Harlan Kirgan
Former Army Sgt. Benton Thames has a unique story to tell about his service.
About 650 soldiers have served as guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
Thames is one those guards and one of two guards who came from Louisiana.
About 200 people had the opportunity to hear Thames tell his story Wednesday at VFW Post 8971 in a meeting hosted by the Eunice Rotary Club. Also attending were Eunice Kiwanis Club members and guests.
Thames, 30, talked about becoming a guard, facts about the job and some myths.
Thames served in the Army from 2006 to 2011, and from 2007 to 2011 he was a tomb guard, which is a unit of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, the oldest active duty unit in the U.S. military.
The tomb, which received its first soldier in 1921, is symbolic of sacrifice, he said.
“They paid the ultimate sacrifice. You can ask someone to give up their life for their country, but to give up your life and identity is the ultimate sacrifice,” he said.
The tomb guards’ schedule is 24 hours on duty and 24 hours off duty. They also get three day weekends.
The standards Thames described are demanding.
The 3rd Infantry Regiment requires its soldiers to be at least 5’11’’ or taller and of a certain build, he said.
Only 10 percent of those who seek to become tomb guards are accepted.
“They deserve perfection as we guard them,” he said.
That attitude continues for Thames.
“If your standard is not perfection you need to reevaluate what you are doing,” he said.
Most tomb guards serve 18 to 24 months, he said.
Thames served four years in the tomb guard advancing from guard, to relief commander to assistant sergeant of the guard in charge of training, he said.
During daylight guard duty, Thames said often it was a concentration on the 21 steps and 21 seconds of the routine.
But at night, he said it was easy to think about the unknowns from World War I, World War II and the Korean War.
Thames said he also thought about a quote by Adm. Chester Nimitz, “They fought together as brothers-in-arms. They died together and now they sleep side by side. To them we have a solemn obligation.”