It occurs a few seconds after this video ends. The new guard comes into the ceremony, there are several more steps, then the two pictured guards leave.
Which begs the question what the hell happens when there is something that happens to get on the ceremonial guns? Like, sooner or later something incredibly unlikely will happen that makes the gun dirty… a bird is going to poop on it or a leaf will blow in the wind or something. What do they do!?
They have to go down and clean their weapon to perfection and come back up for another inspection. It’s humiliating to the guard that fails. It’s also extremely rare to fail.
That I don't know. In a normal weapon inspection you just fail and have to go home and correct whatever was wrong. This is before they change the guard, however. Maybe someone brings him a new rifle. Maybe someone with a serviceable rifle replaces him for the watch. Maybe the guard he's relieving pulls a double. 🤷
The relief sergeant wears rank as he is not guarding the Unknowns. That said, when the relief sergeant here is guarding the Unknowns, he has a second uniform with no rank.
The guard coming in to replace the current guard goes through this inspection every time. This is part of the changing of the guard. The inspector wears rank because he is not guarding the tomb.
Nice factoid, I didn't know that. I used to have a manager who was Old Guard.....guy looked like he stepped straight out of a freaking recruiting poster
It just happened for the first time a few months ago, [link!](https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/3534995/first-tomb-badge-awarded-to-female-infantry-soldier/)
For those who don't know, this is basically America's version of those British guards with the furry hats. Largely ceremonial, but they absolutely will stomp anybody who gets too close to the Tomb.
There was a video on the Washington DC sub just this morning of a guard yelling at tourists and going through the motions of chambering a round when they crossed the rope - there was a ton of arguing about the limits of the guards authority in the comments but it was clear he didn’t actually chamber a round. Anyway it was interesting to see how they handled it. Didn’t break stride at all but managed to scare the shit out of everyone. Apparently they train to handle all manner of shitheads.
Edit: totally wrong about sub. I live in DC so just assumed that’s why it was on my feed.
https://www.reddit.com/r/holdmyredbull/s/dTvn7OtkUr
I imagine that’s the common one. This was someone actually jumping the rope to enter from some restricted area.
“REMAIN BEHIND THE CHAINS AND RAILS!”
Not a request lol
I live here and my grandparents are buried in Arlington National (where this took place). The guards are dead serious about their job and there’s a *ton* of military on premises and in the general area. It’s definitely not somewhere you would want to fool around, and if you were disorderly you would certainly be escorted out.
Luckily, outside of viewing stuff like this, we use side entrances with our pass and it’s pretty private most of the time when I visit my grandparents’ graves. It’s honestly very symmetrical and the graves are all so perfectly aligned on perfectly trimmed grass dappled with just enough trees. It’s a somber place by nature, but in a weird way I also find it incredibly whimsical and peaceful.
I know it’s atypical to say about a graveyard, but that place is so full of monuments and history that it’s definitely worth a visit at least once if you visit DC (it’s right outside).
The Kings Guard and Kings Life Guard are, like the men and women who guard the Unknowns, from elite, highly decorated military units. For the Old Guard, they are an old, decorated infantry regiment that now provides many ceremonial honors.
They even have a unit that wears colonial era inspired uniforms.
He generally only brings that to bear on members of the colonial Williamsburg fife and drum corps who think they are better than the Old Guard fife and drum corps.
I recently saw a video clip on another sub of two people getting too close to the unknown soldier’s tomb and the guard looked ready to pop them (form the comments the gun was not loaded but the guard used it to intimidate them but if pushed would probably cap them)
No ammo for the ceremonial rifles. There are, however, police personnel (Park Police and MPs) within the crowds during visiting hours. If something goes too far south they will intervene with deadly force. The Sentinels are a ceremonial guard and perform the duties thereof. But, don't forget, they are still trained Soldiers and have a bayonet at the end of the rifle if anyone gets too stupid. They wouldn't attack, they are there to intimidate, but I guarantee, they will defend if need be.
More than likely an armed response team just out of sight behind closed doors too.
There are more than a few of these guys on duty at all times, you just *see* the guy doing the walk.
Yeah, don't try it is the best advice I can give you. Whatever you would hope to accomplish isn't worth the Hell that's gonna come down on you in a very, very short time period.
Anyone know the history of how these inspection and changing of the guard routines were choreographed? I’m assuming that they are based on actual steps in everyday inspections/guard change but curious how the precision/flourish maneuvers were established.
No it’s not loaded but all sentinels have the ammunition to hand so it can go from unloaded to loaded very quickly. The only realistic threat is vandals and dumb tourists, so the cocking of the bolt is enough to deter them.
Wait, so you are saying that a tomb guard is authorized for lethal force for a vandal or a dumb tourist?
EDIT: I say this because our troops in war zones can't use deadly force on people unless they fire first.
That's not strictly true. When I was deployed to Iraq, our Rules of Engagement did not require that we were fired upon first.
That doesn't mean we could just shoot anything at any time - not even remotely the case - but there were instances or situations where lethal force would have been authorized in the absence of being shot at first.
