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What an interesting read...........
On Jeopardy the other night, the final question asked: “How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the Tomb of the Unknown?”
All three contestants missed it.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the Tomb and why?
He takes 21 steps — symbolizing the 21-gun salute, the highest military and foreign tribute.
2. How long does he pause before turning to walk back and why?
He waits 21 seconds, again in honor of the same tradition.
3. Why are his gloves damp?
They are lightly moistened to ensure he never loses his grip on his rifle.
4. Does he keep his rifle on the same shoulder, and if not, why?
He always carries it on the shoulder farthest from the Tomb. After each crossing, he performs an about-face and moves it to the outside shoulder.
5. How often are the guards changed?
Every 30 minutes, 24/7, 365 days a year.
6. What are the physical requirements for a Tomb Guard?
Applicants must be between 5'10" and 6'2" and have a waist no larger than 30".
Other expectations of the Guard:
They devote two years to the Tomb, live in the barracks beneath it, and must refrain from drinking alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives.
They can never swear in public or dishonor the uniform or the Tomb.
After two years, they earn a wreath pin signifying their service — fewer than 400 are currently worn.
If they violate the code, they must relinquish the pin.
Their shoes have thick soles to protect against extreme temperatures and metal heel plates that create the crisp click when they halt.
Uniforms must have zero wrinkles or lint and are inspected in a full-length mirror.
For the first six months, guards do not speak to anyone and do not watch television.
Their off-duty time is spent studying the 175 notable individuals buried at Arlington National Cemetery, memorizing who they are and where they rest.
Among them: President Taft, Joe E. Lewis, and Audie Murphy, the most decorated WWII soldier.
Every guard spends five hours daily preparing their uniform.
ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM, O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.
When Hurricane Isabel approached Washington, D.C. in 2003, Congress shut down for two days. The guards were offered permission to suspend duty due to danger.
They replied: “No way, Sir!”
Drenched and marching through the storm, they insisted that guarding the Tomb is the highest honor, not just a task.
The Tomb has been continuously guarded — day and night — since 1930.
God Bless and Keep Them
I don’t often encourage sharing posts, but I would be honored if this one reached as many people as possible. We should always feel proud of the men and women who serve, wherever they are stationed.
Duty – Honor – Country
IN GOD WE TRUST — with Herbert F Wieland.
Readers added context they thought people might want to know
Some claims in this post are inaccurate. The Society of the Honor Guard says the Tomb has been guarded since 1937, the guard changes hourly in winter, sentinels can drink off duty, and there is no lifetime ban on alcohol or swearing.
tombguard.org/society/faq leadstories.com/hoax-alert/202…
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"I wasn't particular involved in the tush push..
Bill Snyder is the first guy I saw do it back in 2015 at Kansas State..
They called it the clown car" ~ @RyanPaganetti
#PMSLive
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Today, officers from our C.O.R.E. (Community Outreach, Relations, and Engagement) Unit stopped by a community event at Andy’s Frozen Custard.
Last year, officers with our C.O.R.E. Unit attended 123 community events throughout Shawnee, creating opportunities to meet residents, build relationships, and strengthen connections.
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The Flint Hills of Kansas.
12,000 acres of native prairie that has never been plowed.
Topsoil is maybe 2 inches deep. Limestone right below the surface. You can't stick a plow in it.
So for over 100 years, ranchers have worked WITH this land instead of against it.
Every spring, they burn 70-80% of this country on purpose.
Prescribed fire clears old growth, forces fresh native grass, and cattle gain an extra 0.2 to 0.4 pounds per day on burned ground.
At $3-4/lb, that's real money per head.
Ferguson Ranch has been running cattle here since 1919.
300 fall-calving cows. 300-350 spring-calving cows. Mostly black Angus.
About 30 days a year, 80% of all the cattle in the Flint Hills get shipped out.
Then there's not a hoof on this country until next May.
The last unplowed native tallgrass prairie in North America stays that way because ranchers burn it and graze it on a cycle that's been proven for over a century.
@SuperiorAuction
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WATCH: Three humpback whales put on an incredible display off the coast of Montauk, working together in a perfectly synchronized bubble-net feeding attack.
Drone footage captures the whales creating a circular curtain of bubbles that traps a school of fish before they surge upward through the center to feed.
According to NOAA Fisheries, bubble-net feeding is one of the most complex and coordinated hunting behaviors in the animal kingdom, requiring precise timing and teamwork.
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Master Police Officer Madrigal and Sergeant Phillips from our Community Outreach, Relations & Engagement (C.O.R.E.) Unit recently stopped by On Track ABA Therapy for a police cruiser tour. Thanks for having us!
🤖 Made with AI
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My greatest fear in hosting the World Cup and 4 base camps was that there’d be a major security event that impacted people’s lives and forever changed our reputation as a region.
The games are over and I want to acknowledge the tremendous effort that has gone into protecting our community from potential threats and preparing for all scenarios. Much of this work happened at the Mid-America Regional Council (@MARCKCMetro), where Overland Park Assistant City Manager Bryan Dehner co-chairs the Regional Homeland Security Coordinating Committee. This work includes hospital readiness, law enforcement interoperability and coordination, cybersecurity and other public health and safety tasks. There are so many people who deserve credit for pulling off this major event, many of whom fly under the radar. To the brave first responders, law enforcement officers, firefighters, planners, nurses, cyber experts and others who’ve put in extra time over the past year+ and especially the last 2 months, thank you. You showcased the best of our region and helped our residents and visitors stay safe.
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World Cup massive success. Downtown ball park and another entertainment district. State of the art covered dome and practice facility ready to host year around events. Rugby World Cup coming soon…
Kansas City 🔥🔥
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An eight-aircraft formation led by the mighty B-52 Stratofortress just flew over Washington D.C. and the Great American State Fair. The B-52 was flanked by two F-15 Eagles, two F-35 C Lightning II’s, and two F/A-18 Super Hornets with a second B-52 tailing the formation.
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Some SEC school is going to play this song this Fall at a football game and it’s going to be insanely epic.
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Foreign visitors are gobsmacked with our school buses. Pretty sweet! 🤣❤️🇺🇸 #WorldCup26
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Our Shawnee Police Department Honor Guard had the honor of presenting the colors at a recent Royals game.
📷 Photos courtesy of the Kansas City Royals.
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Talk about BELIEVE…I want to believe like this!
June 6, 1944 D-DAY
Photo called "Into the Jaws of Death" taken on this day in 1944.
36 men, on the initial storming into the water at Omaha Beach in Normandy.
100 pound backpacks.
Rough seas.
Shores were mined…barbed wire hidden.
Germans shooting from bluffs on high.
Began planning for attack one year earlier in 1943.
The weather on the day selected for D-Day was not ideal, and the operation had to be delayed 24 hours; a further postponement would have meant a delay of at least two weeks, as the planners had requirements for the phase of the moon, the tides, and time of day, that meant only a few days each month were deemed suitable.
Allied casualties were at least 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead.
How do you believe at that level? To stare death in the face and still believe.
To BELIEVE like this, it has to become personal! And this mission was personally anchored deep within these soldier’s hearts and souls.
The sacrifice is hard to fathom…the appreciation for them must be amplified!
For those that battled, served, and believed the best was yet to come, even if they knew they would never see it…THANK YOU!
