First, just a tiny bit of history ... The Tomb of the
Unknowns holds three sets of remains, one each from World
War I, World War II, and the Korean War. A fourth set of
remains from the Vietnam War was formally disinterred in
1998 after DNA testing determined them to belong to First
Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie. Lt. Blassie is now
buried in his hometown of St.  Louis, Missouri. The tomb
is guarded 24 hours a day and 365 days a year by
specially chosen soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Regiment
(Old Guard) stationed at nearby Fort Myer.

Now, to the email:

1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk
across the tomb of the Unknowns and why?

(21 steps. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which
is the highest honor given any military or foreign
dignitary.)

This is true.
----------------------------------------------------------
2. How long does he hesitate after his about-face to begin
his return walk and why?

(21 seconds for the same reason as answer #1.)

This is somewhat true but incomplete. The guard does not
execute an about-face, and there is more involved in the
procedure:
(a) The sentinel marches 21 steps across the black mat,
past the final resting places of the Unknown Soldiers of
World War I, World War II, Korea, and the crypt of the
Unknown Soldier of the Vietnam War.
(b) With a crisp turn, the sentinel turns 90 degrees (not
about-face) to face east for 21 seconds.
(c) The sentinel then turns a sharp 90 degrees again to
face north for 21 seconds. A crisp "shoulder-arms"
movement places the rifle on the shoulder nearest the
visitors to signify that the sentinel stands between the
tomb and any threat.
(d) The sentinel then paces 21 steps north, turns and
repeats the process.
----------------------------------------------------------
3. Why are his gloves wet?

(His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip
on the rifle.)

This is true.
----------------------------------------------------------
4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the
time, and if not, why not?

(He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb
After his march across the path, he executes an about
face, and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.)

As noted in #2 above, the guard shifts his rifle prior to
each 21-step walk to ensure that it is always carried on
his outside shoulder, the one away from the Tomb ("to
signify that the sentinel stands between the tomb and any
threat").
----------------------------------------------------------
5. How often are the guards changed?

Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours
a day, 365 days a year.

This is basically true. From 1926 through 1937, the Tomb
was guarded only during daylight hours. Ever since 1937,
the Tomb has been continuously guarded 24 hours a day,
every day of the year. Tomb guards are changed every
thirty minutes between 8 AM and 7 PM during the period
from early Spring to early Autumn (April 1 through
September 30), and every hour between 8 AM to 5 PM the
rest of the year. At all other times (i.e., while the
cemetery is closed), the guard is changed every two hours.

This seems like an appropriate spot to mention another
email about the sentries at the Tomb of the Unknowns. This
one deals with Hurricane Isabel and claims that during
Hurricane Isabel, sentries guarding the Tomb of the
Unknowns remained at their posts.

This is true. When Hurricane Isabel hit on 19 September
2003, sentries charged with guarding the Tomb of the
Unknowns did indeed spend the entire night out in the
weather rather than leave their posts. It is untrue,
however, that they disobeyed a direct order to do so, as
some e-mail versions of this story maintain.

There is a contingency plan that if winds reached 120 mph
the guards could retreat from their usual
exposed-to-the-elements posts in the tomb plaza to take up
positions in the trophy room, which is above the tomb
plaza and has a clear view of the sepulcher. This plan was
not put into effect.
----------------------------------------------------------
6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?

(For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must
be between 5' 10" and 6' 2" tall and his waist size cannot
exceed 30".)

This is true. Each soldier must be in superb physical
condition, possess an unblemished military record and be
between 5 feet, 10 inches and 6 feet, 4 inches tall, with
a proportionate weight and build.
----------------------------------------------------------
7. 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.
Not quite true. Sentinels at the Tomb do not have to
commit to serving there for any fixed period of time, and
the average tour of duty is only about half the two year
period claimed in the email. Like most servicemen, Tomb
guards may live either on-base (at nearby Fort Myer) or
off-base in housing of their choosing. There are no
restrictions on guards' off-duty drinking.
----------------------------------------------------------
8. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives
and cannot disgrace the uniform (fighting) 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
guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The
guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or
give up the wreath pin.

Parts are true and parts are not. The Tomb Guard
Identification Badge, first awarded in 1957, is a honor
for which a guard qualifies by "flawlessly performing his
duty for several months" and passing a test, not
something simply handed out to everyone who serves for a
given period of time: Once the sentinel has completed his
or her training, he or she is examined formally for
proficiency in performing the duties and in knowledge of
Alington National Cemetery. He or she must first pass a
written examination of 100 questions about the cemetery
and then be evaluated on proficiency in keeping watch at
the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Upon successful completion, the soldier is awarded a
temporary Tomb Guard's Badge at a ceremony presided over
by the company commander. The Badge is one of the Army's
higher honors and can be taken away from the soldier if
he or she does not continue to maintain the highest
military standards.

