I remember as one man was struggling to stand up, one of the staff members tried to help him out of his wheel chair and I could hear him say, "Get your Goddamned hands off me". I had to hold backa laugh.

Even If the guard was given a choice to leave his post due to weather conditions he would not. The Tomb has been guarded 24/7 since 1937. We all take entirely to much pride in the opportunity we are given to break that streak. If the weather conditions do get bad enough the plaza can be extended so the guard can walk up the steps of the amphitheater to get some cover, but I never witnessed that and I was there through Irene.

The Tomb was built to honor the men and women who gave there lives in defense of their country, but were never identified. Their families never received closure. This is a place for those families and the rest of the country to come and pay their respects.

While you are posted for your guard shift you stand at one end of the mat, face down the mat, count 21 seconds, walk 21 steps, turn face the tomb, count 21 second, turn face back down the mat, change the rifle from one shoulder to the other so it is always on the opposite shoulder of the Tomb, count 21 second, and walk 21 steps. So you are moving quite a bit. Everything a Tomb Guard does involves 21 as a sign of respect. 21 is the highest honor that is rendered in the military, such as a 21 gun salute.