Picking My Brain

I’m returning to you to today live from the Ocean County Mall Summer Festival in NJ.  I wish that was half as much fun as it sounded.

My Mother-In-Law Sue has started her own importing and retail website.  To test the market and create interest in the site, we’ve signed up for a few “festivals” and “street fairs.”  I say we, because I have been helping her with the business since I’m not doing much else with myself.

We’ve imported some pretty pottery from Mexico, some cute pig bake wear from Chile, jewelry from Peru and a bunch of different handicrafts from Africa.

So I’ve been sitting in the Ocean County Mall for 12 hours a day waiting for people to be interested in our products and buy some.  Yeah, that hasn’t gone so well.  I think we are very out of our demographic here, but it is serving as a learning experience.  Our other shows aren’t until October, so we’ll have more products in by then and we’ll be in a bunch of different areas, so hopefully we’ll fare better there.  We’ve been here since Wednesday, and have only made four sales.  We still have today (Saturday) and tomorrow, but the weather is gorgeous ourside, so I’m afraid most people have gone to the beach.

But we are getting some interest, we have people taking our business cards, and we’re hoping that things will go better on the website.  (Shameless plug alert: Aslan’s Pride)

In the meantime, I’ve been pretty busy.  I started those volunteer opportunities I talked about in my last post.  I’ve been working at the Pet Adoption Center at PetSmart for the past three weeks.  I go in on Monday mornings and do the morning cleaning, feeding and playing.  The cats are all so friendly, and there’s one who seems to really have taken to me.  Unfortunatley he can’t come home with me, but I’m sure he’ll find a good home.  I’ve really enjoyed playing with the different litters of kittens that have come through.  I haven’t had a kitten in years, so it’s been fun playing with them and watching them grow up.

I’ve also been very busy at Ten Thousand Villages.  Despite my reluctance at going into retail again, this is different and I’ve found that I’m actually enjoying myself.  First of all, it’s a non-profit.  All of the proceeds goes back to the countries we imported from.  It’s nice to know that buy selling their products, I’m helping to feed families and send children to school.  Everything in the store is fair trade, so the artisans all over the world are making fair-market value on their products instead of being taken advantage of by “middle men.”  They have a new store opening in Greenville, DE.  It’s only about 20 mins away from me, and the manager I’m working with now it really pushing for me to apply for a paying position there.  At first I really was hesitant, the pay is hardly above minimum wage and would not be enough to help Ben and I reach our goals of buying a house.

So I have formulated a plan.  I have finally found a website who is interested in my writing skills.  They have sent me a project to do as a sort of “audition.”  I’m hoping that they like it and want to hire me.  Again, I think it’s not going to be a high paying job, but if I combine that with the Villages position, plus my percentage of profits from Aslan’s Pride, I might do okay.

If I can’t find anything before my unemployemnt runs out, I have two plans.  Since the government has just extended unemployement benefits, I will hopefully be elligible for that and can keep looking.  If not, then I’m probably going to head over to Commerce Bank and see what kind of a position I can get there.  It won’t be much, but at least it will be something until I can find a good career.

So that’s my life right now.  While I’m sitting here watching people go by, I’m going to finish up that project and get that sent off, plus I’m hoping to make a post over at Enlitened Life, and do some more updating to Aslan’s Pride.

Life has been pretty boring lately.   I’m still hunting down jobs with no luck.  I’m beginning to wonder if it’s something about me that employers don’t like.  I know the economy is bad, but there are jobs being posted online.  It’s so frustrating to not even get called in for any interviews.  I’m starting to get panicky.  My unemployment is going to run out, and then what?  I’m deathly afraid that I’m going to be stuck getting some retail job making nothing again.  I know how well that worked out with the Wawa store - it didn’t!  Things are not looking good.

I have decided however, to be of some use to society again.  I’ve decided to do some volunteer work.  The first gig that I’ve been accepted to is the Animal Coalition of Delaware County.  They do rescue and adoption work for every kind of animal you can think of.  I’ve been asked to help out with a special event this Saturday, though I might be going to Sue’s on Saturday so I might not make it.  During the week I hope to get on the schedule to work at the Pet Adoption Center at the PetSmart close to me. I’ll get to take care of the kitties while they wait for new homes.

The other gig I’m waiting to hear from is with a cool store in Media called Ten Thousand Villages. I’m not exactly sure what I’ll be doing there, but the store sells all sorts of imported items from around the world. Everything they sell is bought “Fair Trade,” meaning that the artisans are paid fair market price for their products instead of being taken advantage of by the big corporations.

