A little snow isn’t going to stop them! The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment’s Old Guard will continue guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier despite historic blizzard conditions on the East Coast.
The Old Guard has watched over the tomb at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., 24 hours a day, 365 days a year since 1948, according to The New York Times. The cemetery will be closed to visitors as Winter Storm Jonas pummels the area.
“These guys will be out in the snow, no matter what,” Major Russell Fox, a spokesperson for the Old Guard, told ABC News. “They love what they’re doing and they’re dedicated.”
Our first shot from the Tomb during Jonas! #thestormawakens #stormjonas #blizzard2016 #snowday pic.twitter.com/TuGsS0QJLi
— The Old Guard (@USArmyOldGuard) January 22, 2016
During historic storms like Winter Storm Jonas and Hurricane Sandy, the guards can stand inside a nearby “box” made of green cloth for 2-hour intervals with their rifles by their side.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a monument dedicated to an unidentified service member who died in World War I. Congress approved the burial of the American soldier on March 4, 1921.
"I will guard everything within the limits of my post and quit my post only when properly relieved." #Blizzard2016 pic.twitter.com/A3aWiF6wmp
— The Old Guard (@USArmyOldGuard) January 22, 2016