# What would happen if a tourist (or worse) got disrespectful at the Tomb of the Unknowns (Arlington)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 9, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363 "2011-11-09T04:37:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/1 "2011-11-09T04:37:06Z")
A question that popped into my mind after seeing this video: Video is SFW, site and ads are NSFW: [Officer on Duty at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Silences Crowd After Laughter is Heard.](http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c59_1320722129) To paraphrase the video - while the guard patrols the tomb, the crowd is heard murmuring and laughing. The guard stops his march and addresses the crowd: “It is requested that everyone maintains a level of silence and respect.” The crowd falls silent (as they should) and the guard resumes his patrol. What would happen if there was a truly unruly, aggressive, or combative person or persons at the tomb? Wikipedia claims the guard carries an unloaded weapon (though with a bayonet affixed.) If there really was a significant disturbance, what would be the response? Would the guard march into the crowd or against an individual (with the intent of defending the tomb and its honor) with the bayonet? Or would there be an immediate military (from service-people stationed nearby) response? Or would the guard just call local police? I don’t want there ever to be such a thing, I’m just curious as to how the guard is trained to respond. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/2 "2011-11-09T05:58:17Z")
I have been to Arlington, visited the grave of the Unknowns, and been lucky enough to watch the changing of the guard there. On the day I was there, the crowd was well-behaved, and no command or intervention from the guard was necessary. That being said, I will state that–and with no disrespect intended to the guard or the US Army–I would imagine that Parks Service personnel (or whatever non-military agency looks after Arlington) would take care of the offenders. I remember watching the new guard marching out, with military precision, but with Parks Service personnel (sorry, but whoever) clearing the path. The new soldier was marching properly and not stopping, so the PS personnel were the ones parting the crowd, saying, “'Scuse me, pardon me, make way for the new guard,” and so on. In other words, they were the ones interacting with the crowd; and I see no reason why they could not informally move in to silence or otherwise take care of an offender before the official guard has to take action. FWIW, although I am not American, I found the changing of the guard ceremony was very impressive and very moving. Americans can be justly proud of their Unknowns. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/3 "2011-11-09T12:37:21Z")
There is a phone in the booth. Police would be called, not more military. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/4 "2011-11-09T13:15:51Z")
> [@GameHat](#): > > ads are NSFW: The All-New Nissan Juke? ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/5 "2011-11-09T14:28:40Z")
Does the guard in question have live ammo for his rifle? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/6 "2011-11-09T14:40:40Z")
I don’t know about that place specifically, but when I was in DC a while ago, some foreigner frat-boy type kids were horsing around at the Lincoln Memorial, and one of the kids slid down one of the decorative ramps. The security guy - who carries -was on them in a second. “DON’T DO THAT, PLEASE.” in a suitably intimidating voice. I have no doubt if they’d carried on they’d have been arrested by that security guy. It moves my heart to know they really care about their job - I’d had all of about five seconds to get annoyed at the foreigners being disrespectful when the guard was on them. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/7 "2011-11-09T14:47:09Z")
How disrespectful? To a certain point it would be handled by Park Service employees. Past that point I think the crowd would deal with it. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/8 "2011-11-09T14:56:29Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Does the guard in question have live ammo for his rifle? Just curious. Not normally, though knowing the Corp I would bet they’ve got a few thousand rounds ready for use in the back. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/9 "2011-11-09T15:03:24Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Does the guard in question have live ammo for his rifle? Just curious. [From here.](http://www.tombguard.org/weapons.html) > [@](#): > > The weapons used by the Tomb Guard are more than just for show. **These weapons are fully functional, and are kept ready for use at all times**. The weapon inspection conducted prior to the new Sentinel assuming the post, is a real inspection. I would assume that means loaded. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/10 "2011-11-09T15:27:29Z")
Creating a Disturbance anywhere is usually an offense if the arresting officer believes it is. If you respectfully disagree, then you get to argue it out with the judge. If all you are doing is being loudly annoying so that someone else decides to teach you a lesson, you may still be arrested for creating a disturbance. If it is federal property, I assume that there is an equivalent federal law? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/11 "2011-11-09T16:27:11Z")
Does the guard break character? Or are there park service employees always on the spot? What if it’s something that only the guard can see or witnessed? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/12 "2011-11-09T16:32:14Z")
