Showing posts with label military funeral protocol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label military funeral protocol. Show all posts

Monday, February 20, 2012

THE JEOPARDY QUESTION NO ONE COULD ANSWER..


TOPIC: ARLINGTON CEMETERY


Jeopardy Question:

"How many steps does the guard take during his
Walk across the tomb of the Unknowns" ----
All three contestants missed it! --
I was so disappointed to hear that all 3 contestants got this wrong. The young soldiers who are chosen to guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier are a special breed. Read on to find not only the answer to the Jeopardy question, but just what it takes to be chosen for the highest honor afforded to a serviceperson!



Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
1.
How many steps does the guard take during his
Walk across the tomb of the Unknowns
And
 Why?
21
Steps:
It Alludes to the twenty-one gun salute which Is The
Highest honor given any military or foreign
Dignitary.

2.
How long does he hesitate after his about face
To begin his return Walk and why?


21 Seconds for the same reason as answer number 1

3. Why are his gloves wet?

His Gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his
Grip on the rifle.

4.
Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all
The time And
, if Not, why not?

He Carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the
Tomb. After his march across the Path,
He Executes an about face and moves the rifle to
The outside shoulder.

5.
How often are the guards changed?

Guards Are changed every thirty minutes,
Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a Year.

6.
What are the physical traits of the guard Limited to?

For A person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he
Must be Between 5' 10' and 6' 2' tall and His waist size cannot exceed 30.

They Must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb,
Live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot
Drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of
rheir lives. They cannot swear in public for the
rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the
uniform or the tomb in any way.
After Two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that
is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb.


There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey
These rules for the rest of their Lives or Give up the wreath pin.

The Shoes are specially made with very thick soles
To keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to The top Of the shoe in order to make the loud click as
They come to a halt.

There are no Wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards
Dress for duty In front of a full-length Mirror.

The first six months of duty a Guard cannot talk to anyone nor
Watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175
Notable people laid To rest in Arlington National Cemetery
.. A guard must memorize who they are and where
They are interred. Among the notables are:

President Taft,

Joe Lewis {the boxer}

Medal of Honor winner Audie L. Murphy, the most

Decorated soldier of WWII and of Hollywood fame.

Every guard spends five hours a Day getting his uniforms ready for
Guard Duty.

In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was Approaching Washington ,
DC , our US Senate/House took 2 days Off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC Evening news, it was reported that because of
The dangers from the Hurricane, the military Members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier were given permission
to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, "No way,
Sir!" Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment,
it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a serviceperson. The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.

God Bless and keep them.

Monday, October 10, 2011

DRL INVESTIGATES:THE TRUTH ABOUT MILITARY FUNERAL PROTOCOL

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Recently DRL posted a letter from a veteran who was upset that the wording of the presentation of the flag at his uncle’s military funeral was changed.  (Click here to go to the orginal post) DRL checked with Snopes before posting and it was listed as “Undetermined”.  Since posting, we’ve heard from several people who were concerned that this was a rumor. Since we are committed to voicing the opinions of ALL our readers, I did some research on the post. This is what I found.
Summary of the eRumor: The message describes a first-hand account from a man who attended the funeral of his uncle, a U.S. Army Korean War combat veteran. The writer said that he knew that when the flag was ceremonially folded and presented to the family the presenter would normally say something like "On behalf of the President of the United States" we thank you for the faithful service of your loved one. At this funeral, however, the presenter substituted "President of the United States" with "Secretary of Defense." The writer later asked the presenter about it and was told that there had been a change in the protocol and that "The White House notified all military funeral service detachments to immediately remove 'the President' and insert 'the Secretary of Defense."
The Truth: 
The email is authentic and TruthOrFiction.com communicated with the writer, John G. Martich Weirton who said this happened at a Pittsburgh cemetery at the funeral of his uncle, U.S. Army Korean War Veteran Daniel Martich.   A spokesperson for U.S. Army Public Affairs Department told TruthOrFiction.com that there has not been any official change in the protocol of presenting the flag to the family of a member of the military who has died.


Saturday, October 8, 2011

"Today for the first time in my adult life I was ASHAMED of my country".

"On behalf of the President of the United States...."
MILITARY FUNERAL FLAG PRESENTATION PROTOCOL
A United States flag drapes the casket of deceased Service members and Veterans to honor their service to America. The flag is placed so that the blue field with stars is at the head and over the left shoulder of the deceased. After Taps has been played, the flag is carefully folded into the symbolic tri-cornered shape. A properly proportioned flag will fold 13 times on the triangles, representing the 13 original colonies. The folded flag is emblematic of the tri-cornered hat worn by the Patriots of the American Revolution. When folded, no red or white stripe is to be evident, leaving only the blue field with stars. The folded flag is then presented as a keepsake to the next of kin or an appropriate family member. Each branch of the Armed Forces uses its own wording for the presentation...


U.S. Army ... This flag is presented on behalf of a grateful nation and the United States Army as a token of appreciation for your loved one's honorable and faithful service.

U.S. Marine Corps ... On behalf of the President of the United States, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one's service to Country and Corps.

U.S. Navy ... On behalf of the President of the United States and the Chief of Naval Operations, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one's service to this Country and a grateful Navy.

U.S. Air Force ... On behalf of the President of the United States, the Department of the Air Force, and a grateful nation, we offer this flag for the faithful and dedicated service of rank and name of deceased.

U.S. Coast Guard ... On behalf of the President of the United States, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one's service to Country and the Coast Guard.

If the next of kin has expressed a religious preference or belief, add ... God bless you and this family, and God bless the United States of America.

And NOW there is this President’s amendment to the above.
Please read the following message:
Subject: MILITARY FUNERAL PROTOCOL