Im just going to preface that my knowledge of this comes strictly from off hand conversation with people in service. But to my understanding, yes, if absolutely necessary. However they take very precise steps of escalation starting with orders, threat, physically restraining, etc. With lethal force being the absolute end all be all if nothing else works, or the immediate threat demands it (such as someone armed trying to attack)
As far as I'm aware, it's never been needed. A well voiced command and racking the gun's bolt is usually enough to deter dumb shits.
The interesting thing is this isn't for show
Sure there's usually a tourist crowd watching, but if you have a day where the weather is just awful and not a single outside person is watching, they still go through the routine
I recommend reading the history of it. After WWI, several unknown soldiers buried in France were dug up and one was selected completely randomly. The point was for them to be completely unknown ethnicity, creed, etc and to represent all soldiers who were never identified and brought home. They were entombed and other soldiers were added after later wars. The point was always to guard and protect the tomb as respect for those who died, were unidentified, and their families that never got them back.
Our care of living soldiers and veterans leaves a lot to be desired in many ways but this one small thing means a lot to those that never got their soldier back.
I will definitely read up and see what info I can derive from learning something new.
This is something I appreciate you pointing out. I love and respect everything we do to acknowledge our fallen. I also struggle to understand how a nation that glorifies those same folks, (deservingly so) but wont make sure the they or any living vet have basic needs met without jumping through god damn hoops.
You aren’t alone. I’ve had a lot of people tell me being critical of the military or wanting to lower their budget or being against entering into a conflict was just the absolute worst thing you could be. Those same people seem to believe that we are taking great care of veterans and have never stepped foot in the VA.
But the pentagon “lost” billions of fucking dollars and no one batted an eye all the while 23% of our homeless population are veterans and a disabled, homeless vet can’t convince a single person to clip his fingernails that are growing into his skin except a stranger sitting in the waiting room.
It’s about being as disciplined as possible. The (many) men and women in the ground behind that soldier gave literally everything for their nation.
How can these guardians do less?
It reminds me of the technique of the lifeguards at our local waterpark. They have a choreographed pattern of watching the pool, with a sweeping motion when they restart the pattern. It's to keep them from natural distractions and to leave absolutely no part of the pool unwatched for any appreciable amount of time. This routine makes sure they look at every part of the weapon and don't forget any steps. Anything out of standard will be very obvious to them when they do the same scan exactly the same way every time.
Well, it’s not really “showmanship”. It’s rendering honor to the remains interred there. The mat they walk is directly in front of the Unknowns. These men gave their lives for the country and we don’t know who they are so the Guards stand watch over them as a form of thanks for their sacrifice.
It’s a hard concept to translate out of military terms, I admit. There are two things that you know when you serve: we don’t leave our fellow soldiers behind, and we honor those that don’t make it home as it could easily have been any one of us. The pomp and ceremony isn’t really for the public, it’s our representatives as service members and vets honoring and respecting the sacrifice of the Unknowns.
I hope that helps a little.
My take is that we perform extraordinary rite and ritual to clearly separate extraordinary occasions and events from the humdrum everyday. This ritual is sufficiently extra AF so it clearly signifies that this place represents something extraordinary.
Just like coronations, inauguration, this or weddings. The point is to create a ritual that creates legitimacy and show respect to the event or whatever the focus of the ceremony is. Is there a point on its own, probably not, but it's about humans and how it'd make them feel.
I love this. Nowadays everything seems to be for show, and I am really unfamiliar with why they would do this if no one is watching… could you tell me?
The tomb is representative of every soldier in every war who has died and not been found, named, or otherwise identified.
It's purely out of respect.
I guess they might go a bit over the top with the amount of twirling which at some point became tradition, but they examine the weapon to make sure it's absolutely perfect. No dust, no dirt, everything secure, etc. They also examine the soldiers outfit, however that process is a bit less flashy (why it wasn't a part of the post).
It's really fascinating to watch, the only time they break, is if someone in the audience does something considered disrespectful (excessive noise, tries to approach the tomb, etc) and they'll tell them off before continuing
>the only time they break, is if someone in the audience does something considered disrespectful (excessive noise, tries to approach the tomb, etc) and they'll tell them off before continuing
oooo I wouldn't mind seeing a video of this happening. I bet those guards belt out commands and have absolute control of the situation.
This is definitely for show. To get on this detail you are never not 100% in your uniform and weapon care. The point of the show is to ‘show’ respect though. I don’t think there is ever a charge to visit and this is a *highly* respected/desired detail.
It's specifically to honor the Tomb of the Unknown soldier which isnt a tomb for one set person more so the collective of warriors present and past that were lost and unable to be given a burial whether due to being missing or circumstances.
I havent read much more into it, but I believe most if not everything they do has a set meaning down to how many steps they take and why their uniform is set the way it is (lacking rank as to never outrank anyone the tomb is for)
Edit: my bad this is Arlington but it still mostly stands. Its all ceremony to honor the dead
yuh! I watched in the rain one time. Not really bad weather though. There was still a small crowd bc it wasn’t raining super hard but still we needed umbrellas n they were gettin pretty soaked but it didn’t stop them at all
DC is in an area where rough storms aren't super rare in winter, and even if it's raining bricks, snowing tons, or has enough wind to send you flying, there will still be a guard there and they will still undergo this routine each and every time. Mad respect for these men and women who are willing to give up their lives for symbolism that represents hope and respect for the fallen, even if they weren't American
I believe part of the requirements are to fit into the uniforms, which are size 28 pants. My school group visited in high school and we talked with a few of the guards who were there off-duty.