So I figure rather than sitting home and worrying myself about being unemployed, I’ll go out and be useful.  Hopefully I’ll gain some contacts or something to be able to find myself a decent job!

Last Sunday night I had to make my first visit to the emergency room for myself in at least 10 years. It was nothing too major, I was washing dishes and managed to knock my super-sharp kitchen knife off the counter. Of course when it fell, it landed right on my foot and I ended up with a nice big gash on my right foot at the joint where my big toe and foot meet. It was bleeding profusely and we couldn’t get it to stop, so we hopped in the car and went down to the emergency room.

Five stitches and a tetanus shot later, I was hobbling home.  Things have been up and down since.  The first two days my foot ached a little and if I walked too much at one time, I would start bleeding a little.  The worst was Tuesday morning when I reacted to the tetanus shot.  I got light-headed and nauseous twice, and ended up in bed for a good part of the afternoon.

Things are better now, it’s just getting pretty annoying that this one little cut on my foot is keeping me from doing things as usual.  Walking still involves a little hobbling because my toe doesn’t bend very well.  Shoes put pressure right on the cut, so I’m stuck wearing flip-flops.  I normally wouldn’t complain, but you can’t go to the gym in flip-flops!  I’m supposed to get the stitches removed on June 4, I just have to make an appointment with the doctor.  So hopefully I’ll be more mobile then.  Until then, I’m even more bored than usual!

Ben loves to quote the line from that Baz Luhrmann song “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)”:

“Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.”

I never quite subscribed to this philosophy.  I realize that not only are the models wearing gobs of makeup, their pictures are then edited by photo-editing software.  I think I’m grounded enough in the real world that all the propaganda they spew falls on deaf ears.  I know there are those who aren’t as grounded and and who strive to look like the models, and for them that line may hold some truth.

I was pretty flabbergasted a few weekends ago though when I went to a bridal show with my friend Jenn.  As we walked around, some of the vendors there horrified me.  I’ve been to a few shows, so I know to expect the usual hair and makeup salons hoping you’ll book them for your day.  At first a I was a little surprised to see a both advertising tooth-whitening service, but wasn’t really bothered by it - especially since I’ve considered talking to my dentist about seeing how much it would cost to have my teeth whitened before my wedding.  But as we walked around further, I realized that there were actually plastic surgeons there!

I was absolutely horrified that women’s self-esteems are so low, they would resort to plastic surgery specifically for their wedding day!  I think plastic surgery for non-medical conditions is vain as it is, and I know the wedding industry has gone completely insane over the past few years.  But this just blew me out of the water!

After I got home, I went through the goody bag that most venues give you to collect brochures and such.  I found this huge magazine in there, “New Beauty.”  This monstrosity is 192 pages of full page glossy ads for ridiculously  expensive beauty products, and cosmetic surgeons.  There are a few “articles” thrown in, but mostly they’re touting specific brands of products for every imaginary flaw you could possibly dream up.

Page 193 then begins the “beauty docs” section.  That’s 132 pages of plastic surgeon ads, most are huge two-full pages!

Then there’s the “glossary, ” 11 pages where you can look up a specific type of surgery and find out what it is, what it does, the average cost, the length of the procedure, whether anesthesia is needed or not, recovery time, number of visits required, the risks and how long the results last.

And last but not least, you come across the index.  There you can look up any type of beauty condition or procedure and see what pages you can find “information” on it.

Thank God I got this crap for free!  It was filled with those stupid postcards with “Subscribe Now!” emblazoned across them.  And I did happen to see this same magazine on the magazine shelf of some store, so that means people somewhere actually pay for this.

Women always complain that we’ve been objectified and that we need “real” women in these magazines.  But after seeing this drivel, I can’t help but think that we’ve partly brought it on ourselves.  If people didn’t buy this stuff, people wouldn’t make it.  I’m still stunned, and I can’t wait to throw this waste of paper away!  This is definately one beauty magazine that will make you feel ugly!

I thought I would post some fun pictures from our jaunt into Philly this past weekend.  Sunday was Ben’s birthday, and since he’s such a scifi nut, we celebrated on Saturday by going to the Star Wars exhibit the Franklin Institute was hosting.

It was a lot of fun, there were some really great props and costumes there.  Hover over the pictures to see captions, click on the pictures to see them full-size.

