Veterans Day has come and gone in the United States this year. It’s an incredible holiday that helps us remember the fallen soldiers that died buying or defending our freedoms. We should all be thankful for those who served in the military. This video serves as a stark reminder of how serious we should take our veterans.

Our freedom wasn’t free, it was paid for by men and women, brothers and sisters, who love the people of our country.

You may have heard of the special ceremonies at the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” in Washington D.C. that take place twice a year. Normally, both special ceremonies are held on Veterans Day and Memorial Day. The president has the honors of paying respects, on behalf of the whole nation, to our fallen brethren.

Many call the commemoration the “Wreath Laying Ceremony” and it has been going since the tomb was first guarded in 1927.

Arlington Cemetary commented on why a wreath is laid to rest next to the tomb:

“Offering flowers at a memorial site is a ritual that occurs around the world, symbolizing the beauty and brevity of life. Floral tributes are made each day at Arlington National Cemetery — at funeral services, public ceremonies, and individual visits to a loved one’s gravesite.”

This wreath is laid at the tomb, as a memorial to all of those who haven’t had that proper burial. Many fell in combat who have never been recovered. This is a salute to all of those Americans.

So it’s not hard to understand why the cemetery bestows the honor of presenting the wreath on the President himself!

The Commander in Chief takes it upon himself to say thank you to the soldiers through the wreath ceremony:

“The most solemn ceremonies occur when the president of the United States, or the president’s designee, lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to mark the national observance of Memorial Day, Veterans Day or some other special occasion. Ceremonial wreath layings also occur during state visits of foreign dignitaries, who pay formal respects to the sacrifices of America’s veterans by placing a wreath before the Tomb.”

The moment should be taken extremely seriously. A few years ago, some people didn’t think it was that important.

A guard is stationed at the tomb 24/7 to make sure things are orderly, somber, and respectful. When things become commonplace or flippant, we forget the importance of why the memorial is there in the first place. The guard keeps it from becoming flippant.

The soldier is walking in step and hears a group of people laughing. His response shuts them up instantly!

The soldier is making his rounds and if you have the sound turned up you will notice some people laughing. The people probably weren’t trying to make a big scene, but they were just treating it like every other ceremony they had been to.

The guard hears them, pivots, and barks out an order.

“It is requested that everyone maintains a level of silence and respect!”

After his booming reprimand, the people instantly quiet down. The shame that they were feeling as everyone in the crowd stared them down was deserved, and probably quite uncomfortable. In our world today, we often flippantly take things for granted just like those people at the ceremony did.

There should still be times in which we can be quiet and content while we pay our respects to people who gave everything they had, so that we could live in peace.

Check out the video below!

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Source: YouTube, Spotlight Stories