[Peace-discuss] idiots

[Dlind49 at aol.com]

and with all of the so -called friendly fire incidents committed by military 
personnel all over the world this is just one more instance that verifies 
these clowns are so Rambo-ed up that hey are idiots.  Any real unit commander 
would not permit this to occur and frindly fire incidents would not be so 
prevalent. 


**

Guards at Tomb of the Unknowns Stand Tall
Soldiers Decline Option to Abandon Posts in Wake of Hurricane
By SHARON THEIMER, AP

   
 
AP file
An Honor Guard detail watches over the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington 
National Cemetery  
   
ARLINGTON, Va. (Sept. 19) - As the winds from Hurricane Isabel swept over 
Arlington National Cemetery, the soldiers who guard the Tomb of the Unknowns were 
given - for the first time in history - permission to abandon their posts and 
seek shelter.


Special: Hurricane Isabel

"They told us that. But that's not what's going to happen," said Sgt. 
Christopher Holmes, standing vigil on overnight duty. "That's never an option for us. 
It went in one ear and right out the other."

The monument was established in 1921 with the interment of an unknown World 
War I soldier. A sentry has been posted there continuously since 1930.

   
 "Once you become a badgeholder, it's like you'll do whatever you have to do 
to guard the unknowns."
-Staff Sgt. Alfred Lanier   
   
With the fierce storm bearing down Thursday night, cemetery officials decided 
to let the guards move indoors if they felt they were in danger. Cemetery 
Superintendent John Metzler said he believed it was the first time they have been 
allowed to do so.

"We certainly didn't want to put these guards in jeopardy unnecessarily," 
Metzler said.

The tomb is protected by soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment. 
Usually about a half-dozen are there, taking turns standing guard, and security 
cameras also are used.

Holmes' group was on duty for 24 hours, from 6 a.m. Thursday until 6 a.m. 
Friday. They took turns patrolling the tomb in hourly shifts.

The tomb consists of four graves. Three contain remains of soldiers who died 
in World War I, World War II and Korea. The fourth, representing unknown 
soldiers who died in Vietnam, now stands empty; the remains it used to hold were 
identified about five years ago using DNA technology.

Staff Sgt. Alfred Lanier, also on duty Thursday night, said guards might move 
inside if the storm became truly life-threatening. But he didn't think it was 
likely.

"Once you become a badgeholder, it's like you'll do whatever you have to do 
to guard the unknowns," Lanier said. "For one, it's my job. And for two, that's 
just how much respect I myself have for the unknowns. That's just something 
we cherish."

The sentries were not entirely unprotected in the storm; they wore rain gear 
and could warm up with coffee or hot chocolate when not standing guard.

Holmes said he was willing to risk his life keeping watch over the tomb.

"It's just considered to be the greatest honor to go out there and guard," 
Holmes said. "It's not only the unknowns. It's a symbol that represents everyone 
who's fought and died for our country."

The cemetery is the resting place of more than 260,000 people. Twenty-one 
funerals were held there Thursday, and 16 were scheduled Friday.

Another famous symbol at the cemetery, the eternal flame over President John 
F. Kennedy's grave, was left on its own through the storm. The natural 
gas-powered flame can sputter out in heavy wind or rain, but is designed to 
immediately reignite itself.

On the Net:

Arlington National Cemetery: http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/