"The Sentinels Creed"

"My dedication to this sacred duty is total and wholehearted.
In the responsibility bestowed on me never will I falter.
And with dignity and perseverance my standard will remain perfection.

Through the years of diligence and praise and the discomfort of the elements,
I will walk my tour in humble reverence to the best of my ability.
It is he who commands the respect I protect.

His bravery that made us so proud.
Surrounded by well meaning crowds by day alone in the thoughtful peace of night,
this soldier will in honored glory rest under my eternal vigilance."

The 3d U.S Infantry, traditionally known as The Old Guard, is the oldest continuously serving active-duty
infantry unit in the Army, serving our nation since 1784.



I rememeber walking around the lake by our house in Ledyard, Ct and stumbling across an old, overgrown, family cemetery. It was an education in the brevity of not only our lives but the memories of them. The family plot, long abandoned , always received certain specific attention around this time of year. Someone would always make it a point to traipse through the woods and place a flag on the grave of a Revolutionary War veteran buried there. From the names on most of the stones that we were still able to decipher, this once hallowed land was formerly the Stanton family's. I wish had done some more research of who they were, especially the soldier whose name I can no longer recall.
While Veteran's Day honors all who served, Memorial Day is reserved for those that have given the ultimate sacrifice for their comrades, family, and country. I agree with the manner of Gary Trudeau's memoriam in yesterday's Doonesbury and I was fortunate never to have suffered the loss of someone close to me while in the service. The same can not be said for all those who continue to serve today. Thank You.