Our last big stop was the the Roosevelt Memorial. Located about opposite the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin, it’s a massive, open-air memorial that is comprised of four outdoor “rooms.” It is dedicated to the memory of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and to the era he represents. Unfortunately, my camera battery was dead by the time we made it here, so I couldn’t get nearly as many pictures as I was hoping to.  This can only mean one thing, a reason for a trip back!

Dedicated in 1997, the monument traces the 12 years of Roosevelt’s Presidency. The outdoor rooms each represent one of his terms of office. Sculptures inspired by photographs depict the 32nd president alongside his dog Fala. Other sculptures depict scenes from the Great Depression, such as listening to a fireside chat on the radio and waiting in a bread line. A bronze statue of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt standing before the United Nations emblem honors her dedication to the UN.

Considering Roosevelt’s disability, the memorial’s designers intended to create a memorial that would be accessible to those with various physical impairments. Among other features, the memorial includes an area with tactile reliefs with braille writing for people who are blind. However, the memorial faced serious criticism from disabled activists. Some of the braille and reliefs were placed well above the reach of even a very tall person, rendering the braille pointless because no blind person could reach high enough to read it. The statue of FDR also stirred controversy over the issue of his disability. Designers decided against plans to have FDR shown in a wheelchair. Instead, the statue depicts the president in a chair with a cloak obscuring the chair. In deference to the disability advocates, the sculptor added casters to the back of the chair, making it a symbolic “wheelchair.” These casters can only be seen if one looks behind the statue.

Many disability advocates remained upset with the FDR statue. A group spearheaded by the National Organization on Disability raised $1.65 million over two years to fund the addition of another statue that clearly showed the president in a wheelchair. In January 2001, the additional statue was placed near the memorial entrance showing FDR seated in a wheelchair much like the one he actually used.

Running water is an important physical and metaphoric component of the memorial. Each of the four “rooms” representing Roosevelt’s respective terms in office contains a waterfall. As one moves from room to room, the waterfalls become larger and more complex, reflecting the increasing complexity of a presidency marked by the vast upheavals of economic depression and world war. When the memorial first opened, people were encouraged to wade into the fountains and waterfalls. Within a matter of days, the National Park Service prohibited people from entering the water because they were unable to get insurance.

Tour guides describe the symbolism of the five main water areas as:

• A single large drop - The crash of the economy that led to the Great Depression
• Multiple stairstep drops - The Tennessee Valley Authority dam-building project
• Chaotic falls at varying angles - World War II
• A still pool - Roosevelt’s death
• A wide array combining the earlier waterfalls - A retrospective of Roosevelt’s presidency

Smaller waterfalls and a reflecting pool located between the “rooms” lend continuity to the water theme. (source)

Eventually, we made it down to the Tidal Basin and to the Cherry Blossoms. Last year we walked from the north side of the Basin east to the Jefferson Memorial, then back. This year we went west and walked all the way around the basin back to the north side.

Every year, DC holds the National Cherry Blossom Festival. The Festival commemorates the 1912 gift of Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington. Mayor Ozaki donated the trees in an effort to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan and also celebrate the continued close relationship between the two peoples. In a simple ceremony on March 27, First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted the first two of these trees on the north bank of the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park. By 1915 the United States government had responded with a gift of flowering dogwood trees to the people of Japan.

3,800 more trees were accepted in 1965 by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. In 1981 the cycle of giving came full circle. Japanese horticulturalists came to take cuttings from the trees in Washington, D.C. to replace Yoshino cherry trees in Japan that had been destroyed in a flood. With this return gift, the trees again fulfilled their roles as a symbol and agent of friendship. The most recent event in this cycle occurred in the fall of 1999. It involved the formal planting in the Tidal Basin of a new generation of cuttings from a famous Japanese cherry tree in Gifu Prefecture reputed to be over 1500 years old. (source)

After we were done at the Museum, we headed down toward the Tidal Basin and the Cherry Blossoms.

During our walk, we discovered The Tulip Library. The Tulip Library is near the north side of the Tidal Basin between the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial. It was established in 1969 and currently contains almost 100 varieties of tulips in individually numbered beds. (source)

Since no trip to DC is complete without at least one visit to one of the Smithsonian museums, we decided to hit the Air and Space Museum. I wanted to go to the National Museum of American History, however it’s been closed since 2006 for renovations. The Air and Space Museum was doing a small exhibit of some of the most popular items from the American History Museum, and we had heard that Stephen’s Colbert’s portrait was on display there.

