Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who served as a platoon leader for the Army's Third Infantry, also known as the Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery, told Newsmax TV in a Memorial Day interview, the duties involved are a reminder of the sacrifices that some Americans have continued to make for the nation.
"Everything that the Old Guard does, whether it's welcoming back the remains of fallen heroes at Dover Air Force Base during the dignified transfer of remains, or laying to rest our fallen heroes inside of Arlington National Cemetery, and , of course, guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier every minute of every day, is a reminder of the sacrifices that some Americans have made and continue to make to this day for our freedoms," Cotton told Monday's "Spicer and Co."
"It's a sacred bond that we have with those who continue to serve that should they fall in the line of duty . . . they will be honored, and they will receive the nation's gratitude on our sacred ground," he added.
Cotton, who wrote the book "Sacred Duty: A Soldier's Tour at Arlington National Cemetery" called the lifestyle of the officers involved in the Old Guard "very somber."
"Every day, you're reminded of death and what people are going through," Cotton said. "Every soldier at the Third Infantry Regiment, the Old Guard, may not come there with the mindset but that pretty quickly is taught.
"Everything has to be done to a standard of perfection, because it is the last moment that the Army will have with that fallen comrade and with their family as well. Very quickly the most seasoned soldiers to the newest privates recognized just how solemn that responsibility as and the standard really can be nothing less than perfection."
When Cotton served in Afghanistan and Iraq, he was the recipient of the Bronze Star, and he said serving at Arlington was a "very similar" kind of service.
"The Old Guard's mission is performed every single day in Arlington National Cemetery, so every single day you're performing your mission essential tasks as a unit and that means that you always have to train and be prepared to that standard of perfection," he said. "That's one reason why so many of the leaders in the Old Guard have come there after having demonstrated their mettle in battle. That was the case when I served there 14 years ago and it remains the case to this day."
Cotton also said he is not worried about the younger generation of the military serving in the Old Guard.
"I've got tremendous faith in the youth of today," he said. "I know there's always intergenerational tensions. But from what I see in our military, I've got tremendous faith in all of them."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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