Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Of all the incredible locations in DC, there is one that rises above the others. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier stands atop the hill in front of Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery. Following the creation of the Tomb in 1921, it sat unguarded until civilian guards were hired. On March 24, 1926, the Army assumed the responsibility, providing 24-hour guard to honor the sacrifice of the Unknown soldiers interred there. In 1948, The Old Guard - the Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment - took up the call and the Sentinels that guard it today began their solemn duty.
The precision of these soldiers is legendary. If you have every witnessed the changing of the guard, you understand the precision.
I was incredibly honored to be invited to visit the tomb at sunrise. Without the hustle and bustle of the crowds around, the somber click of the Sentinel’s boots as he marks his watch is the only sound that echoes through the air. As the sun rose it cast a long shadow across the ground marked with the pathway these soldiers take hour after hour, day after day.
