The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a symbolic and stunning memorial to those who have served and fallen, unknown, in the process of protecting our country and the values it was founded on. The Tomb holds great significance for those who have served, are serving in the military, and civilians. It honors and represents those who have lost their lives and futures, so that we could have ours. The Tomb was built after the First World War, to honor the buried unknown soldiers; they have been represented since then. It was built so that any soldier with a known or unknown name, could be honored along side their comrades. As the inscription on the Tomb states, “Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God.” Though these soldiers may only be known by name to God, we can still give them honor for their self-sacrifice. The Tomb of the Unknowns is a memorial and a thank you to those who risked and lost everything to protect this country.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, reminds me that it’s a great honor to live in our country, where brave men and women fight for freedom. I would love to lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to show my gratitude for the men and women fighting to protect my rights and freedom, and those who died trying. I would also be honored to lay a wreath on the tomb, to thank the veterans for their dedication and courage. I would be honored to thank those who have fallen, sacrificed everything, to maintain America’s future. It is important for us to represent and honor them. The soldiers, who are serving or served in the military, give us hope for the future, and our rights.
Though each soldier joins the army for different reasons, they all have one goal---to serve their country. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier represents all men and women, no matter their race, religion, or background; they are all American soldiers. They are heroes in a time when it seems that there aren’t any. Honoring them is something I wish everyone did, and I would love to have the chance to. The military honors the soldiers through the dedication and constant protection of the tomb, preformed by the Old Guard. They guard the tomb 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Be the weather freezing cold, pouring rain, or sweltering heat, rain or shine, they are on constant guard. To be in the Old Guard is one of the highest honors in the military. The soldiers who guard the tomb are the best of the best; they have endured intense mental and physical preparation. They must exemplify the highest standards of deportment. They are precise in everything they do, from their uniforms, to the way they walk, and how they handle their clothing. They walk 21 steps across the tomb, which alludes to the twenty-one-gun salute. They hold their rifles, changing shoulders, an example of their readiness to protect the tomb. Their uniforms are reminiscent of those worn in the late 1800s by the Army Blues. Each detail of the uniform, from the badges to the medals, to the hats and knapsacks, shows the Old Guard’s colorful history. A soldier that becomes a guard of the Tomb of the Unknowns receives the prestigious Tomb of the Unknown Soldier badge, one of the rarest awards. The guards protect the tomb in reverenced silence, as an honor to the unknowns, who risked their lives, so that we could have better ones.