Unknown Sentinel
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A sentinel at Arlington National Cemetery talks about what it means to do his job. (Jon Sonnheim/Medill News Service)
This video was produced by Jon Sonnheim. At the time, he was my student in the graduate program of the Medill School of Journalism. This is an excellent example of a story told without narration.
It captures the emotion felt everyday by one of the sentinels who guards the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.
Here’s part of what Jon wrote the day this story was published on the Medill Reports website:
“As part of the Old Guard, soldiers aspiring to watch over the tombs must endure six to ten months of physically and mentally exhausting training, including working 24-hour shifts, memorizing 16 pages of “knowledge” and shining their shoes and pressing their uniforms for hours at a time. Despite the strict rules, height and physical requirements, soldiers stand post over the tombs out of respect and honor.”