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Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier | Did You Know?

A Facebook post has been making the rounds again recently regarding a Final Jeopardy! question about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which aired on April 11, 2005 that all 3 contestants missed. Unfortunately, the post has some inaccuracies and misinformation, but we'd like to clear that up for you and give you some interesting facts you may not have previously known!


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The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier | Arlington National Cemetery


According to Arlington National Cemetery, the neoclassical, white marble sarcophagus stands atop a hill overlooking Washington, D.C. Since 1921, it has provided a final resting place for one of America’s unidentified World War I service members, and Unknowns from later wars were added in 1958 and 1984. The Tomb has also served as a place of mourning and a site for reflection on military service.


How many steps does the guard take during their walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why?


The Guard marches 21 steps down the black mat behind the Tomb, turns and faces east for 21 seconds, turns and faces north for 21 seconds, and then takes 21 steps down the mat. Next, the Guard executes a sharp "shoulder-arms" movement to place his/her weapon on the shoulder closest to the visitors, signifying that he or she stands between the Tomb and any possible threat. The number 21 symbolizes the highest symbolic military honor that can be bestowed: the 21-gun salute.


How long do they hesitate after their about face to begin their return walk and why?


21 seconds.


Why are their gloves wet?


Their gloves are moistened to prevent losing their grip on the rifle.


Do they carry their rifle on the same shoulder all the time and if not, why not?


They carry the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. The Sentinel executes a sharp "shoulder-arms" movement to place the weapon on the shoulder closest to the visitors, signifying that he or she stands between the Tomb and any possible threat.


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.


Some history - in March 1926, soldiers from nearby Fort Myer were first assigned to guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The guards, present only during daylight hours, discouraged visitors from climbing or stepping on the Tomb. In 1937, the guards became a 24/7 presence, standing watch over the Unknown Soldier at all times.


What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?


For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, they must be between 5 feet, 10 inches and 6 feet, 4 inches tall for men or 5 feet, 8 inches and 6 feet, 2 inches tall for women, with a proportionate weight and build.


Soldiers who volunteer to become Tomb Guards must undergo a strict selection process and intensive training.


During the trial phase, they memorize seven pages of Arlington National Cemetery history. This information must be recited verbatim in order to earn a "walk."


If a soldier passes the first training phase, "new soldier" training begins. New Sentinels learn the history of Arlington National Cemetery and the grave locations of nearly 300 veterans. They learn the guard-change ceremony, the manual of arms, and methods for keeping their uniforms and weapons in immaculate condition.


That's not all - the Sentinels must pass multiple tests to earn the privilege of wearing the silver Tomb Guard Identification Badge. First, they are tested on their manual of arms knowledge, uniform preparation and walks. Then, they take the badge test, consisting of 100 randomly selected questions from the 300 items memorized during training. The would-be badge holder must get more than 95 percent correct.


The Tomb Guards work on a three-relief rotation; each relief has one commander and about six Sentinels. The three reliefs are organized by height, so that those in each guard change ceremony look similar in appearance. The Sentinels wear the Army dress blue uniform, reminiscent of the color and style worn by soldiers during the late 1800s.


Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.


When not "walking," the Tomb Guards spend their duty time in quarters below the Memorial Display Room of the Memorial Amphitheater, where they study cemetery history, clean their weapons and help the rest of their relief prepare for the changing of the guard.


Here is a question posed to the Society of the Honor Guard: "Do you guard in a blizzard or a bad thunderstorm?"


YES, but the accomplishment of the mission and welfare of the Soldier are never put at risk. The Tomb Guards have contingencies that are ready to be executed if the weather conditions ever place the Soldiers at risk of injury or death (i.e. lightning, high winds, etc). This ensures that Sentinels can continue the mission while ensuring safety. It is the responsibility of the Chain of Command from the Sergeant of the Guard to the Regimental Commander to ensure mission accomplishment and soldier welfare at all times.


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.


If you are interested to learn more, you can visit this link below, courtesy of Arlington National Cemetery.



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