At exactly 10:15 a.m. on Dec. 16, 2023, four Tomb Guards from the U.S. Army’s 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), each holding a holiday wreath, marched out to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Sunlight gleaned off their visors as a hushed crowd watched. They stopped, faced the tomb and saluted.
They then split into two pairs, with two soldiers marching to the left and two to the right. Three met in front of the crypts for the Unknowns from World War II, the Korean War and the empty crypt representing missing and unidentified service members from the Vietnam War. The fourth soldier presented himself in front of the World War I Unknown crypt. In perfect unison, they all dropped to a knee and laid their wreaths at the base of each crypt. They stood, saluted the Unknowns again, and marched away.
The Guards were taking part in Wreaths Across America, when volunteers come to the cemetery to place wreaths at headstones. Since the Tomb Guards protect the Unknowns, it was their honor to do the same for them.
Each soldier volunteered to lay the wreaths, choosing which crypt they wanted to honor. Spc. Gavin Glover chose the Korean War Unknown because his great-grandfather served in that war. Staff Sgt. Justin Zimla chose the World War II Unknown due to his love of reading stories about that war. Spc. Tristan Smith chose the crypt that honors those who served in Vietnam. Spc. Randy Segura chose the World War I Unknown for the war’s importance in American history.
The ceremony is important to the Tomb Guards. “The wreath is another symbol of mourning,” explained Spc. Smith. “Laying the wreath is our way of paying tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice to the nation.”
The four soldiers had trained for days to hone their precision, and it showed. “They put in a lot of time and effort to perform that ceremony to the highest possible standard,” said Lt. Henry Newstrom, the commander of the guard. “It was inspiring to watch them go out as one unit and conduct a perfectly synchronized ceremony in front of such a large crowd.”
The ceremony marked the start of the holiday season for the soldiers. Some will be heading home to be with their families, while the others will remain at Arlington guarding the Unknowns. Staff Sgt. Justin Zimla will work with the platoon over the holidays. “I’m going to make sure the mission is accomplished,” he said. Spc. Smith, whose father came from Denver to be with his son, will join Zimla at the Tomb. “There is no higher honor than to be working at the nation’s most sacred shrine,” he explained, “especially when the Guard is involved.”
