Posted on 08/07/2010 12:12:44 PM PDT by shove_it
I hope that the continuing revelations from Arlington National Cemetery ["At Arlington Cemetery, years of problems," front page, July 26] do not lead people to associate the problems with soldiers of the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, popularly known as the Old Guard.
This is the unit that, day and night, provides sentry duty at the Tomb of the Unknowns and, with utmost respect, presides over the burials of all Army personnel, veterans and dependents at the cemetery.
As a former commander of the Old Guard, I am aware of the care given by Old Guard burial details to each funeral at Arlington to which it is assigned, no matter the rank or prominence of the deceased. It is likely that each person whose grave has been reported as misidentified or in some other way mishandled received respectful military honors from the Old Guard at the time of interment. It would be sad indeed if the reputation of this distinguished regiment, the Army's oldest, would be associated with the irregularities at Arlington Cemetery over which it had no control.
James F. Laufenburg,
Alexandria
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
They do a very good job from my experience.
I agree.
Every time I go there I am amazed at the level of dedication shown by the members of thee ‘third herd’.
Thank you, and an ‘OUTSTANDING’.
He was appalled when they were snubbed on Memorial Day.
He's not well and wouldn't read WaPo for sure, but I will print this and send it to him.
Thanks for finding it.
Col. Laufenburg must have felt a strong need to write this oped. This whole story of incompetent management at ANC is surely very disturbing to the families of warriors interred there, and to all who have served in the Honor Guards of the USMC, USN, USAF, USCG and The Old Guard of the Army.
Cheers,
Otter
I've developed an incredible respect for the Old Guard, the dignity an honor they show is a model of respect for the America I love.
This year I was honored to be chosen to lay the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown. That's me next to the 2 star, we had a nice chat after the ceremony 
Snide comments aside, I beat Joe by a day, and Zero .....
I wished they had both stayed away !
I salute you, Sir. PRESENT ARMS!!
Certainly is a humbling place to visit...Puts your head in the right place, the resolve it reinforces in my heart to be as committed to the cause is an incredible weight I will gladly bear for the rest of my life...
It is a place every American needs to visit at least once in their lifetime...
I remember the first time I went to Arlington. It was middle of Summer, which for DC meant mid-90s for both temp and humidity. Even for a teenager (as I was at the time) trekking up to the JFK gravesite in shorts and a tee-shirt was pretty brutal. Getting from there to the Tomb of the Unknowns wasn’t all that better (even though it is better shaded).
I’d heard of the Tomb of the Unknowns, but was completely uninformed regarding the 24/7/365 guard that the 3rd Inf Regiment maintains there. Upon seeing the immaculately attired Tomb Guard - dressed in WOOL uniforms - performing their duty and responsibility out in the direct sunlight, my own issues with the heat suddenly seemed incredibly small and petty in comparison.
Good job!
On Honor Guard’s motto: “The BEST we can do is the LEAST we can do.”
I agree!
Would have been great if the civil servants who caused those problems even had to meet half of the standards of the Old Guard just to work there.
More from a recent thread;
TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER (Interesting Facts)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-vetscor/1126293/posts
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