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

Awesome, appreciate his service...what a great story, wow..good for your brave dad!

Sergeants are *born* intimidating.

Good on your father. Thank him for his service.

Sorry, SIR. But respectfully, I don't take my orders from you. You still must leave. I wish you and your date have a nice night.

So cool

This comment brings a tear to my eyes. Thank you for your service

This just brought tears to my eyes!

Capt. thank you for sharing your experience at the tomb and thank you for your service, (from an old Marine, 1963-1967) Ed.

Captain, Thank You for Your Unselfish Service to Our Country, it's most Appreciated!!❤❤🇺🇸

Wow, thats amazing!

It brings me to tears just watching it on video. Very solemn.

I agree

This is a must-see when in DC. The silence on those hallowed grounds touches your core. There weren’t many dry eyes.

Absolutely. I am 62, and witnessed the guard change once, when I was 15, and I remember it like it was yesterday. Even now, it brings me to tears.

I’ve seen the changing of the guards several times and I get choked up every time. It’s considered sacred ground.

Thank you so much for your service. I very much appreciated the guard that came for my Dad's funeral. 💕

Have they changed recently or something on the gun salute? My friends father passed away in a motorcycle accident and they only had 3 men that if I remember right only fired some where between 12-18 shots. I remember counting the volleys and was confused when they stopped short of 21 total shots. If I remember right for my grandmother's funeral back in the 90's they had a 7 man team firing 3 volleys.

@@Zankaroo ok, so what the cap here said is inaccurate. The 21 gun salute is in fact 21 shots, but they are done from a cannon of some sort, usually 105mm howitzer. A 21 gun salute is reserved for heads of state and presidents. Lower numbers of shots are used for people like secretary of defense, congressmen, generals etc. Every serviceman is given a 3 round volley as honors rendered at the time of burial, ideally there are 7 men on the rifle team that do this but that is not a requirement. Again, 3 round volley, not 21 gun salute.

@@Zankaroo At both my Uncles funerals they had 7 shoot 3 times and another play taps.

My father is buried at Arlington. I was completely unprepared for just how emotional his funeral would be. The gun salute. The Taps. The flag presentation. It is as if you are the only people in the world when your loved ones are being buried there.

I served there for 6 years and even now when I go back it brings a tear to the eye.

@@theclarksvillepiper9202 right there with ya

There's something about being there in person, isn't there? I knew it was cool before I went and I had seen a few videos, but seeing it in person is something else. I was shocked how emotional it was in person. I really wasn't expecting myself to react like I did.

My father was stationed in Virginia at the Army cadet School same place as the honor/tomb guards are stationed. I've seen the changing of a guard probably a hundred times and every time it amazes me. I love your channel, your family know more about the United States then many American families. Keep up the great work.

I know your exact feeling. I experienced it with my grandfather who was a Korean War vet. He isnt buried at Arlington, but instead, at our local cemetery close to home here in Wisconsin. It was extremely emotional and I was very unprepared. 21 gun salute, taps, and watching my dad get presented with my grandpas flag was so overwhelming. It will live with me forever. I dont look forward to the day where I have to go through that day all over with my dad who is an air force vet. That day will break my heart forever.

Thank you for your service as well. Signed, Army Mom, Sister, Aunt.

Thanks to your father for his service. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

I was there when this supposedly happened. There was no order, what there was, was a message from the office of the president giving them permission to wait it out under the amphitheater. They refused and stood the guard.

That’s amazing. Thanks for sharing that.

Maybe the part that's false is that they died? I hope that's what would make it a "rumor" at least

@@bradkessler2834 yes, I mentioned that in another comment.

9:05?

Wow! I’ll bet he’s got stories!

Couldn’t imagine the waiting list for French families to adopt a gravestone is very long... lol. Ungrateful bastards. And it’s not just something that’s happened since the war with subsequent generations. They weren’t very grateful at the time... Not to mention Dutch and Germans were out in force the day after a battle to start cleaning up the rubble. The French has uncleared rubble over a decade after the war had ended. They waited for the government to do it. Preferably the American government. AND they had the nerve after capitulating so quickly and collaborating with the Nazis to want to basically take charge of military operations for the invasion of France. The only reason they even had an army is because we gave it back to them. And they represented a tiny part of the invading force yet they still wanted to be in charge. This after they had attacked American and British forces in North Africa. Literally more willing to fight the allies than they were the Germans. Sorry I read a lot about WW1 and WW2 and if you do that I pretty much guarantee you’ll dislike the French as well. The more you learn the more you dislike them. If you asked an American GI who they liked best in WW2 and they say, ironically the German people best (and the Dutch but most GIs weren’t on Holland. Mostly just the airborne). That the English were nice and polite but kind of still. That the Italians were fun and vibrant but kind of sneaky. Who did they all hate? Thought we’re sullen and ungrateful? The French. I mean these are generalities but pretty much some up your average GIs feelings...