After standing in line, which thankfully went pretty quickly, we got to see some neat things. First was Kermit the Frog. Kermit was one of puppeteer Jim Henson’s most famous and beloved creations, first introduced in 1955. Kermit was performed by Henson until his death in 1990. An early version of Kermit appeared in 1955, in a 5-minute puppet show for WRC-TV’s Sam and Friends. The prototype Kermit was created from a green ladies’ coat that Henson’s mother had thrown into a refuse bin, and two ping pong balls for eyes. Kermit has never been at a loss for work, appearing in many movies and guest spots in TV shows, commercials and even music videos. Some interesting facts about Kermit:

• Although it has been said and discussed many times, Kermit’s birthday was known to be May 9, but since it was Jim’s first and well-known creation, they had stated that he was born September 24, the same as Jim Henson, only 1955. (Hey Liesle, did you know you share a birthday with Kermit?!)

• Kermit the Frog is left-handed, as are most Muppets.
  
  
• It has been said by those who have worked with Kermit that he is never seen ‘unoperated’ and is brought into and out of a set under a black cloth, his operator will only talk as Kermit while performing and never use his own voice - all instructions or comments must be addressed to Kermit - and that his operator will never imitate Kermit’s voice when not operating him. (source)

Next we saw the ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland while filming “The Wizard of Oz” along with the Scarecrow costume. I had seen the ruby slippers years ago during a visit to the museum. Maybe it was because I was a lot younger then, but the slippers seems much duller to me this time.

At least seven pairs were made and five pairs have been accounted for today. This pair do not match (the right bow is lower than left, noticeable in the photo), fueling speculation that more of the slippers may exist. The others pairs are owned by private collectors.The four pairs of shoes used in the film were originally white silk pumps. At the time, many movie studios used plain white silk shoes because they were inexpensive and easily dyed.The shoes used for Dorothy’s slippers were dyed red; then burgundy sequined organza overlays were attached to each shoe’s upper and heel. The film’s early 3-strip Technicolor process required the sequins to be darker than most red sequins found today; bright red sequins would have appeared orange on screen. (source)

I had never seen the Scarecrow costume before and after listening to the curator who was on hand, this was pretty much a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see it. The costume is the property of the museum, but it is usually kept in storage. It was only on display in the temporary exhibit, which was actually closing the next week. The costume was going to be placed back in storage after the exhibit.

Also on display were the actual C-3PO and R2D2 used in filming the original Star Wars movies. For filming, C-3PO was “puppeteered” and his puppeteer was later removed digitally. C-3PO is the first character to speak in A New Hope (”Did you hear that? They’ve shut down the main reactor. We’ll be destroyed for sure!”) and the last character to speak in Revenge of the Sith (”What? Oh, no.”), giving C-3PO the honor of having the first and last words in the Star Wars movie saga (taking the films in the order they were made). (source)

There were a total of 15 R2-D2s on the set of Attack of the Clones. Eight were radio-controlled; two were worn by Baker; the remainder were stunt models that could be moved by puppet strings or towed by wires. The sound effects for R2-D2’s “voice” were created by sound designer Ben Burtt, using an ARP 2600 analog music synthesizer, as well as his own vocalizations processed through other effects. The name R2D2 originated from Walter Murch, the cutter of Lucas’ second movie American Graffiti. When cutting the movie together with Lucas, Walter Murch asked for “R2, D2″ –meaning “Reel 2, Dialog 2″. (source)

We got to see George Washington’s actual uniform. Judging by the uniform, he was a lot smaller than today’s average man. It’s amazing to think that this uniform has survived for so many years in such great condition.

One of Mr. Roger’s famous sweaters was also part of the exhibit. Mr. Rogers was created and played by Fred McFeely Rogers. Those of you who watched the show might remember the mailman, Mr. McFeely; I guessing his name came from the McFeely in Mr. Rogers’ name. Rogers was born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania and spent many years as an only child. He spent much of his free time as a child with his grandfather, Fred McFeely, and had an interest in puppetry and music. He would often sing along as his mother would play the piano. He was red-green colorblind. His parents also acted as foster parents to an African American teenager named George, whose mother had died. Rogers eventually came to consider George his older brother. George later became an instructor for the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II and also taught Rogers to fly.

