The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was guarded by an all-woman team for the first time ever

[LetMyPeopleVote]

Link to tweet

[MLAA]

1. Wonderful!

[James48]

2. There won't be any more unknowns added.

Since the military began collecting DNA samples of every enlistee in the 1990’s, if there is now a remain, it will be able to be identified. That’s why there isn’t an unknown from Iraq or Afghanistan, or any other battle since Vietnam.

[Angleae]

7. There isn't even one from Vietnam. He was identified in 1998.

[TFRD]

3. That's awesome!

[Demovictory9]

4. Cool

[Rhiannon12866]

5. K&R!

I've witnessed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown and it's very solemn and moving. And it's long past time that our female service members were allowed to participate.

[brer cat]

14. I agree.

I have witnessed it also, and it always brought tears. The gender of the guards should not be an issue.

[3catwoman3]

6. I hope there will be a picture...

…of the all female retinue.

[James48]

8. There is.

That is them.

[3catwoman3]

9. They are very androgynous...

…in appearance, IMO.

(No tomatoes or rocks, please)

[WhiskeyGrinder]

10. Wtaf

[Withywindle]

11. I'm sure they appreciate your critique of their appearance

Seriously, what was the point of this?

[obamanut2012]

12. Good lord

[Rhiannon12866]

15. I have to admit that I didn't know, either

And I've actually seen the guards at the tomb in person.

[3catwoman3]

16. I'm relieved to know I am not alone in this and...

…appreciate you being willing to say so here. I truly thought it was an old picture from the all male days.

My observation was not intended critically, and I attempted to word it as neutrally as possible, but, of course, some did not see it that way.

[Rhiannon12866]

17. I thought it was an old photo, too

And like I said, I've been there and seen them. But I have to say it's long past time that female service members got the honor of participating. It's been far too long.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

18. .

My observation was not intended critically, and I attempted to word it as neutrally as possible, but, of course, some did not see it that way.

It feels a little weird to say "it doesn't matter" about a photo with a news article touting the first all-female team, but whatever you think about how they look truly does not matter and is something better kept to yourself.

[melm00se]

21. The guards are

meant to look like, well, guards.

IIRC, there are very specific physical requirements (height, weight, inseam length and the like) so of course they are going to look like every other 3rd US Infantry Regiment guard.

[druidity33]

13. The officer on the left...

really has a shitload of medals. Nonee of which i can identify, but it looks like a lot.

[Aristus]

19. The service member on the left in an NCO, not an officer.

She's a Sergeant First Class.

Her top row of medals include, from left to right, the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Meritorious Service Medal.

[druidity33]

23. you know...

when i looked up NCO it says it stands for Non Commissioned Officer. So i'm not sure i understand you... unless you mean she's a "Numerically Controlled Oscillator" or a "National Cyber Olympiad".

[Aristus]

24. Generally speaking (excuse the expression), 'officer" means the holder of a commission

in a country's armed forces, and is empowered with command, and the issuing of direct orders.

A Non-Commissioned Officer, especially in the United States Armed Forces, is a lower-level leader, squad, platoon, and company, in charge of training, day-to-day discipline and morale. An NCO will tell you emphatically that he or she is not an 'officer', meaning a commissioned officer, and will often follow that by saying "I work for a living!", implying, somewhat unjustly, that an officer's commission is a prestige position and carries with it very little responsibility. The U.S. Army NCO Corps proudly boasts its non-commissioned status, and thinks of themselves as the backbone of the professional armed forces.

I earned the (admittedly low-level) rank of Sergeant when I was in the Army. Nowhere near being a commissioned officer.

The Guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington are all entirely non-commissioned officers. Only the Sergeant of the Guard wears rank insignia, however. The actual Guards walking the post at the Tomb never wear rank insignia, so as not to outrank the honored dead.

[druidity33]

25. These distinctions mean nothing...

to non-military people. If you were wanting to distinguish between the two, maybe you should have said she's a non-commissioned officer and told me the difference? Because to be honest, to me, if it's in your title, that's what you are. And NCO clearly has officer in the acronym. I work in a grocery store. The Maintenance Manager is a manager as much as the Store Manager is. It's just that one reports to the other.

[Aristus]

26. To people in the military, there is a distinction.

And that distinction is what I was referring to from the beginning...

[druidity33]

29. Is this an example of

Military Intelligence? Because Calling someone an Officer and then saying "But they're not an officer!" is just plain stupid if you ask me. How many people in this country have served or would know the distinction you refer to? My guess is less than 10%. Why did you choose to correct me when, like i said, it is a meaningless distinction unless you're in the military? I guess it's nice to learn something new though, so thanks for that...

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

27. Maybe my eyes are going, but I only see two medals in the top row: ...

... they look like a Bronze Star and a Meritorious Service Medal. And they're sitting under what looks like a Combat Infantryman Badge.

I'm guessing she has earned the honor of guarding the Tomb of the Unknowns, and recognizes what an honor and solemn duty it is. I'm also guessing she is counting the days until she can get back into a unit that's more mud and dust and less spit-shine and creases. I don't think I met anyone who truly enjoys guard duty.

[Aristus]

28. On the contrary, the Guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns

take immense pride in their duty, and do not consider it a distraction from combat training. In fact, all Guards must maintain full combat duty qualification while serving their tours as Guards.

In fact, a soldier’s status as a Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns can be rescinded, not only after their tours at the Tomb, but also after they have returned to civilian life, if their personal conduct in any way brings dishonor to the Guard Corps.

[TomSlick]

31. I think the badge above her medal rack is the combat service badge and not the CIB.

The SFC is a combat veteran and has earned the honor of being a tomb guard.

[Kid Berwyn]

20. She is a Sergeant First Class.

One medal looks like a Bronze Star, awarded for gallantry in combat.

[TomSlick]

32. The Bronze Star can be awarded for either valor or meritorious service in a combat zone.

If the award is for valor, it has a "V" device on the ribbon. I can't tell if the SFC's Bronze Star has a "V" device. Either way, she also has the Combat Action Badge, so she's seen combat.

[melm00se]

22. SFCs

have been in for a minimum of 15 years (a friend of mine just retired as one after 26 years) so many of them have been there and done that.

[MustLoveBeagles]

30. It's about time