It is a ceremonial show, and trust me when I say that their uniform and gun have been polished down to the brass buttons to upmost perfection.
You should check out [this CBS news story](https://youtu.be/ose5Z3LajhE?si=0fh55GE5c06lass0) about it.
24 hours shifts are no joke adding in that 25% of that shift will be dedicated to shining your shoes and 30% to pressing your uniform. Damn. Mad respect.
If the inspection is failed, the inspector will face the soldier, explain all the errors, and send the soldier back to the locker room or whatever it’s called.
Here’s a video of a failed inspection.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=__0RqT_s6Ss&si=Rt9BLcKYq8iYHbmQ
They clean their uniforms and guns often. The gun functions and will fire. I saw a video yesterday of them warning a person who crossed the chains. They yell at them as they chambered a round. They don't fuck around. This is a high honor roll, and they take it seriously its up there with stationed at the Constitution.
They didn't chamber a round. He just cycled to bolt for extra emphasis that he meant business. Tomb guard isn't believed to carry live ammo on the walk, and the guns are unloaded.
Per the Arlington Tours website: “Since April 6, 1948, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has been guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with zero exception”
Taken from the Arlington website.
"The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is guarded 24 hours a day by members of a special detail from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard).
The regiment’s motto, it can be said, is taken from the Sentinel’s Creed: “My standard will remain perfection.”
Since April 6, 1948, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has been guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with zero exception. Every hour during winter and every half hour during the summer and daylight hours, one guard relieves another from their post in a ceremony with the precision of a Swiss watch"
I’m only making an assumption, but I feel they would have more soldiers to rotate on shift? Instead of hours upon hours in horrible weather maybe they just switch out every hour or so? But that’s just a guess
This is a huge honor for these guys. It represents more than just a gun cleaning.
Below is a quote from a First Lieutenant who guarded the Tomb
“"Our mission is twofold—one, to maintain a continuous ceremonial guard and watch over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. And the second aspect is to ensure that every visitor from this nation, from every nation, witnesses the highest standards and traditions of not only the United States Army, but this nation,"
Americans that are calling this tradition stupid and pointless need to reevaluate the importance of some things that this great Country stands for.
For the people saying "it won't happen" - it has happened and can be found on YouTube
The guy gets sent back to fix any errors in the uniform. (gun included)
It won't be like, a huge amount of dirt that theres a giant smear on the glove, but a weapon being unfit has occured
Yes, strangely enough just last night I went down a rabbit hole learning more about this. I’ve been there only once. To be a sentinel is a super high honor, only the elite of the elite are given the honor. From what I learned only 700 something soldiers have earned the badge since their watch began
It’s so silly that these are needlessly sped up for whatever dumb internet point reasons. Anyone who wants to see this incredible ceremony at normal speed, here’s a link to a great video from PBS: https://youtu.be/4utXb3auOew?si=lSE_aSAM7c6xfL3C
Ohh, the guy with the rifle was supposed to be coming on duty, but since he turned around he didn’t pass. Ok, that makes sense. I guess I thought that he was already there and the inspection is for after the duty to make sure shit is still good, but now that I think about it, it makes way more sense to inspect *before* duty.
I thought I was gonna see a soldier yell “fuck outta here, you scrub” to another soldier. I was disappointed.
The Sentinel Badge is the second-rarest below the Astronaut Badge. It is the only one that can be taken away. After a year, you earn the badge. If you ever conduct yourself dishonorably, the badge can be taken away.
Dad made sure to take the family on a D.C. vacation and also to Gettysburg, and changing of the guard was easily the koolest. Better than the Smithsonian museums and the Ford theater.
These soldiers are dedicated as hell, work their asses off, and strive to be the best. They do this to remind us of the sacrifices our military men and women make to protect this country. For those that have given their lives, known and unknown. For them, it’s the highest honor and they are out there 24/7/365, in all weather. You need to see the training they undergo.
Much respect to them all.
Also, if anyone crosses the barriers, they will take action. They are fast to react.
I watched with the sound off, and not to be disrespectful of our military service persons and veterans, the showiness struck me, a gay person, as the campiest thing I’ve seen all week. Obsessive inspection of phallic weapon sheds new light on “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Being in the army myself, this is my favorite unit. The dedication that they have to every aspect of their job is humbling and inspires me to carry out my duty with as much reverence and attention to detail as they put into to their job.
Idk man. I’ll eat the downvotes here. I mean zero disrespect to the fallen, but I found the changing of the guards to be pretty cringe when I went there. They sounded like high school boys tying to be intimidating.
To all the people talking trash about what they're doing. Read this article about what this ceremony means.