[There are a number of YouTube videos the show how the guards respond to noisy crowds, people crossing the barrier and folks sitting during the ceremony.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomb_of_the_Unknowns#Sentinel_Challenges) [The guns they carry are real but not loaded.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomb_of_the_Unknowns#Weapons) I don’t know what happens when spectators fail to comply but it probably isn’t pretty. Here is a [FAQ](http://www.tombguard.org/FAQ.html). ---
**Author:** ![JerseyMarine2092](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8491ac/32.png) [@JerseyMarine2092](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerseyMarine2092)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/13 "2011-11-09T22:42:09Z")
Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries not own and administered by the National Parks Service. ANC is owned by the Department of the Army, so I imagine the “NPS” staff everyone keeps on mentioning are either Department of Defense Police, or a special purpose ANC Police Department. [QUOTE=smiling bandit] Not normally, though knowing the Corp I would bet they’ve got a few thousand rounds ready for use in the back. [/QUOTE] The Tomb of the Unknown Guard is provided by the US 3rd Infantry. They’re Army. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/14 "2011-11-10T04:20:26Z")
My thughts toward them would be Don’t. Just don’t. My (extrememly older brother, practically decrepet) and I were standing in an old graveyard. A Navy flyer flew over and he (an Air Force veteren) said to me, “Do you know what that is?” And I said, “I dunno. What.” And he said, “That’s the sound of freedom.” Do we know how many nameless, unimportant people it took to win every war? ---
**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:** [November 10, 2011, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/15 "2011-11-10T04:40:01Z")
Britons have been arrested and convicted for urinating on war memorials. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/16 "2011-11-10T14:23:35Z")
Okay, the question on my mind - and I hope it’s not disrespectful - is… What’s worse than a tourist? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/17 "2011-11-10T15:19:51Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Does the guard break character? Or are there park service employees always on the spot? What if it’s something that only the guard can see or witnessed? You would be lucky if the guard broke character. It’s his character to shoot you if his post is challenged. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/18 "2011-11-10T17:45:07Z")
Interestingly… the Guards must spend all their free time reading and learning about the unknowns, they must never curse and may never drink alcohol for the rest of their lives. (Which totally baffles me as to why they can’t have a beer while cursing the ref at a football game, for example.) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/19 "2011-11-10T17:53:09Z")
> [@Lukeinva](#): > > Interestingly… the Guards must spend all their free time reading and learning about the unknowns,\*\* they must never curse and may never drink alcohol for the rest of their lives.\*\* (Which totally baffles me as to why they can’t have a beer while cursing the ref at a football game, for example.) Not true. [Snopes.](http://www.snopes.com/military/unknown.asp) > [@](#): > > Although the claim that guards “cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives” is fallacious, there is some truth to the notion that the Tomb Guard Identification Badge can be taken away, even after the recipient has left the service. According to Old Guard Public Affairs: > The Tomb Guard Identification Badge is one of the least awarded badges in the Army, second only to the Astronaut Badge. Since the sentinels are held to such a high standard, if they ever do anything that is deemed behavior unbecoming a Tomb Guard or brings dishonor upon the Tomb, their badges may be revoked, even after [the sentinels] have left active duty military service. ETA: [From here.](http://www.tombguard.org/FAQ.html#Is%20it%20true%20they%20must%20commit%202%20years%20of%20life%20to%20guard%20the%20tomb,%20live%20in%20a%20barracks%20under%20the%20tomb,%20and%20cannot%20drink%20any%20alcohol%20on%20or%20off%20duty%20for%20the%20rest%20of%20their%20lives.) > [@](#): > > Is it true they must commit 2 years of life to guard the Tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. > > No, this is a false rumor. The average tour at the Tomb is about a year. There is NO set time for service there. The Sentinels live either in a barracks on Ft. Myer (the Army post located adjacent to the cemetery) or off base if they like. They do have living quarters under the steps of the amphitheater where they stay during their 24 hour shifts, but when they are off, they are off. And if they are of legal age, they may drink anything they like, except while on duty. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363/20 "2011-11-10T19:12:18Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > Okay, the question on my mind - and I hope it’s not disrespectful - is… > > What’s worse than a tourist? 🙂 I was wondering the same thing. And I’ll bet this is similar to the foot guards in London who stand silently at attention while wearing those bearskin hats. They are also supposed to be solemn but if a tourist acts out, I’m sure that they’ll respond. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-a-tourist-or-worse-got-disrespectful-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknowns-arlington/602363.md?page=2)