trick-or-treat-the-controversy:
If this post doesn’t get over 10,000 notes that’s just sickening…. There are pictures of girls naked and cats sleeping getting 10,000 notes
MOST STUPID THING I HAVE READ ALL DAY. Risking the lives of three people to guard A TOMB. A TOMB.
With respect, I must disagree. Call me a sentimentalist, call me a nationalist, but I disagree a hell of a lot.
The guards of the 3rd U.S. Infantry are far from stupid. They are elite soldiers held in the highest esteem. Did you know roughly only 20% of the applicants make the cut? For TRAINING. We’re not even discussing how many actually become Old Guards. That’s comparative to the Navy SEALS and Army SF whose wash out rates are circa 30%.
They’re soldiers of Honor with a Capital H. Rank in military is key. However, the Guards’ On Duty uniforms — that, fun fact, take the Guards six hours to dress — have no rank insignia. They do not outrank the soldiers they guard over.
The Tomb of the Unknowns (“Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” is a common misnomer) isn’t a tomb. It’s a monument.
DNA testing didn’t exist as it does today when Congress erected the monument in 1921. Dog tags could get lost, stolen, or misplaced. Some soldiers died during the chaos of battle, lost and forsaken. Their bodies never returned home to their families; who were robbed not only of their loved ones, but of closure. The monument seeks, even if admit ostensibly, to provide solace. Soldiers’ families and families can imagine their ‘unknown soldier’ rests there in peace.
I should note that in 1998 the ‘Unknown Soldier of Vietnam’ was identified as Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie (thanks to DNA testing). Since then his family’s had his remains moved to their family plot. The crypt of the ‘Unknown Soldier of Vietnam’ remains vacant; while the Unknown Soldier of WWI, Unknown Soldier of WWII (European Theatre), Unknown Soldier of WWII (Pacific Theatre), and Unknown Soldier of the Korean War still rest at Arlington in anonymity.
The caption says “continuously” since 1948. Not true: twenty-four hour watch by the 3rd U.S. Infantry started on July 2, 1937. For seventy-five years, through the Great Depression and through the Vietnam War protests, on December 7, 1941 and on September 11, 2001, three soldiers have always stood as protectors.
They have stood guard even when the White House and Cable News refused to show the flag-draped caskets returning home from Iraq.
The Old Guard stands watch over the monument to respect all those who gave everything so others could have something. I’m not talking about some ‘dulce et decorum est pro patria mori’ philosophy. I’m talking about how our grandfathers and grandmothers fought wars, and waged protests in, and questioned the status quo in attempts to change the world for future generations. Sometimes they screwed up. Sometimes they only got it half-right. Sometimes they dropped the ball altogether. Regardless, they demand our respect.
In these times, it’s so easy to forget the past. It’s hip to look for the convenient way out. No one wants to make hard decisions anymore. Why, when you can just “pass the buck”?. The Old Guard of the 3rd U.S. Infantry always stand their post. It’s their job. Their responsibility. Their duty.
Hurricanes be damned.
All the awards. Every single award. On the planet.
All of them.
God bless you.
God Bless the Marines.
God Bless the Army.
God Bless the Navy.
God Bless the Air Force.
God Bless the Coast Guard.
God Bless, every one of them.
Anyone who thinks what these men do is “stupid” need to take stock of their values. These men, like everyone who serves in the military, are the best of what this nation has to offer. They are people of honor and integrity who don’t look at ‘duty’, ‘service to country’ and ‘integrity’ as talking points or lip service but as a way of life. The example people like these men provide in an hour is more than most people offer in their entire lives.
I don’t expect you to understand that because it’s painfully obvious you can’t and, more than likely never will, but while you smirk and make fun of the selfless actions these people take just be glad that there are people who are willing and happy to do the necessary things you find ‘stupid’.
Because if it wasn’t for people who volunteer to carry the torch of their own free will, your sorry ass would be made to do it by force- ie the draft, and I sure as hell don’t want your sorry ass defending my freedom with your mentality.
God bless our troops.
(Source: lovemilitary, via gadsden-culpepper)