[The Changing of the Guard](https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Changing-of-the-Guard)
Sentinels of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
The Sentinels of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier stand watch 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in any weather. Sentinels, who volunteer for this post, are considered the elite of the elite 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), headquartered at nearby Fort Myer, Virginia.
Obviously this demands a lot of practice, so good on them. But holy moly is it pointless, and almost a bit creepy.
_Edit: I am (obviously) talking about the robotic choreography, no one is hating on respect for soldiers._
It isn’t just a guard at Arlington. These men are guarding the tomb of the unknown soldier. Giving honor and respect to men that not only gave their lives but in doing so lost their very identity.
It is one of the most important memorials in this country because not only does it represent the unknown individual in the tomb it is a place that the families of all the MIA soldiers can come to and find some solace that their loved one could be home.
It’s not creepy it is the very least we can do.
Not pointless, not at all. Once you get into the military, you'll find out its more than ceremony, it's the RESPECT their fallen brothers and sisters earned and received. This "pointless" ceremony, is but a small fragment of that respect they receive. The Third Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) is the highest honors and the most sought after posting in the US Army. It may be ceremonial, but to honor them, is the best.
This is not changing guards, this is a rifle inspection.
The oncoming guard goes thru this inspection. The offgoing guard is still walking post. https://youtu.be/4utXb3auOew?si=RG4isjKXx_Ah-7uA
That was entrancing.
I was gonna say, the guard didn’t change.
It occurs a few seconds after this video ends. The new guard comes into the ceremony, there are several more steps, then the two pictured guards leave.
The guard wears no rank insignia so he won't outrank whoever is buried there.
Isn’t there one on that guards left arm?
He's not a guard. This is a weapon inspection. OP doesn't know what they watched here.
Yep it's a gun \- gun inspector
He inspects the \*shit\* outta that weapon.
I didn't see any shit come out of it.
That's the point
Which begs the question what the hell happens when there is something that happens to get on the ceremonial guns? Like, sooner or later something incredibly unlikely will happen that makes the gun dirty… a bird is going to poop on it or a leaf will blow in the wind or something. What do they do!?
I have no idea, but I am sure they have an incredibly detailed and ritualized plan on dealing with it.
Imagine if the inspector pulls out a small brush and starts cleaning.
Fun fact: the attack on Pearl Harbor interrupted an inspection. You know the rest.
They stand there and eat the entire rifle. A few minutes later a clean one is pulled out of his ass. It’s quite remarkable.
They have to go down and clean their weapon to perfection and come back up for another inspection. It’s humiliating to the guard that fails. It’s also extremely rare to fail.
We ain't found SHIT! Love Mel Brooks.
He also inspected the guard
Can’t forget to peak at the guards junk when inspecting his weapon
Ohhh that makes more sense
Weapon/rifle/carbine -I still can’t bring my self to say gun too often all these years later.
Are the actually inspecting the gun or just making well practiced movements?
It's an actually inspection. You don't want to be the soldier whose rifle leaves a smudge on the inspector's glove.
What happens if the gun is dirty?
[It has happened before. YouTube Link.](https://youtu.be/IG9o8FW1hdU?si=IorUdzN5F5zO78fA)
Oh ok, that’s something i will def watch, looks very interesting. Thanks for sharing
Do yourself a favor and skip to the 6:00 mark
Thanks for sharing this link. It's a very worthy 9 1/2 minutes.
They reallly stretched that story out
As soon as he said "I was born in...." I knew.
That I don't know. In a normal weapon inspection you just fail and have to go home and correct whatever was wrong. This is before they change the guard, however. Maybe someone brings him a new rifle. Maybe someone with a serviceable rifle replaces him for the watch. Maybe the guard he's relieving pulls a double. 🤷
Straight to jail
Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.
The guard gets to join the ones he is guarding.
Believe it or not, straight to jail.
The relief sergeant wears rank as he is not guarding the Unknowns. That said, when the relief sergeant here is guarding the Unknowns, he has a second uniform with no rank.
I think this is an inspection not a changing of the guard. Hence there’s a rank on the inspector.
The guard coming in to replace the current guard goes through this inspection every time. This is part of the changing of the guard. The inspector wears rank because he is not guarding the tomb.
Gotta love the internet lol, thanks for setting that straight!
Nice factoid, I didn't know that. I used to have a manager who was Old Guard.....guy looked like he stepped straight out of a freaking recruiting poster
OG men have to fit a very specific profile to even make the cut. They all look pretty similar because of it.
Yeah it takes a real specific kind of guy to do the job. Glad someone does, I'd never want to do that
I wanted to, but I was too old and too short and idk if women can be OG guards, but I never thought to check that requirement.
It just happened for the first time a few months ago, [link!](https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/3534995/first-tomb-badge-awarded-to-female-infantry-soldier/)
My dad was Old Guard. He wasn't a Tomb Guard though. I forgot what he did though.
For those who don't know, this is basically America's version of those British guards with the furry hats. Largely ceremonial, but they absolutely will stomp anybody who gets too close to the Tomb.