Rogers first began wearing his famous sneakers when he found them to be quieter than his work shoes when he moved about behind the set. He was also the voices behind King Friday XIII and Queen Sara Saturday (named after his wife), rulers of the neighborhood, as well as X the Owl, Henrietta Pussycat, Daniel the Striped Tiger, Lady Elaine Fairchild (named for Fred’s sister, Elaine) and Donkey Hodie. The sweaters he wore on the show were hand knit by his mother.

Rogers wrote all of the music preformed on his show.  Rogers was also an ordained Presbyterian minister. (source)

The signpost from the show M*A*S*H was also on display.  If the quality is good, I’d like to enlarge this photo to poster size and hang it up.  I think it would be awesome to have a life-size photo of it on a wall somewhere.

And finally we came to the Stephen Colbert portrait.  For those of you who may not know who he is, he used to be a “reporter” on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart.  He then got his own show following the Daily Show on Comedy Central in which he plays a right-wing, conservative political pundit.  His character is incredibly full of himself and his ego is huge.   He mocks the conservative Republican right by over-mimicking real pundits such as Bill O’Reilly.  Colbert points out the absurdity of the political arena by being over-enthusiastic about the issues.

The portrait is in the exhibit due to an elaborate stunt by Colbert.  On each season of his show, he has a new portrait of himself done to hang above the fireplace on his set.  During his first season, the portrait was a picture of himself standing in front of the fireplace, with a portrait of himself hanging over it.  So he was in his own portrait twice.  Each succeeding portrait has added another Colbert standing in front of the fireplace with his old portrait still hanging there.  (Confusing, I know, but look at the photo to see what I mean.)

When he was forced by Viacom to come back on the air during the writer’s strike, he filled time by taking his portrait to DC to have it added to the National Portrait Gallery.  They refused, but due to Colbert’s insistence, they compromised by hanging his portrait for a brief time outside of the Portrait Gallery…between the men’s and women’s restrooms and above the drinking fountains.  The portrait was on display there until April 1, 2009.  I am not sure how he convinced the Smithsonian to display his portrait, or what will happen to it now that the exhibit has closed.  It is unclear if the portrait will remain a part of the Smithsonian collection.  A sign placed in the case with the portrait asked visitors if they though it should remain, but offered no way to respond.

Interesting to note, the portrait is actually an enlarged digital photograph, not an actual painting.

Behind the Arlington Memorial Ampitheatre, which I blogged about on Sunday, lies The Tomb of the Unknowns. This is not to be confused with the Tomb of the Unknown Solider. I always thought the Tomb at Arlington was known as the Tomb of the Unknown Solider, however is a name given to many memorials worldwide honoring those who died in battle and whose remains could not be identified. The Tomb of the Unknowns is an unofficial title, and the moment is commonly called The Tomb of the Unknown Solider.

The Tomb of the Unknowns honors a solider from World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The United Kingdom and France both had similar memorials before 1921, when the US Congress approved the burial of an unidentified American soldier from World War I in the plaza of the new Memorial Amphitheater. Sculpted into the east panel which faces Washington, D.C. and can only be viewed from the bottom of the hill, are three Greek figures representing Peace, Victory, and Valor. Inscribed on the western panel facing the Amphitheater is: “Here rests in honored glory, An American Soldier known but to God.” The six wreaths carved into the north and south of the tomb represent six major battles of World War I: Ardenne, Belleau Wood, Chateau-Thierry, Meuse-Argonne, Oisiu-Eiseu and Somme.

Unknown of World War I
On Memorial Day, 1921, four unknowns were exhumed from four World War I American cemeteries in France. U.S. Army Sgt. Edward F. Younger, selected the Unknown Soldier of World War I from four identical caskets at the city hall in Châlons-en-Champagne, France, on October 24, 1921. He selected the unknown by placing a spray of white roses on one of the caskets. He chose the third casket from the left. The chosen unknown soldier was transported to the United States aboard USS Olympia. The Unknown Soldier lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda from his arrival in the United States until Armistice Day, 1921. On November 11, 1921, President Warren G. Harding officiated at the interment ceremonies at the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery.

Unknowns of World War II and Korea
In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill to select and pay tribute to the unknowns of World War II and the Korean War. The selection ceremonies and the interment of these unknowns took place in 1958. The World War II Unknown was selected from remains exhumed from cemeteries in Europe, Africa, Hawaii, and the Philippines. Four unknown Americans who died in the Korean War were disinterred from the National Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii. Both caskets arrived in Washington on May 28, 1958, where they lay in the Capitol Rotunda until May 30. That morning, they were carried on caissons to Arlington National Cemetery. President Eisenhower awarded each the Medal of Honor, and the Unknowns were interred in the plaza. Their crypts are below the plaza, their headstones flush with the plaza.

