Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Guarded Despite Hurricane

My last visit to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was probably about 25 years ago but it was a visit that I still remember vividly to this day especially considering that I witnessed the changing of the guard ceremony. It was a moving experience to say the least.

Reading this article and seeing the image was just as moving for me. I am forever thankful to all soldiers who have served, currently serve or who have lost their lives serving our great nation.

The dedication and respect shown in this story is the reason why our military is the best in the world. Despite the crazy weather yesterday in Arlington, Va., as a result of Hurricane Irene, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was not forgotten.

This description, and the accompanying photos, were posted on Facebook yesterday by the 3rd U.S. INF Regiment the Old Guard:

"A lone Tomb Sentinel, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), walks his tour in humble reverence during Hurricane Irene in Arlington National Cemetery, Va., Aug 27. Members of The Old Guard have guarded the Tomb every second, of every day regardless of weather or holidays since April 6, 1948."

i1098.photobucket.com...

reply to post by jibeho

I was just talking with my cousin about all these ignorant bas@#ards that decided they are going to start protesting at soldiers funerals. People are so freaking stupid these days that they don't even understand that politicians make the calls that they don't agree with, not the soldier. I have no doubt that if that guard would not have been there, some jacka@# would have gone there and defaced it some how to make a point.

reply to post by jibeho


I love posts like these, when someone is compelled to express their emotions after an event that most people don't notice. Sadly it is a fact that it is politicians who control the serving soldiers at all times. What real good these serving men and women could do for humanity instead of being used to further the greed and power lust of the few.
I believe that the lowliest private who commits their safety and life to a cause, whether he/she is a fighting soldier or simply a cook in a billet, is worth a thousand politicians.
Just my opinion, I visited the battlefields and graveyards of WWI in France and was moved to tears for the folly of humanity and the humanity of the people who suffered and died. It helped me grow as a human being.

Your post brought it all back to me.

reply to post by jibeho


Biggest waste of time, not to mention taxpayer money.
I can't believe us humans still take part in such nonsensical ritualistic behavior.
It really makes NO sense whatsoever.
I'm sure I'll get flamed for speaking the truth by those who are unable to think outside the box
and see this for what it is but, that's to be expected.

reply to post by jibeho


They did the same thing during Hurricane Isabel. Some accounts even say the disobeyed a direct order to evacuate the post. Snopes disagrees with the disobeying an order part, but the fact is, they never left their post, even in the dead of the night and the height of the hurricane.

These guys should be admired for their fortitude and duty! They make me proud.

reply to post by Screwed


That is of course your opinion, and you're welcome to it.

I, for one, don't agree with it. The Tomb of the Unknown represents all those men, and women, who didn't come back from where ever this countries wars took them.

"Known only to God". Maybe it gives a family closure? A place where they can come to say good-bye to that loved one. Maybe?

A waste? Not so much. Are those wars wasteful? Now there we might come to some form of agreement. But to memorialize those missing, and unknowns? Not wasteful in the least.

Originally posted by HumansEh
reply to post by jibeho

 

I believe that the lowliest private who commits their safety and life to a cause, whether he/she is a fighting soldier or simply a cook in a billet, is worth a thousand politicians.
Just my opinion, I visited the battlefields and graveyards of WWI in France and was moved to tears for the folly of humanity and the humanity of the people who suffered and died. It helped me grow as a human being.

Your post brought it all back to me.

I couldn't agree more. I have also trodden the same footsteps as you in France, both resting places and on the beaches. To see young soldiers of today from the USA and beyond on that same journey, giving reverence to the dead whether on Normandy cliffs or at home surely stirs the soul in great ways.

reply to post by Screwed


i have to agree.

the difference between what honors the dead, and what disrespects the dead is all in the perspective. for instance, when a news agency shows people in the middle east burning an american flag, everyone gets riled up, but in the flag code it says that any flag that is worn or dirty should be burned.

i think having a memorial to unknown fallen soldiers is a good idea, but having it staffed as it is with much pomp and ceremony is a waste. the dead have passed on, and you can't do anything for them. remembering them is the highest honor you can give, not people standing watch for hours upon hours when they could be doing something more productive.

reply to post by seagull


I don't think we are talking about the same thing here.
There is nothing wrong with having a place to come and remember the dead.
It's called a cemetary and I am not morally or intellectually opposed to the idea of cemetaries.
I DO have a problem with the idea of paying someone with taxpayer dollars to basically STAND
next to a grave which is supposed to "symbolize" ALL of the fallen soldiers.

