3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment "The Old Guard"

[GLD1980]

Have any of you fellow soldiers ever heard of us soldiers tucked away at Arlington Cemetary @Fort Myer Virginia!
Please post your thoughts of our Regiment.
Me personally, Im a Pfc in Delta Co. 1st. Batt. 3rd U.S.Inf Regt. (TOG) just like in the movie Gardens of Stone!

[fnfalman]

Somebody has to be the pretty boy...;e

[MrMurphy]

I've known a member of the Presidential Honor Guard from the 3rd, and met some of your guys when they came to New Mexico Military Institute (once a year thing) to train the ceremonial honor guard for the eternal flame.

[CRC]

Originally posted by GLD1980
Have any of you fellow soldiers ever heard of us soldiers tucked away at Arlington Cemetary @Fort Meyer Virginia!
Please post your thoughts of our Regiment.
Me personally, Im a Pfc in Delta Co. 1st. Batt. 3rd U.S.Inf Regt. (TOG) just like in the movie Gardens of Stone!

Was with A co. TOG in 1986,87 and transferred to E co. in 1987 and stayed until discharged in 1990.

;c Craig

[SW.FLA.glocker]

I was on the funeral detail for General Ridgeway the "Father of the Paratroopers" at Arlington. He specificaly stated that he wanted a detatchment from the 82nd there when he died. I got to work along side some of the Old Guard guys. They were very sharp and professional. I can't imagine being in that unit though. I would rather be a "shooting" soldier (not ment to offend). We had guys come from there to our unit and they seemed to be squared away to me.

[CRC]

Originally posted by SW.FLA.glocker
I would rather be a "shooting" soldier (not ment to offend). We had guys come from there to our unit and they seemed to be squared away to me.

No offense taken.

I joined the Army in the 80's. Believe me, I wanted to be a shooter too. Johnny Rambo had me thinking I'd be slithering through the jungle as a sole, rogue killing machine..but, then some slick Old Guard recruiter came and showed us some film of what the unit does. He asked who was interested to stand up and then went through the sorting process, saying things like, "Anyone who is shorter than six feet, sit down." "Anyone who blah, blah, blah, sit down.." I found myself still standing with several other guys, and if I can remember correctly 3 of us ended up going.

Anyway, I did a lot of cool things, met some great guys, and believe that my time wasn't wasted. Believe me, when I was serving, I just wanted to do my time and get out. After leaving the Army in June of 1990, I received a really nice letter from the government requesting my service again, wow I must be special!;f Anyway, as luck would have it, I had a chance to be a shooter. I still had visions of me slithering in the jungle like Johnny Rambo... but I was headed to the desert, I would have to work on a new "fantasy of destruction" I guess. I ended up going to Ft. Lewis, to a motorized infantry unit. We trained for a few months, the ground war ended in 14 seconds or so, and all of us previous, inactive reservists got to go home.

When I was with TOG, of course I was proud. We thought we were the best unit in the world, just as any great military unit should think. We were the best at what we did, because that is what we always did, just as the 82nd are the best at what they do, and 10th Mountain, and so on..

I didn't realize just how much of what we did made a difference until one day we got a visit that humbled me for the rest of my time with TOG. We were out one weekend doing a "off post" funeral. We considered any burial job that wasn't at Arlington National Cemetery to be an off post job. My platoon was responsible for the Firing Party aspect of a military burial. When we were in Arlington, we would be waiting near the grave site for the procession, (marching platoon, caisson, casket team..) to arrive, fire our 3 volleys when it was time and march back to the bus when the ceremony was over. When we were off post, we acted as the casket team, as well as the firing party. Well this particular day we had finished with our duties and were waiting on the bus for our FPC to finalize things so we could go home. We obviously didn't like working on the weekends, especially in some out-of-the-way cemetery. We were all joking around.."Dude, you had the biggest snot-ball clinging to your buff-strap.." torturing each other like military guys are so great at. Then we see this frail old man being escorted towards the bus by our FPC. He was wearing a hat, like a VFW hat or some other cover signifying his Veteran status. We were now silent and watched as this old Vet. struggled up the steep few steps to stand in the isle of the bus. He sort of stared at each one of us for a few seconds, took a breath and with tears flowing, wanted to thank us for burying his friend with honor and dignity. He said some more kind words and asked if he could have some of the expended brass that was ejected during the cemetery. I think we all moved at the same time struggling to find the brass to give to this guy. He took it, thanked us again, and made his way back towards the grave.

That was a quiet ride home. It made me realize that my job wasn't just firing 3 times with my M14. I was a part of a ceremony that honored the life and sacrifices of a soldier, and gave the family and friends of the deceased reassurance that his time serving his country was appreciated and not forgotten.

Most of the people that we buried were not Old Guard soldiers, but they were fellow Servicemen, no matter if they were cooks, medics, paper pushers or shooters, they were still owed the same honor of a proper ceremony. They were people that did something for their country just by putting on the uniform and we appreciated it immensely.

;c Craig

[SW.FLA.glocker]

+1 Well stated.