# How do servicemen get to serve in the White House? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 21, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-servicemen-get-to-serve-in-the-white-house/482326 "2009-01-21T17:47:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-servicemen-get-to-serve-in-the-white-house/482326/1 "2009-01-21T17:47:08Z")
Do they put their names down for duty there or what? ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-servicemen-get-to-serve-in-the-white-house/482326/2 "2009-01-21T18:19:20Z")
The Navy ('76) asked recruits in boot camp for volunteers for the Honor Guard. You had to meet height requirements and not have enlisted under a special program. The other slots are most probably filled like any other duty assignments. Some people would love it for the experience and others would avoid it 'cause of the city it’s in. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-servicemen-get-to-serve-in-the-white-house/482326/3 "2009-01-21T21:03:51Z")
When I was attending the U.S. Army Signal School, they told us that top graduates were sometimes selected for the White House Communications Agency. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-servicemen-get-to-serve-in-the-white-house/482326/4 "2009-01-21T21:19:44Z")
Does the Honor Guard rotate between the services, is it just one service, or do they share? ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-servicemen-get-to-serve-in-the-white-house/482326/5 "2009-01-21T22:10:47Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Does the Honor Guard rotate between the services, is it just one service, or do they share? Each service branch has a few dozen assigned as honor guards. They rotate just as other guards. For ceremonies there’s usually one or two from each service doing the honors. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-servicemen-get-to-serve-in-the-white-house/482326/6 "2009-01-21T22:52:03Z")
I think the honor guard are all enlisted, at least that is the impression I get when they have a president’s funeral - all the pallbearers are enlisted. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-servicemen-get-to-serve-in-the-white-house/482326/7 "2009-01-22T01:48:27Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I think the honor guard are all enlisted, at least that is the impression I get when they have a president’s funeral - all the pallbearers are enlisted. Well sure - officers can’t lift anything heavier than a clipboard or a manual. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-servicemen-get-to-serve-in-the-white-house/482326/8 "2009-01-22T02:20:58Z")
The more you kiss the ass, the more you lick the boots, the more you polish the brass, the better your chances. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-servicemen-get-to-serve-in-the-white-house/482326/9 "2009-01-22T03:59:02Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > The more you kiss the ass, the more you lick the boots, the more you polish the brass, the better your chances. Uh - it isn’t any different, really, than work at numberless military commands in the Washington area. Depending on what you do, it might not even help your career much. I have met numerous people who have done it - and they were detailed into the jobs essentially like any other posting. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-servicemen-get-to-serve-in-the-white-house/482326/10 "2009-01-22T05:28:31Z")
Dated information: My father graduated Boot Camp in 1945. He was in Parris Island when The Bomb was dropped. Afterwards they were still sending replacements to the Pacific for ocupation duty and for cleaning up hold outs. He was picked instead to go to DC. Why? He was tall and skinny (6-3, 140). He did not get to do White House duty but he did do funerals at Arlington and guard what would become Camp David. While I was on active duty I would get mailed (they probably email now) notices asking if I wanted to apply to the Old Guard (ceremonial Army unit in the DC area, they do the Tomb and other things). I would get these requests simply because my score on the standardized military placement test was high enough. I could never think about applying because the minimum height is 5-10 and I am 5-9. No ass kissing involved. ---
**Author:** ![flyboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4da419/32.png) [@flyboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flyboy)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-servicemen-get-to-serve-in-the-white-house/482326/11 "2009-01-22T13:29:17Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > The more you kiss the ass, the more you lick the boots, the more you polish the brass, the better your chances. Do you have any actual military experience here to back this up, or are you just pissing in the wind? ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-servicemen-get-to-serve-in-the-white-house/482326/12 "2009-01-22T15:13:41Z")
> [@](#): > > By flyboy > > > [@](#): > > > > Originally Posted by Musicat View Post > > The more you kiss the ass, the more you lick the boots, the more you polish the brass, the better your chances. > > Do you have any actual military experience here to back this up, or are you just pissing in the wind? I have a friend who won the “Best Soldier in the ARMY” award one year and there was absolutely none of the above involved. I used to get ‘special’ duty because I was who they were standing in front of. I was assigned to things because a clerk mistyped I hope. Shirley they did not do that on purpose. Sometimes I had a stupid moment, forgot, and volunteered. Always remember and never forget, bright, shinny, sharp, and in the spotlight means you get shot first.