A US Army sentinel guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier reprimanded Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and a group of his senior advisers Wednesday after some in the group laughed and talked near the solemn memorial following a Veterans Day ceremony.

“All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times,” the sentinel called out, stopping his patrol to face the group as they departed.

Jerk didn’t even seem to care. I bet he turns around and tries to get the Sentinel reprimanded.

  • Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca
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    2 hours ago

    Serious question regarding silence at this place:

    Are mourners allowed to cry?

    I know what the shitstain Secretary of Losing Wars is doing is disrespectful in the extreme, but what about folks that are honestly mourning their loved ones that didn’t make it home?

    • RedAggroBest@lemmy.world
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      1 hour ago

      It’s the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, generally people mourn the known in other parts of the cemetary. I wouldn’t be surprised if the mood alone is enough to make people cry, but I believe if you’re loudly sobbing, a sentinel will still ask you to step away.

  • some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
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    1 hour ago

    I dislike anyone who signs up for military service (unless under attack), but even I wouldn’t disrespect the dead in a cemetery. And I don’t believe in an afterlife. I just think it’s shitty behavior.

  • maxthemummer@lemmus.org
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    5 hours ago

    “There are some very bad people that the Dumacrats have put in charge of guarding that cemetery. Very bad people. They never said anything like that to sleepy Joe. It’s terrible what they get away with to make me look bad.”

  • peopleproblems@lemmy.world
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    13 hours ago

    That’s a truly sacred place that the regime has desecrated twice now. If you didn’t know you need to be silent at the Tomb, you would pick it up quick. Throughout the cemetery there can be 20-30 funerals a day. But that doesn’t quite touch it.

    These remains represent everyone who didn’t get a funeral. Everyone who didn’t get to mourn their drafted son. Everyone who died because their choice to live was taken from them, and then their name lost to history.

    It quite honestly feels like a bubble. It doesn’t just get “quieter” near the tomb. There’s an area around it where all you can hear are footsteps, the wind, and the repetition of the patrol movements.

      • peopleproblems@lemmy.world
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        1 hour ago

        What bothers me more, is that it can be arranged. There’s rules regarding it of course.

        But that’s the problem with this regime - they don’t believe rules apply to them.

        • wjrii@lemmy.world
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          22 minutes ago

          Even here, if you watch the video the Sentinel tolerated the photo, even though it was probably a violation itself. It was only when they started yucking it up, and one member of the party split the air with a cackle, that they were all shouted down. They can’t even be happy with the special privilege they’ve already extracted.

          • peopleproblems@lemmy.world
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            1 minute ago

            That’s what I’m realizing about these people. They don’t have a concept of “enough.” Its always “more.”

            “If you Give a Mouse a Cookie” except its if you give them anything. All the way up to capitulation of land at an international level.

  • NXVX@lemmy.world
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    9 hours ago

    From what I hear this is one of America’s most sacred places. Hope the sentinel is promoted.

    Edit: Typo.

    • dan1101@lemmy.world
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      3 hours ago

      No but if this embarrasses the pedo administration enough I expect he will get a dishonorable discharge.

    • wetsoggybread@lemmy.world
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      16 hours ago

      Its 100% honour position so there aren’t any promotions. Its very strict position sort of like the guards of Buckingham palace. There’s been a 24/7 watch there for years and the changing of the guard at the tomb is cool to watch if you’ve never seen it. Very precise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4utXb3auOew

      • Zink@programming.dev
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        2 hours ago

        Yeah, the kind of person who ends up with that job is going to have their life changed way more by being the guy who got to yell at the secretary of “war” than by getting a promotion.

        Hopefully in a good way. In a just world that guy never pays for drinks again.

      • Warl0k3@lemmy.world
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        16 hours ago

        (As far as has ever been reported, there’s been a guard posted there uninterrupted for the past 89 years. It’s hard to express how seriously people take this one.)

        • WhirlpoolBrewer@lemmy.world
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          15 hours ago

          Looks like it, ya. The ceremony is full of symbolism too. Here is just an exerpt I found on it:

          “The Tomb Guard marches exactly 21 steps down the black mat behind the Tomb, turns, faces east for 21 seconds, turns and faces north for 21 seconds, then takes 21 steps down the mat and repeats the process.  (The number 21 symbolizes the highest military honor that can be bestowed, the 21-gun salute.) Next, the Sentinel executes a sharp “shoulder-arms” movement to place the weapon on the shoulder closest to the visitors, signifying that he or she stands between the Tomb and any possible threat.”

          https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/explore/changing-of-the-guard

        • frongt@lemmy.zip
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          13 hours ago

          Nearly uninterrupted. There are very few times they aren’t out there, and it’s pretty much only due to hurricane force winds. Otherwise, it’s 24/7.

          • Warl0k3@lemmy.world
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            13 hours ago

            If you have more information I am very curious - as far as I am aware, the closest it gets is when one of the guards is sheltering in the tent at the end of the carpet; I’ve never seen anything about there truly not being someone on duty. They have been very rarely allowed to leave due to things like hurricanes, but nobody has ever taken the offer.

        • AugustWest@lemmy.world
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          13 hours ago

          What’s up with the parentheses? I’ve never seen anyone make an entire comment in parentheses and there are two on this same post.

