New Zealand Family React to Why You Never Mess With A Guard Of The Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier

Comments · 648

• KR

  @kristyvancleve9084 · 4 years ago

  My Dad was a Tomb Guard in the late 40's. It was the proudest time of is life in The Old Guard.  He had great stories.  One night he was overnight duty and voices on the other side of the amphitheater. He stopped his walk when he saw a Major and his date.  Dad went to port arms and demanded they leave since the cemetery was closed. The Major dressed my Dad saying it ok, he wanted to show his date the tomb.  Dad said again, SIR you must leave. The Major threatened him with court martial. Dad responded, SIR I am more intimidated by my Seargeant than I am of you.  Nothing happened to Dad.  OLD GUARD

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• GR

  @GrumpyOldGuyPlaysGames · 4 years ago

  I attended a changing of the guard back in the early 2000s. I am a disabled veteran and thus attended in a wheelchair. I had on what I think of as my &quot;veteran&apos;s cap,&quot; a cap embroidered with my rank and last unit, plus some of my award pins. We were directed to stand, and as I was doing my best to rise out of the wheelchair, one of the guard escorts (who are, of course, guards themselves) turned to me and said, &quot;Captain, while we appreciate your attempting to comply, it would be my honor if you could return to your seat. I&apos;m sure you&apos;ve earned the rest.&quot;<br><br>It sounded like a practiced response, as if someone thought it up when deciding what the scripts were going to be for the ceremony. But it was nice of them to not make me stand, as that&apos;s painful.

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• OG

  @ognarw · 4 years ago

  I was the captain of an honor guard. We cover three states in United States going to funerals, Laying to rest veterans, Giving them a 21 gun salute, and I presented the flag to their loved ones. We practice all the time but Arlington is the cream of the crop.

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• DA

  @DanielFrost21 · 4 years ago

  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fcxpcelki8&amp;t=347">5:47</a>: &quot;It is requested that everyone maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect&quot;.......They&apos;re not requesting, they&apos;re ordering.

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• TA

  @tammyparsons5656 · 4 years ago

  It will actually bring tears to your eye watching the changing of the guards, it&apos;s a very powerful feeling you get when you experience it in person.

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• SS

  @ssilent8202 · 4 years ago

  One thing I will always find as an annoyance about this video: they cover the rumor the Sentinels were ordered to abandon their posts during hurricane Isabelle. That part of the rumor is untrue: while the Old Guard does have contingencies in place, there was no order to abandon the posts during Isabelle. Which does in fact mean they stayed during the storm.

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• JO

  @jonathonkeane3598 · 4 years ago

  I appreciate how much love and respect you show for the North American Armed Forces. I have come to love your family like you were indeed, my own.

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• HI

  @HistoryNerd808 · 4 years ago

  I&apos;ve been to Arlington a couple times when I lived in Virginia(not Northern VA) and seeing the changing of the guard in person is something else. It&apos;s a really somber place and the sentinels at the tomb, rightfully, take their job very seriously. They see it as a high honor, from what I understand.

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• MO

  @momzillainnova · 4 years ago

  My father was a WWII Vet and is buried at Arlington National. &nbsp;His funeral was one of the most emotional experiences of my entire life. &nbsp;I was so unprepared for how emotional it was going to be. &nbsp;The gun salute. &nbsp;The taps playing. &nbsp;Being presented with his flag. &nbsp;I know with all my heart that he was right there with me giving me the strength to get through it and make him proud by not breaking down. They somehow make you feel as if your loved one is the only one being buried there, even though they have many funerals there every day. &nbsp;It is a moving, and incredible place to visit. &nbsp;We go often and particpate in the wreath laying every christmas where a single whole wreath is laid on every single grave every year.

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• DW

  @dwignall8154 · 4 years ago (edited)

  My son served at Arlington, &nbsp;so proud! He was honored to be Old Guard

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• JK

  @JK-dl6ql · 4 years ago

  Been to it as a kid, and being in the military for over a decade now, got to go to the cemetery in Normandy while stationed in the Netherlands. Also was in formation for Memorial Day in Margaten Cemetery in the Netherlands. Where 10,000 US soldiers from WWII are buried. I learned that the Dutch adopt a headstone to care for, and there is a waiting list of Dutch families who want to take care of the grave of an American there who didn’t make it home. Was very humbled with that. Not to mention my Dutch friends who say how grateful there were for us then, and celebrate Liberation Day still.

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• GE

  @get2choppa · 4 years ago

  my dad was one of the tomb guards back in the early 2000s. we still visit every year on memorial day

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