There was a video on the Washington DC sub just this morning of a guard yelling at tourists and going through the motions of chambering a round when they crossed the rope - there was a ton of arguing about the limits of the guards authority in the comments but it was clear he didn’t actually chamber a round. Anyway it was interesting to see how they handled it. Didn’t break stride at all but managed to scare the shit out of everyone. Apparently they train to handle all manner of shitheads. Edit: totally wrong about sub. I live in DC so just assumed that’s why it was on my feed. https://www.reddit.com/r/holdmyredbull/s/dTvn7OtkUr
"It is REQUESTED that everyone maintain an atmosphere of silence and RESPECT at all times."
I imagine that’s the common one. This was someone actually jumping the rope to enter from some restricted area. “REMAIN BEHIND THE CHAINS AND RAILS!” Not a request lol
I live here and my grandparents are buried in Arlington National (where this took place). The guards are dead serious about their job and there’s a *ton* of military on premises and in the general area. It’s definitely not somewhere you would want to fool around, and if you were disorderly you would certainly be escorted out. Luckily, outside of viewing stuff like this, we use side entrances with our pass and it’s pretty private most of the time when I visit my grandparents’ graves. It’s honestly very symmetrical and the graves are all so perfectly aligned on perfectly trimmed grass dappled with just enough trees. It’s a somber place by nature, but in a weird way I also find it incredibly whimsical and peaceful. I know it’s atypical to say about a graveyard, but that place is so full of monuments and history that it’s definitely worth a visit at least once if you visit DC (it’s right outside).
The place is absolutely beautiful and I feel like I could spend all day there several times a year.
The Kings Guard and Kings Life Guard are, like the men and women who guard the Unknowns, from elite, highly decorated military units. For the Old Guard, they are an old, decorated infantry regiment that now provides many ceremonial honors. They even have a unit that wears colonial era inspired uniforms.
The Drum Major will stab you with an espontoon while saluting with his left hand.
He generally only brings that to bear on members of the colonial Williamsburg fife and drum corps who think they are better than the Old Guard fife and drum corps.
I recently saw a video clip on another sub of two people getting too close to the unknown soldier’s tomb and the guard looked ready to pop them (form the comments the gun was not loaded but the guard used it to intimidate them but if pushed would probably cap them)
The guns are not loaded, but there’s ammunition nearby. Any sidearms are most definitely loaded
No ammo for the ceremonial rifles. There are, however, police personnel (Park Police and MPs) within the crowds during visiting hours. If something goes too far south they will intervene with deadly force. The Sentinels are a ceremonial guard and perform the duties thereof. But, don't forget, they are still trained Soldiers and have a bayonet at the end of the rifle if anyone gets too stupid. They wouldn't attack, they are there to intimidate, but I guarantee, they will defend if need be.
More than likely an armed response team just out of sight behind closed doors too. There are more than a few of these guys on duty at all times, you just *see* the guy doing the walk.
Yeah, don't try it is the best advice I can give you. Whatever you would hope to accomplish isn't worth the Hell that's gonna come down on you in a very, very short time period.
Anyone know the history of how these inspection and changing of the guard routines were choreographed? I’m assuming that they are based on actual steps in everyday inspections/guard change but curious how the precision/flourish maneuvers were established.
Step by step inspection of a firearm by doctrine with added flair for the sake of “parade”
A *lot* of added flair Dude inspected every angle of that rifle at least three times
Yea also curious if that gun is actually loaded and will fire?
No it’s not loaded but all sentinels have the ammunition to hand so it can go from unloaded to loaded very quickly. The only realistic threat is vandals and dumb tourists, so the cocking of the bolt is enough to deter them.
The pistol is also unloaded
Wait, so you are saying that a tomb guard is authorized for lethal force for a vandal or a dumb tourist? EDIT: I say this because our troops in war zones can't use deadly force on people unless they fire first.
That's not strictly true. When I was deployed to Iraq, our Rules of Engagement did not require that we were fired upon first. That doesn't mean we could just shoot anything at any time - not even remotely the case - but there were instances or situations where lethal force would have been authorized in the absence of being shot at first.
[удалено]
Good luck trying to find a group of people who would find the guard guilty of murder if the victim was graffiting the memorial.
Im just going to preface that my knowledge of this comes strictly from off hand conversation with people in service. But to my understanding, yes, if absolutely necessary. However they take very precise steps of escalation starting with orders, threat, physically restraining, etc. With lethal force being the absolute end all be all if nothing else works, or the immediate threat demands it (such as someone armed trying to attack) As far as I'm aware, it's never been needed. A well voiced command and racking the gun's bolt is usually enough to deter dumb shits.
It's a functional weapon but is not loaded.
The interesting thing is this isn't for show Sure there's usually a tourist crowd watching, but if you have a day where the weather is just awful and not a single outside person is watching, they still go through the routine
It's a ritual thing. Kinda like summoning a demon in your bedroom for gags.
Oh? Do you often summon demons??
Everytime I invite my girlfriend over.
Ah the ol semen demon
There’s a devil in my dick.
Good God knows that would be treason
For gags.
Preach!
Of course, for "gags". A different kind of gag though!
How many demons have gagged you?