    • Thebeardedsinglemalt@lemmy.world
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      16 hours ago

      Yup, and the orange pedo pissed on the sanctity of it during the 2024 election cycle when his people assaulted an Army employee so he could take campaign photos…which is strictly forbidden

      • Blibly@lemmy.world
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        16 hours ago

        Did they do anything it? No? Then it isn’t forbidden. This country has thrown out all of its rules for that fat pedophile piece of shit

    • Warl0k3@lemmy.world
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      16 hours ago

      I don’t think you even need to qualify the statement, it’s by far the most sacred place in the US. I hate these fuckers even more than most, and I’m still surprised he’d risk fucking around with this one on fucking veterans day.

    • wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz
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      14 hours ago

      That incident is so infuriating not just because of the impropriety and their dishonest responses to criticism, but also because the botched pull-out from Afghanistan was entirely trump’s fault for setting it into motion shortly before leaving office.

      He got those people killed, and then used them for a photo op a couple months before an election. Even though he’s previously called casualties of war “suckers and losers.”

      And yet, people voted him back into office…

      • Instigate@aussie.zone
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        11 hours ago

        And the people that voted him back into the office will be the first to crow “SUPPORT OUR TROOPS” and will somehow continue to exist with zero cognitive dissonance between those juxtaposed concepts.

    • gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world
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      14 hours ago

      The fact that he’s basically just redoing one of his old controversies the day after they shut down his impeachment really just feels like he’s flexing on all of us

  • Freeposity@lemmy.world
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    17 hours ago

    I kind of hope they punish the sentinel. This would assure Hegseth’s impeachment and removal.

        • sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          13 hours ago

          Because AIPAC held a meeting, and a bunch of Dems got ‘caught in traffic’ trying to leave that meeting and drive to Congress, and missed the fucking vote … all while our the fucking wannabe House Majority Leader didn’t even think to fucking whip votes.

          Theres so much rat fucking going on that we are gonna need Dale goddamned Gribble to clear out this incestuous traitorous mess.

          Fuck it why not? We got Batman and Spiderman out in person fighting fascism these days, I’m sure somebody can well cosplay wily ole Dale.

          • Freeposity@lemmy.world
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            3 hours ago

            Next cycle all those “centrist” dems who fight against the legacy of FDR and MLK need to get primaried. Especially that sellout Jeffries.

          • protist@retrofed.com
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            13 hours ago

            How many “Dems got stuck in traffic,” exactly? Wasn’t it like 2? And do we know they attended this event knowing AIPAC money was involved? It was sponsored by a front group, right?

            • Freeposity@lemmy.world
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              2 hours ago

              This is one of the reasons they have staff, to research these groups so the rep knows who they are associating with, accepting money from. If they fail at that, then they are bad at their job and need to be primaried.

          • protist@retrofed.com
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            14 hours ago

            Republican Thomas Massie filed this. He was going to file it in September, but in order to stop that, Republican House Speaker and Crazy Person Mike Johnson cancelled all House sessions until after the election. The House didn’t work between Sep 16th and Nov 9th as a result

      • Freeposity@lemmy.world
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        2 hours ago

        If Hegseth punished an eternal flame sentinel for doing his duty? Yeah, I’m pretty sure there are ten republican senators who would vote to remove that embarrassment to save themselves from a primary in the next cycle. Hell, the White House would probably fire Hegseth over that move.

      • saltesc@lemmy.world
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        15 hours ago

        Exactly

        The narrative is already that the soldier was doing exactly as they’re meant to, so removal is unfair. An exception just for Hegseth, who was disrespecting the vets.

        That’s a double-whammy for his already poor reputation with the forces.

  • SHY_TUCKER@lemmy.ml
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    10 hours ago

    Did I get in to late to see this? I literally could not reach the video or article. I went through five different Cnn -cookie permission dialogs and everyone of them led to a series of advertisements? What is happening here? I honestly doubt that the video described in the headline exists. And if it does, I suppose it is S.I. (Stupor Intelligence).

    • bollvirtuoso@lemmy.world
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      17 hours ago

      You are supposed to be dead silent at this Tomb. It’s something any soldier knows. The Secretary should check the company he keeps if they don’t understand that.

      • in_my_honest_opinion@piefed.social
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        17 hours ago

        Every service member knows to be reverent at the Tomb. They are also under orders to assist in maintaining such reverence in those visiting.

        something any soldier knows Only the Army has soldiers as lower enlisted, the rest are Sailors, Airmen, or Marines.

        And you’re right, it’s pretty fucked up for SecDef to be around anyone who could be reprimanded at the Tomb. He was a shithead when he served and he’s aged like milk since then.

      • ohulancutash@feddit.uk
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        13 hours ago

        Military are subservient to civilians. If a civilian chooses to laugh, fuck the jackbooted thug that tries to suppress them.

        • OhStopYellingAtMe@lemmy.world
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          2 hours ago

          If it were out on the street or in a McDonald’s or whatever, and a soldier demanded people shut up, they’d be in the wrong.

          But it was at the Arlington National Cemetery, on hallowed grounds. There are signs all over directing visitors (INCLUDING CIVILIANS) to conduct themselves with quiet dignity.

          The military is not “subservient” to civilians. They’re not beneath us. They deserve the same respect as anyone else. You wouldn’t laugh and make noise at anyone else’s hallowed place.

  • dou9m@lemmy.ca
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    17 hours ago

    I fear that the soldier here should be punished for a different reason: he let a bunch of traitors track their dirty selves all over the place.