This Is Full Commitment
What does it mean to truly commit?
I thought about this when a friend posted an article about the guards of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I was surprised by so many of these fascinating details.
Were you aware that:
Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.
For people to apply for guard duty at the tomb, they must:
Commit two years of their life to guard the tomb
Live in a barracks under the tomb
Refrain from drinking alcohol, on or off duty, for the rest of their lives.
They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives.
They cannot disgrace the uniform or the tomb in any way.
After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as a guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guards must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin.
For the first six months of duty, a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV. Instead, all of their off-duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. A guard must memorize this information.
Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.
The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.
In 2003, Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC. Our US Senate and House took two days off in anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer. They said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a service person.
This is full commitment.
Serving in this capacity— and following these stringent rules— is an incredible example of someone making a conscious decision to commit, despite how unpleasant or challenging the details might be.
Throughout our lives, we are all faced with commitment choices, big and small. Your religion may ask you to commit to their Ten Commandments, to not work on the Sabbath, or to prepare all your food in a very particular and symbolic way in a Kosher kitchen. Maybe you are asked to faithfully wed the person your parents arranged for you to marry. Even “until death do us part” feels like a gigantic, lifetime commitment, doesn’t it?
Smaller commitments include meeting deadlines as promised, being someone your boss can rely on, and showing up at the gym on time to meet your workout buddy.
Big or small, keeping commitments demonstrates character. How are you doing in this area of your life? Take a look at the commitments you have kept. What was it that had you stick to them?
Now take a moment to reflect on commitments in the past that you have not managed to keep. What were different about those?
As you look ahead— especially during this busy holiday season— be mindful of the significant number of commitments which are being asked of you. Choose wisely.
The same advice applies to your New Year’s Resolutions: Wouldn’t you rather be known as a person who commits and sticks to their promises, rather than someone who over-commits or is unreliable?
Each guard for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a great role model. Do what they do: Know what you are getting into before you commit. Then once you choose to move forward, do a stellar job until your full commitment is complete*.
This Month’s Resources:
A Guard on His Final Day*
Reading the story about what it takes to be a guard for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is one thing. To watch a guard in action on his final day— and with his parents standing behind him— earn his wreath pin puts full commitment all into perspective. Do yourself a favor and take 5 minutes to watch this video start to finish. Don’t miss the ending!
Making Your 2025 Commitments Stick
Are you someone who makes commitments for the new year, and then let’s them fade away? Have you given up on New Year’s Resolutions altogether? What if you started fresh, mentally and physically, and took a simpler approach to the new year. This article offers some basic ideas to kick off your 2025 commitments realistically.
Rabbits, Rabbits!
“Rabbits, Rabbits” is something my 8th grade teacher taught us to say on the first day of each month because it’s supposed to bring good luck for the entire month. Other people claim you must say it three times, in the singular, for the magic to work: “Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit.” Where did this superstition— and other weird sayings— come from? Read here to find out some fascinating history!
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