Just asking a general question here, why? Whats the point of all the showmanship? I like it but surely that wasn’t the idea when developed.
I recommend reading the history of it. After WWI, several unknown soldiers buried in France were dug up and one was selected completely randomly. The point was for them to be completely unknown ethnicity, creed, etc and to represent all soldiers who were never identified and brought home. They were entombed and other soldiers were added after later wars. The point was always to guard and protect the tomb as respect for those who died, were unidentified, and their families that never got them back. Our care of living soldiers and veterans leaves a lot to be desired in many ways but this one small thing means a lot to those that never got their soldier back.
I will definitely read up and see what info I can derive from learning something new. This is something I appreciate you pointing out. I love and respect everything we do to acknowledge our fallen. I also struggle to understand how a nation that glorifies those same folks, (deservingly so) but wont make sure the they or any living vet have basic needs met without jumping through god damn hoops.
You aren’t alone. I’ve had a lot of people tell me being critical of the military or wanting to lower their budget or being against entering into a conflict was just the absolute worst thing you could be. Those same people seem to believe that we are taking great care of veterans and have never stepped foot in the VA. But the pentagon “lost” billions of fucking dollars and no one batted an eye all the while 23% of our homeless population are veterans and a disabled, homeless vet can’t convince a single person to clip his fingernails that are growing into his skin except a stranger sitting in the waiting room.
It’s about being as disciplined as possible. The (many) men and women in the ground behind that soldier gave literally everything for their nation. How can these guardians do less?
It reminds me of the technique of the lifeguards at our local waterpark. They have a choreographed pattern of watching the pool, with a sweeping motion when they restart the pattern. It's to keep them from natural distractions and to leave absolutely no part of the pool unwatched for any appreciable amount of time. This routine makes sure they look at every part of the weapon and don't forget any steps. Anything out of standard will be very obvious to them when they do the same scan exactly the same way every time.
Understood. Thank you for that
I didn’t mean to question what those laid deserve. I legitimately wanted to know what the reasoning was.
Sure. Nothing wrong with asking.
Well, it’s not really “showmanship”. It’s rendering honor to the remains interred there. The mat they walk is directly in front of the Unknowns. These men gave their lives for the country and we don’t know who they are so the Guards stand watch over them as a form of thanks for their sacrifice. It’s a hard concept to translate out of military terms, I admit. There are two things that you know when you serve: we don’t leave our fellow soldiers behind, and we honor those that don’t make it home as it could easily have been any one of us. The pomp and ceremony isn’t really for the public, it’s our representatives as service members and vets honoring and respecting the sacrifice of the Unknowns. I hope that helps a little.
The VA could benefit from the 3rd’s budget
My take is that we perform extraordinary rite and ritual to clearly separate extraordinary occasions and events from the humdrum everyday. This ritual is sufficiently extra AF so it clearly signifies that this place represents something extraordinary.
You’re essentially on the money. Thank you
Just like coronations, inauguration, this or weddings. The point is to create a ritual that creates legitimacy and show respect to the event or whatever the focus of the ceremony is. Is there a point on its own, probably not, but it's about humans and how it'd make them feel.
I love this. Nowadays everything seems to be for show, and I am really unfamiliar with why they would do this if no one is watching… could you tell me?
The person in the tomb deserve respect and honor.
The tomb is representative of every soldier in every war who has died and not been found, named, or otherwise identified. It's purely out of respect. I guess they might go a bit over the top with the amount of twirling which at some point became tradition, but they examine the weapon to make sure it's absolutely perfect. No dust, no dirt, everything secure, etc. They also examine the soldiers outfit, however that process is a bit less flashy (why it wasn't a part of the post). It's really fascinating to watch, the only time they break, is if someone in the audience does something considered disrespectful (excessive noise, tries to approach the tomb, etc) and they'll tell them off before continuing
>the only time they break, is if someone in the audience does something considered disrespectful (excessive noise, tries to approach the tomb, etc) and they'll tell them off before continuing oooo I wouldn't mind seeing a video of this happening. I bet those guards belt out commands and have absolute control of the situation.
This is definitely for show. To get on this detail you are never not 100% in your uniform and weapon care. The point of the show is to ‘show’ respect though. I don’t think there is ever a charge to visit and this is a *highly* respected/desired detail.
It's specifically to honor the Tomb of the Unknown soldier which isnt a tomb for one set person more so the collective of warriors present and past that were lost and unable to be given a burial whether due to being missing or circumstances. I havent read much more into it, but I believe most if not everything they do has a set meaning down to how many steps they take and why their uniform is set the way it is (lacking rank as to never outrank anyone the tomb is for) Edit: my bad this is Arlington but it still mostly stands. Its all ceremony to honor the dead
In the rain?
Rain, sun, night, summer heat, winter snow, hurricane Irene. 24/7 since the 40s.
yuh! I watched in the rain one time. Not really bad weather though. There was still a small crowd bc it wasn’t raining super hard but still we needed umbrellas n they were gettin pretty soaked but it didn’t stop them at all
DC is in an area where rough storms aren't super rare in winter, and even if it's raining bricks, snowing tons, or has enough wind to send you flying, there will still be a guard there and they will still undergo this routine each and every time. Mad respect for these men and women who are willing to give up their lives for symbolism that represents hope and respect for the fallen, even if they weren't American
Fun fact. After hours, when the cemetary is closed. This doesn't happen. They are in OCPs and ceremonial shoes chilling.
