It’s clear the Tomb Guards follow a strict set of rules when it comes to their appearance, and those rules trickle down to their rifle. The weapon they carry as they watch over the Tomb is an important part of their overall look, and as such, the rifle needs to be in perfect condition and not have a speck of dirt on it.
If the rifle is dirty, it could spell disaster for a Tomb Guard’s career. Just ask Ethan Morse, a former guard of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. According to Morse, one of the most detrimental things that can happen to a guard is if they fail an inspection and get sent back to the Tomb quarters — and that’s exactly what happened to him after he walked out of the quarters with a dirty rifle. Morse recalls how his staff sergeant inspected the weapon by gliding his white glove over the weapon. Once he realized his glove had dirt on it, the staff sergeant sent Morse back to the quarters to get a clean weapon.
“I’ve made one of the cardinal sins, got sent back from the inspection block,” Morse recalled in a YouTube video for AARP. “I was crying. I was at the bottom. I thought I was going to be released.” Morse didn’t get released over this incident, but his story serves as a cautionary tale for Sentinels: Make sure your weapon is clean before heading to the plaza.