And what's worse is, can you imagine one of these "Soldiers" standing gaurd over some grave thru a goddamned HURRICANE and end up getting himself killed by a falling tree or swept away by a hundred mile an hour wind??? I mean, is it really worth LOSING your life to "protect" some dude who is already dead?
Is this REALLY honoring anybody by giving your life to "protect" an grave?
And has anyone stopped to ask....WHAT are we protecting this grave from exactly???
Anyone?
Anyone?

Protect my borders not some dudes grave.
I would be much happier if my tax dollars were spent putting a real rifle into a real soldiers hands and post his ass at the southern border, though I know it isn't a soldiers job to protect our borders.
That would at least make sense to me and SERVE A PURPOSE!!!!

Mine is an intellectual response which will make ZERO sense to an emotionally based person using emotionally based reasoning and responses.

I see no point in ritualistic behavior.
I see no point in symbols.
Like the late great George Carlin said, "I leave symbols to the symbol minded".
I t appeals to the base mentality that is killing this country.
It appeals to emotion.
It evokes pure, raw, unadulterated emotion.
I can see going to a cemetary to pay your respects.
I can see going there and shedding a tear for the fallen.
I can not see how we are paying ANYONE ANY respect by having some dude stand there with a fake rifle
24/7 and somehow this is supposed to "honor" someone?
NO!
What it does is evokes a feeling!
A feeling of "Patriotism" and "honor".
It makes us feel proud of all of the sensless deaths that occured due to our blood lust and
ignorance as a species.

Look, I am not here to bring down anyones house of cards.
If you honestly see this sort of thing as a productive use of taxpayer money then go for it, have at it.
There are certainly worse things our money is being spent on, that's for sure.

The bottom line is, it serves NO purpose other than to make YOU feel better.
If having some dude stand gaurd over some grave makes YOU feel better then.....I guess it was money well spent, I just don't see the point is all.

reply to post by Screwed


Yeah, I kinda got that after I had posted...sorry.

Yet I still disagree to a point. There is room, and to spare, for pomp and ceremony. Now there is a point past which it becomes wasteful, but a man/woman, or two (not sure how many actually stand post there...) isn't wasteful. It's just another way of honoring the "unknown soldier".

reply to post by Screwed


Our nation is slowly being stripped of ceremony and tradition only to be replaced by political correctness. Colleges stop playing our national anthem because they think it's too violent. People celebrating Independence day have been labeled loons and extremists. etc etc. Enough is enough.

For these soldiers of the old guard, an assignement to Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is considered the highest honor. Rightfully so!

Nothing wrong with keeping a 63 year old tradition alive, before you know it there will be nothing left to honor in this nation.

P.S. Those rifles carried by the old guard are not fake like you suggested in your post. Try to cross the line or make a threat and see what happens to you.

Originally posted by Bob Sholtz
reply to post by Screwed

 

remembering them is the highest honor you can give

I'd change that slightly

I believe remembering what they fought for, and the lessons learned, would be a higher honour


I sometimes think we have things backwards

seems like we're always remembering the fallen, and forgetting the lessons we should be learning from them

reply to post by Screwed


My family has been in service to this country since before it was "a country". I would hope we will continue to serve it proudly.

We have been involved with every conflict and war, probably help start some of them, and were on both sides during the Civil war. Just don't know how to pass up a good fight.

I say this because of the picture you have with all the camo and gear. Looks like a turkey hunter !

As to your opinion. If you haven't guessed by now, I don't think much of it .

As to your point. Take off your hat and look in a mirror, we will all probably see it better.

reply to post by hdutton

My family has been in service to this country since before it was "a country". I would hope we will continue to serve it proudly.