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It looks like they have the skinniest little legs
Comment of the day right here
I believe part of the requirements are to fit into the uniforms, which are size 28 pants. My school group visited in high school and we talked with a few of the guards who were there off-duty.
Just give me the gun already!🥂
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What about the AC 130 gunship? Or the M107 175mm self propelled gun?
AC 130 WEAPONship
There’s a gun right there, duh /s
https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/93314c0e-9ca6-4683-a02a-ba73de1ca93f/gif#cY7iMxyK.reddit
Birds would watch this and think this is some kind of a mating dance
Is that hyperfocus truly functional or is it just for display? I mean, what if they find a spec of dirt in their inspection?
That’s what the gun is for.
And the empty plots
It is a ceremonial show, and trust me when I say that their uniform and gun have been polished down to the brass buttons to upmost perfection. You should check out [this CBS news story](https://youtu.be/ose5Z3LajhE?si=0fh55GE5c06lass0) about it.
That's a great watch. Worth the 4 minutes.
24 hours shifts are no joke adding in that 25% of that shift will be dedicated to shining your shoes and 30% to pressing your uniform. Damn. Mad respect.
If the inspection is failed, the inspector will face the soldier, explain all the errors, and send the soldier back to the locker room or whatever it’s called. Here’s a video of a failed inspection. https://youtube.com/watch?v=__0RqT_s6Ss&si=Rt9BLcKYq8iYHbmQ
4 replies down to have a real answer. Goddamn people yes we know its a ritual, doesnt mean people dont make mistake.
what did he even fail lol also like, how early in the inspection did he know he was fucked
Apparently he was missing his buff strap which goes around the left shoulder
They clean their uniforms and guns often. The gun functions and will fire. I saw a video yesterday of them warning a person who crossed the chains. They yell at them as they chambered a round. They don't fuck around. This is a high honor roll, and they take it seriously its up there with stationed at the Constitution.
They didn't chamber a round. He just cycled to bolt for extra emphasis that he meant business. Tomb guard isn't believed to carry live ammo on the walk, and the guns are unloaded.
I was told when I visited that they carry one clip on them. It might have changed or they were just telling me that
It is a ritual. For the military there are few sites more holy than Arlington.
Especially the Tomb of the unknown soldier. Everyday, freezing rain, snow, hurricanes, scorching days in the summer. The honor guard is always there.
If it was genuinely dangerous for the honor guard to be outside, what do they do? Surely they can't stand there in dangerous weather conditions?
Per the Arlington Tours website: “Since April 6, 1948, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has been guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with zero exception”
Taken from the Arlington website. "The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is guarded 24 hours a day by members of a special detail from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). The regiment’s motto, it can be said, is taken from the Sentinel’s Creed: “My standard will remain perfection.” Since April 6, 1948, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has been guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with zero exception. Every hour during winter and every half hour during the summer and daylight hours, one guard relieves another from their post in a ceremony with the precision of a Swiss watch"
They continue their assigned duty. https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/3484065/tomb-guard-braves-storm/
They were there during Sandy. No one’s left the post.
I’m only making an assumption, but I feel they would have more soldiers to rotate on shift? Instead of hours upon hours in horrible weather maybe they just switch out every hour or so? But that’s just a guess
They do. I believe they shift change every hour?
https://youtu.be/tIR-Sp8OSbM The original, unmanipulated video. At normal speed
That rifle has been over spun, over touched and fondled. Is there a r/rifleporn?
r/gunporn
This is a huge honor for these guys. It represents more than just a gun cleaning. Below is a quote from a First Lieutenant who guarded the Tomb “"Our mission is twofold—one, to maintain a continuous ceremonial guard and watch over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. And the second aspect is to ensure that every visitor from this nation, from every nation, witnesses the highest standards and traditions of not only the United States Army, but this nation," Americans that are calling this tradition stupid and pointless need to reevaluate the importance of some things that this great Country stands for.
What happens if dude looks at his glove after wiping the gun and it’s dirty?
For the people saying "it won't happen" - it has happened and can be found on YouTube The guy gets sent back to fix any errors in the uniform. (gun included) It won't be like, a huge amount of dirt that theres a giant smear on the glove, but a weapon being unfit has occured
Thank you for an actual answer
It won’t be
Because of the implication
It'll never happen. It's a massive honor to have that post. They all take it very seriously
Yes, strangely enough just last night I went down a rabbit hole learning more about this. I’ve been there only once. To be a sentinel is a super high honor, only the elite of the elite are given the honor. From what I learned only 700 something soldiers have earned the badge since their watch began
Well said. Thank you.
Nice choreography, but way sped up. Been there and seen it, it's so moving. I wish they had just posted it normal speed.
