Tomb of the Unknown Soldier-- Part 7: Everything Must be Perfect

Uniform prep takes several hours.  Everything must be perfect.  The all-wool uniforms are not about comfort, but about looks.  Brass buttons must be polished and shoes must be hand-shined.  The guards' M-14 rifle stocks are customized but the guns are not loaded.

The white gloves are wet to enable better control of the weapon during "the walk."  If a weapon is dropped on the plaza, you are subject to dismissal.

During his time as a Sentinel, Bill Hanna had to call out more than a few onlookers for not respecting the dignity of the Tomb of the Unknowns.