Unknown of Vietnam

The Unknown service member from the Vietnam War was designated by Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Allan Jay Kellogg, Jr., during a ceremony at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, May 17, 1984. Many Vietnam veterans and President and Mrs. Reagan visited the Vietnam Unknown in the Capitol. President Reagan presided over the funeral, and presented the Medal of Honor to the Vietnam Unknown. The President also acted as next of kin by accepting the interment flag at the end of the ceremony. The remains of the Vietnam Unknown were exhumed May 14, 1998. Based on mitochondrial DNA testing, Department of Defense scientists identified the remains as those of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, who was shot down near An Loc, Vietnam, in 1972. The identification was announced on June 30, 1998 and on July 10 Blassie’s remains arrived home to his family in St. Louis, Missouri where he was reinterred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. After Lt. Blassie’s remains were reinterred, the crypt was replaced. The original inscription of “Vietnam” and the dates of the conflict has been changed to “Honoring and Keeping Faith with America’s Missing Servicemen” as a reminder of the commitment of the Armed Forces to fullest possible accounting of missing service members. The crypt has also been left empty in honor of all unknown soldiers who gave their lives for their country.The interment flags of all Unknowns at the Tomb of the Unknowns are on view in the Memorial Display Room as well as all kinds of medals, plaques, and photos.

Guarding the Tomb
Perhaps the most impressive display at the Tomb is the guard. It is considered one of the highest honors to serve as a sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Sentinels volunteer for the position, and less than 20% of those volunteers are accepted for training, and only a fraction of those pass to become a Tomb Guard. Physical conditions a Guard candidate must meet are said to be a height between 5′ 10″ and 6′ 2″ tall and a waist size not exceeding 30″.

Once a solider becomes a Guard, he or she is considered one until they decide to retire from the position. To be considered, Guards must have a perfect military record. Once they have served as a Tomb Guard, their names are inscribed on a plaque. They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform or the tomb in any way. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin and have their name will be removed from the plaque.

The sentinels do not wear rank insignia on their uniforms so that they do not outrank the Unknowns, whatever their rank may have been. Soldiers serving in other roles, like Relief Commander and Assistant Relief Commander, do wear insignia of their rank when changing the guard although they are only allowed to “walk the mat”, or post as a guard, with a uniform that has no rank. There is a meticulous ritual the guard follows when watching over the graves:

1. The soldier walks twenty one steps across the Tomb. This alludes to the 21-gun salute, which is the highest honor given to any military or foreign dignitary. His weapon is always on the shoulder opposite the Tomb .
2. On the 21st step, the soldier turns and faces the Tomb for 21 seconds.
3. The soldier then turns to face the other way across the Tomb and changes his weapon to the outside shoulder.
4. After 21 seconds, the first step is repeated.

This is repeated until the soldier is relieved of duty at the Changing of the Guard. Guards’ gloves are moistened to prevent them from losing their grip on their rifle. The guards are issued sunglasses, which are formed to their faces, due to the bright reflection from the marble surrounding the Tomb and the Memorial Amphitheater.

There is a story that in 2003 when Hurricane Isabelle was approaching DC, the Senate and the House of Reps. took 2 days off in anticipation of the storm. It is said that ABC news reported that because of the dangers from the storm, the Tomb Guards were given permission to suspend their guard. Allegedly the guards declined the offer and kept guard through the storm. The Tomb of the Unknowns has been guarded continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, since July 2, 1937

Changing of the Guard
During the day from March 15 to September 30, the guard is changed every half hour. During October 1 to March 14, the guard is changed every hour. After the cemetery closes to the public for the night, the guard is changed every two hours until the cemetery reopens. The guard change is very symbolic, but also conducted in accordance with Army regulations. The relief commander or assistant relief commander, along with the oncoming guard, are both required for a guard change to take place. The guard being relieved will say to the oncoming guard, “Post and orders remain as directed.” The oncoming guard’s response is always, “Orders Acknowledged.” A guard change takes approximately 10 minutes. The ceremony can be witnessed by the public whenever Arlington National Cemetery is open.

Here is a video I took of the Guard Change.  Sorry it takes sooooo incredibly long to load.  I’m working on finding a way to make it easier to see, but my blog publishing programs seems to not like videos.  So bear with it for the meantime.

Download