A metaphor... You hear screams from your neighbors house. You and your teenager son run over. Your neighbor and his family is tied up. Your neighbor is being strangled to death and his wife raped. You and your son fight the intruders. At first your neighbor doesn’t help you but actually fights you! He stops fighting you but then just kind of lies back, no fighting you anymore but not helping you either. You manage to kill one attacker and chase off the other. You took a stab wound to the stomach and your son was killed. As your crying, mourning the deal of your son, you untie you’re neighbor and help him untie his family. Your thirsty after the fight and ask for a drink. Your neighbor brings a soda but charges you 5$ for it. Soda isn’t free, he says. And I’ll take it from here he says. You don’t know how to untie knots like I do. And anyway shouldn’t you be leaving? I didn’t invite you over you know. Your family always has been boorish and impolite. And violent. I saw how you fought those intruders. It’s barbaric to be frank. And I’ll be sending you a bill for the damage to my carpet. Your dead son bled all over it...

I’ve never heard that before! What a lovely tribute!

Didn't know that. Thank you for letting me know

@@benhaney9629 What's your point???

My most sincere condolences for the passing of your father. Thanks to him for answering the call to service for country.

My thoughts and prayers are for you and your family.

May he rest in peace and you see him again one day :D

I am so sorry for your loss!

I’ve volunteered on an honor flight to escort an elderly vet. I encourage everyone to volunteer.

I was there in 2010 too!!

@@patriciabentley850 Cool..I was in the Tea Party Rally wanting lower taxes and protect the 2nd Amendment.

Actually, he did not chamber a round of ammunition. In fact, he could not. The M14 rifle is fed by a box magazine, similar to the later M16 and M4. You will see, during the inspection of the sentinel by the sergeant of the guard, that there are no magazines in the sentinels' rifles. If there happened to be a single round in the chamber--heaven knows how--then when the sentinel comes to inspection arms and jacks the slide back, the round would have been ejected. Nevertheless, the sound of racking the slide, even in an empty rifle, can be intimidating to people who violate the area around the tomb. Furthermore, the bayonets are for real!

@@4325air ok, ty for sharing that, yes a bayonet will make you think, lol

@@switchfoot8702 Yeah, most people don't know the rifles are not loaded, so racking it is just an intimidation tactic which normally works. I'm not 100% but I believe the Officer inspecting the rifle though, his side arm is loaded. But even then they will never use it on someone who is just being disrespectful, they will just detain you, possible with more force than needed to make a point. For them to aim a loaded weapon at you you have to be threatening.

@@cygnusx-3217 if you really hate this nation so much, how about going to one you would like better.

And many families go to Arlington as they cannot go to the cemeteries in different countries! The tomb guards protect the physical remains and the honor of all unknowns. Plus is you watch so many people are just disrespectful for some unknown unbelievable reasons!??

Are you sure about this? It's about an 11 hour drive.

Hmm. An 11 hour drive for most Americans is basically how we roll. It takes Europeans a solid year to realize that.Your question, raises questions.@@wishwise0

Their rifles are not loaded. If they were, any guard who'd had to assume post arms because of an idiot intruder would eject a round during inspection as they're relieved. They cycle the bolt to put a bit of fear into the intruder. However, there's plenty of Arlington cops nearby who'd hear the bolt being cycled and come to help out. But if a spectacularly stupid intruder were to try to attack the tomb, perhaps with spray paint or a can of soup, they'd probably receive a good beating before they ever closed the distance. And then they'd have a whole host of federal charges to deal with since the cemetary is federal land.

We saw George Washingtons house in Virginia and Arlington cemetery pentagon every memorial you can think of

I feel like that’s kinda wack, I would definitely give the guards of the tomb live ammo! But it’s not up to me….

They carry a loaded handgun though, don’t they?

And he patrolled through the rest of that 1/2 hour block, didn't he?

@@ssilent8202 That would be the Sergeant of the Guard. Not sure if they're loaded, it would surprise me if they were. At higher alert levels I'm sure the gear becomes "useful" though.

True enough , what should be pointed out that beyond the tomb Guards dressed in ceremonial uniforms, there are many more tomb guards out of view but watching closely, dressed in tactical uniforms and carrying loaded modern firearms

Just Another Michigander 3 days ago "When I was in 7th grade, my Michigan middle school took a field trip to Washington, D.C., where me and three of my classmates were selected to participate in a ceremony laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier. It’s something I’ll never forget" Is this your son? lol

@@curlywhites So cool.

Everyone watching has to “ remain silent and standing” during the ceremony- if you sit, the guard will order you to stand! As a D.C. Tour Director, I have seen the ceremony hundreds of times and always demand respectful behavior of my groups.