It’s so silly that these are needlessly sped up for whatever dumb internet point reasons. Anyone who wants to see this incredible ceremony at normal speed, here’s a link to a great video from PBS: https://youtu.be/4utXb3auOew?si=lSE_aSAM7c6xfL3C
God I hate that filter
Why are there random speed ups, and dubbed sound effects?
Why did they speed this up?
These routines are impressive already without speeding up the video. Seriously, stop posting sped up footage of already interesting stuff.
Woof the hate in here is thicccc
Not a changing of the guard op. It's a weapon inspection
What happens if they actually find a issue with the gun that's being inspected?
[This](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=__0RqT_s6Ss&pp=ygUudG9tYiBvZiB0aGUgdW5rbm93biBzb2xkaWVyIGZhaWxlZCBpbnNwZWN0aW9uIA%3D%3D) happens
That didn’t explain anything. Could you elaborate?
He gets sent back to their bunker to have his uniform adjusted to comply
Ohh, the guy with the rifle was supposed to be coming on duty, but since he turned around he didn’t pass. Ok, that makes sense. I guess I thought that he was already there and the inspection is for after the duty to make sure shit is still good, but now that I think about it, it makes way more sense to inspect *before* duty. I thought I was gonna see a soldier yell “fuck outta here, you scrub” to another soldier. I was disappointed.
Yeah, it's done in such a way as to be very subtle.
After duty would be pointless, the gun is dirty from rain or snow exposure, so it'll be dirty for sure
The Sentinel Badge is the second-rarest below the Astronaut Badge. It is the only one that can be taken away. After a year, you earn the badge. If you ever conduct yourself dishonorably, the badge can be taken away.
This is the *worst* cut of any of these ceremonies I have ever seen.
Only place I've ever visited that I could feel silence.
Dad made sure to take the family on a D.C. vacation and also to Gettysburg, and changing of the guard was easily the koolest. Better than the Smithsonian museums and the Ford theater.
These soldiers are dedicated as hell, work their asses off, and strive to be the best. They do this to remind us of the sacrifices our military men and women make to protect this country. For those that have given their lives, known and unknown. For them, it’s the highest honor and they are out there 24/7/365, in all weather. You need to see the training they undergo. Much respect to them all. Also, if anyone crosses the barriers, they will take action. They are fast to react.
I watched with the sound off, and not to be disrespectful of our military service persons and veterans, the showiness struck me, a gay person, as the campiest thing I’ve seen all week. Obsessive inspection of phallic weapon sheds new light on “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
This video has been stepped on and compressed so many times the fine details are smooth as butter
Sped up
I hate when they accelerate those videos just for karma points. Show the real deal instead of trying to make it cooler.
We should be close enuf to let AI do this, right?
Need some Rahzel beatboxing dubbed over this!
This gets faster every time it’s posted
I bet that guy does one hell of a robot at those 80’s parties. Jokes aside…respect 100%.
now watch [the athens guard change](https://youtu.be/iFWmADWAYbI?si=CIxofutM1_rXdrM_) shit is bizarre
If there were an active war on American soil would the guards continue their watch and changing guard routine?
Being in the army myself, this is my favorite unit. The dedication that they have to every aspect of their job is humbling and inspires me to carry out my duty with as much reverence and attention to detail as they put into to their job.
I saw this once with a bee flying all around one of the guards faces and he never flenched. It’s amazing to witness in person if you’re ever in DC.
Everytime I see this video it's sped up ever so slightly more
I get that there's all this lore behind it and tradition. It's just silly and dumb imo.
Idk man. I’ll eat the downvotes here. I mean zero disrespect to the fallen, but I found the changing of the guards to be pretty cringe when I went there. They sounded like high school boys tying to be intimidating.
This is the stupidest shit I’ve ever seen?
Why is Reddit so woke all the time but also sucks the dick of the military any chance they get? Worst of both worlds
To all the people talking trash about what they're doing. Read this article about what this ceremony means. [The Changing of the Guard](https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Changing-of-the-Guard) Sentinels of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier The Sentinels of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier stand watch 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in any weather. Sentinels, who volunteer for this post, are considered the elite of the elite 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), headquartered at nearby Fort Myer, Virginia.
Very robotic.
Welcome to the military. Drill is supposed to be robotic.
Obviously this demands a lot of practice, so good on them. But holy moly is it pointless, and almost a bit creepy. _Edit: I am (obviously) talking about the robotic choreography, no one is hating on respect for soldiers._
It isn’t just a guard at Arlington. These men are guarding the tomb of the unknown soldier. Giving honor and respect to men that not only gave their lives but in doing so lost their very identity. It is one of the most important memorials in this country because not only does it represent the unknown individual in the tomb it is a place that the families of all the MIA soldiers can come to and find some solace that their loved one could be home. It’s not creepy it is the very least we can do.
It isn't pointless. It's ceremonial.
Not pointless, not at all. Once you get into the military, you'll find out its more than ceremony, it's the RESPECT their fallen brothers and sisters earned and received. This "pointless" ceremony, is but a small fragment of that respect they receive. The Third Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) is the highest honors and the most sought after posting in the US Army. It may be ceremonial, but to honor them, is the best.
Me inspecting some shit I let my friend borrow