We have been involved with every conflict and war, probably help start some of them, and were on both sides during the Civil war. Just don't know how to pass up a good fight.
.

Can you honestly tell me how this even remotely addresses the point I was making? How does it have ANYTHING to do with ANYTHING???You and your family are true "patriots" I am sure. What that has to do with ANYTHING I haven't a clue.


Look man, If your whole family fought wars and killed fellow human beings for their slave masters that's all good.
It really has nothing to do with my point nor does anything else you said.
Either way, your opinion is your opinion and mine is mine.
It isn't my job to force you to see how rediculous any and all ritualistic behavior is.

It is funny how we call this whole nonsense of "Guarding the tomb of the unknown soldier" the highest honor.If you are of a military mindset, I would think that the highest honor would be to put on the uniform for your country, not gaurd some dead dudes bones and pretend that it is somehow everyone who has ever died but not been identified. It is ONE man and NO ONE knows who it WAS and gaurding his dried and rotten bones will NEVER bring him or anyone else back.

Yours is a triggered emotional response based on fear and ignorance of the detrimental nature of ritualistic behavior. You and I could argue this 'till we are both blue in the face but it will not change anyones opinions.
I would suggest looking at this from an intellectual perspective. For just one minuite, step outside of your pre-programmed triggered response and think of this situation using well balanced thought,reason, and intellect.

This whole nonsense makes YOU and people with your mentality feel better. For that, I am glad.
I am glad that some dude holding a rifle standing over some bones of another dude, makes YOU and people like YOU feel better. If it helps you deal with whatever it helps you deal with, then I am greatful for that.
It makes NO practical sense.

It appeals to a triggered emotional response from people of a certain mentality.
I for one, hope to see a day when us humans can evolve past the need for sensless ritualistic reptilian like behaviors and begin using our higher brain functions. This is silly. So are Birthdays,Christmas,Easter,Memorials, ALL holidays and anything else that people do just..........because thats what we've always done.
It isn't producing anything nor is it making any positive difference in helping us evolve past the need to
perform sensless ritualistic acts.


Ohhh well, I suppose you are more of a "Patriot" than I.
Long live the President.
USA,USA,USA!!!!!!


BTW, I love turkey hunting, how did you know?
We've got some fat ones out here where I live too.

I admire those soldiers, just as I admire the soldiers who guard Buckingham Palace, and Horseguard's Parade in my own city, London. Anyone with the tenacity to stand there, hour after hour whilst tourists shove cameras in your face, or mess around to try and make you laugh without flinching, or showing their irritation is a better person than I am.

Having said that, the best way to honour the dead, the way that they would appreciate it if they could tell us, is as a previous poster said, remembering them, remembering the conflict that killed them, and most of all, getting out there and protesting against our governments from making more unknowns for no damn reason. How they would fume if they knew their deaths were in vein and people hadn't learned.

reply to post by jibeho


that is 1st class respect

reply to post by billy197300


I think everyone here knows full well that the soldiers aren't the ones deciding on what country to invade, bomb, etc.., those decisions are clearly made in Washington DC.

reply to post by Screwed


And has anyone stopped to ask....WHAT are we protecting this grave from exactly???
Anyone?
Anyone?

I already answered that question or are you not reading any of this? They have to protect it from all the a#$holes that would go there and deface it to make some kind of a point. You actually think there aren't idiots that will do that kind of thing given the chance? Wake up.

I wholeheartedly agree with them doing this. It makes me proud that they are remembered in this way. Given the opportunity I would gladly have a tree fall on me to make sure that these people are not forgotten. They gave the ultimate sacrifice for a country the loved and believed in. NOT for the politicians that sent them but for the country. If tomorrow they said they needed a new tax to pay for this I would gladly say yes. I think there is no nobler use of taxpayer money than to see this done.

reply to post by jibeho


Here is a link to more information regarding the The Honor Guard. Honor Guard

I have a lot of respect for the people that stand watch over our fallen unknown soldiers. We will never know who they were.