(19 May 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Arlington, Virginia – 15 May 2025
1. Members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment perform a changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sgt. First Class Andrew Jay, 41st Sergeant of the Guard:
“Doing this job means pretty much everything. It’s about the three unknowns that lay on the plaza who gave their life, but also their identity for the freedom of our country. But they’re a beacon of light for everybody that’s buried here. All the unknowns that are buried in the cemetery, you know, they encompass all of them. So, guarding them, the honor of guarding them, isn’t just about the Three Unknowns, it’s about everybody that lays here in the cemetery and what they gave in the pursuit of freedom.”
3. Close on Sgt. Andrew Jay’s feet as he marches down the mat
4. Sgt. Andrew Jay marches down the mat
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Sgt. First Class Andrew Jay, 41st Sergeant of the Guard:
“I came down to the tomb after spending about 18 months at the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment. So, I came from the 101st Airborne Division in Tennessee, put a volunteer packet, worked in the ceremonies at Fort Myer for about 18 months, and I was afforded the opportunity here almost 25 months ago.”
6. Zoom out of changing of the guard ceremony
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sgt. First Class Andrew Jay, 41st Sergeant of the Guard:
“The training’s unlike anything I’ve ever done in my career so far. It’s more than the physical aspect of any other Army school you might think of. You’re training every day, on your off days. You’re doing what we call, you know, two hour before the cemetery open walks. You’re walking on that mat for two hours straight, building up the muscular endurance, not just in your legs, but in your arms and your hands to make sure you can maneuver that rifle correctly.”
8. Zoom out on a member of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment walks down the mat
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sgt. First Class Andrew Jay, 41st Sergeant of the Guard:
“It’s a lot of mental ability. You have to be locked in for a nine-minute guard change, but then also your 30-minute walk. So what you’re thinking about kind of varies between soldier to soldier.”
10. Wide of a member of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment walking down the mat
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Sgt. First Class Andrew Jay, 41st Sergeant of the Guard:
“No matter the weather, there’s going to be a soldier from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment on the Plaza guarding the Unknowns 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
12. Sgt. Andrew Jay turns on the mat
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Sgt. First Class Andrew Jay, 41st Sergeant of the Guard:
“When a Sentinel leaves the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, they’ll do a last walk ceremony. Mine is on June 2nd at 2 p.m.”
14. Wide of on a member of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment walking down the mat
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Sgt. First Class Andrew Jay, 41st Sergeant of the Guard:
“I feel like if I was here 10 years in this job that no matter how much I did, it wouldn’t be enough. You know, for my soldiers or for the unknowns or for the cemetery, it just seems like you can do everything right, you can do it every day, but somehow you’re always going to come up short. But this job, the soldiers, the people I’ve met, it’s meant everything to me.”
16. Close on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
STORYLINE:
For Army Sgt. Andrew Jay, guarding The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery is “everything.”
He trained for almost 18 months and then started guarding the tomb over two years ago.
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/c82a3215c7e54758a175a9fa3d20caea
Author: AP Archive
Go to Source
News post in May 24, 2025, 6:04 am.
Visit Our Sponsor’s:
News Post In – News
