Justin Dehmer 1-Pitch Warrior – Stories of a Streak: Lessons in Leadership
1-Pitch Warrior, LLC
Justin Dehmer – Peak Performance Coach
214 Balfour Drive Norwalk, Iowa 50211
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“We are what we repeatedly do. Therefore, excellence is not an act. It is a habit.” —Aristotle
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
To guard The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is one of the high honors a soldier can receive. Since 1930 the Tomb has been guarded continuously 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Nothing stands in the way of the guards’ commitment to excellence.
When someone is selected to serve the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier they must commit two years of their life living in the barracks beneath the tomb. During the first six months of duty, a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch television. All off duty time is spent studying each and every soldier buried at Arlington National Cemetery. They must memorize all 175 names and locations throughout the grounds. Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty. Finally they pledge not to drink any alcohol for the remainder of their life, swear in public, and to never disgrace the uniform or the tomb in an way with their behavior.
The Tomb has a huge significance as it represents all the American service men and women who have died in battle fighting for our countries freedom.
The honor to guard it is only for few who can fulfill certain requirements:
1) They must be at least 5’10” and no taller than 6’2”
2) Their waste size cannot exceed 30 inches
There are specific tasks that they must perform as they guard the tomb. Excellence is seen in everything they do. Their rifle is always carried on the shoulder away from the tomb and the gloves are always moistened to prevent losing their grip on the rifle. The guards are changed every 30 minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year. Each guard takes exactly 21 steps on their walk across the front of the tomb. At the end of the pass in front of the tomb, they do an about face and pause for exactly 21 seconds before the return walk of another 21 steps. 21 is used as a symbol for the twenty-one gun salute which is the highest honor given to any military serviceman.
After two years of service, a guard will be given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying that they served as a guard of the tomb. There are approximately 400 worn to this day. If a guard violates any of the core values then he must surrender the wreath pin.
The Guards Unwavering Commitment to Excellence
In 84 years of standing guard many things have happened in our nations capital city. None was more telling of the absolute standard of excellence of those who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier then in 2003. Hurricane Isabelle was bearing down on Washington, DC. Congress had suspended work two days prior to the hurricane making landfall and the city shutdown in preparations for the intense storm. The military guards assigned to the duty of the Tomb were given special request to suspend their obligations. They declined and through the storm never left the side of the Unknown Soldier. Soaked from head to toe, still going through their 21 routine, they said that guarding the tomb was not an assignment but rather the highest honor that can be given to a serviceperson.
Watch the Guards of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Watch: Unplugged – Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
When the storm hits this season will you have resolve and see the commitment you have made to each other through to the end of the storm or will you take the easy way out?
Do you have the commitment necessary to make it through the eye of the storm?
Don’t do it for yourself, do it for your team and your program. Fight for something bigger than yourself.