The 500th Tomb Guard Identification Badge was awarded in
early 2002, and the total number of recipients is now
about 525. The award is, as its name states, a badge worn
on the pocket of a uniform jacket, not a pin worn in the
lapel.

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."

As of early 2002, there had been nine revocations of the
Tomb Guard Identification Badge.
----------------------------------------------------------
9. The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to
keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal
heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to
make the loud click as they come to a halt. There are no
wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for
duty in front of a full-length mirror.

Somewhat true. The shoes are standard issue military dress
shoes. They are built up so the sole and heel are equal in
height. This allows the Sentinel to stand so that his back
is straight and perpendicular to the ground. A side effect
of this is that the Sentinel can "roll" on the outside of
the build up as he walks down the mat. This allows him to
move in a fluid fashion. If he does this correctly, his
hat and bayonet will appear to not "bob" up and down with
each step. It gives him a more formal and smooth look to
his walk, rather than a "marching" appearance.

The soles have a steel tip on the toe and a "horseshoe"
steel plate on the heel. This prevents wear on the sole
and allows the Sentinel to move smoothly during his
movements when he turns to face the Tomb and then back
down the mat.
----------------------------------------------------------
10. The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to
anyone, nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying
the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National
Cemetery. A guard must memorize who they are and where
they are interred. Every guard spends five hours a day
getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.

Again, some truth, some non-truth. A Tomb guard's behavior
is not so stringently regulated that he is prohibited from
speaking to anyone for a full six months (someone seems to
have confused the Old Guard with a monastery!), and guards
may do whatever they want (including watching TV) during
their off-duty hours. But since any soldier wishing to
become a sentinel must undergo rigorous training,
including several hours a day of marching, rifle drill and
uniform preparation, and every tomb sentinel is expected
to be completely versed in the history of both the tomb
and of Arlington National Cemetery (including knowing how
to find the graves of all the prominent person buried in
the cemetery), they don't necessarily have a lot of free
time to devote to recreational activities.
----------------------------------------------------------

My source for this is the Snopes.Com Urban Legend website.
http://www.snopes.com/military/unknown.asp
First, just a tiny bit of history ... The Tomb of the
Unknowns holds three sets of remains, one each from World
War I, World War II, and the Korean War. A fourth set of
remains from the Vietnam War was formally disinterred in
1998 after DNA testing determined them to belong to First
Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie. Lt. Blassie is now
buried in his hometown of St.  Louis, Missouri. The tomb
is guarded 24 hours a day and 365 days a year by
specially chosen soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Regiment
(Old Guard) stationed at nearby Fort Myer.

Now, to the email:

1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk
across the tomb of the Unknowns and why?

(21 steps. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which
is the highest honor given any military or foreign
dignitary.)

This is true.
----------------------------------------------------------
2. How long does he hesitate after his about-face to begin
his return walk and why?

(21 seconds for the same reason as answer #1.)

This is somewhat true but incomplete. The guard does not
execute an about-face, and there is more involved in the
procedure:
(a) The sentinel marches 21 steps across the black mat,
past the final resting places of the Unknown Soldiers of
World War I, World War II, Korea, and the crypt of the
Unknown Soldier of the Vietnam War.
(b) With a crisp turn, the sentinel turns 90 degrees (not
about-face) to face east for 21 seconds.
(c) The sentinel then turns a sharp 90 degrees again to
face north for 21 seconds. A crisp "shoulder-arms"
movement places the rifle on the shoulder nearest the
visitors to signify that the sentinel stands between the
tomb and any threat.
(d) The sentinel then paces 21 steps north, turns and
repeats the process.
----------------------------------------------------------
3. Why are his gloves wet?

(His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip
on the rifle.)

This is true.
----------------------------------------------------------
4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the
time, and if not, why not?

(He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb
After his march across the path, he executes an about
face, and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.)

As noted in #2 above, the guard shifts his rifle prior to
each 21-step walk to ensure that it is always carried on
his outside shoulder, the one away from the Tomb ("to
signify that the sentinel stands between the tomb and any
threat").
----------------------------------------------------------
5. How often are the guards changed?

Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours
a day, 365 days a year.

This is basically true. From 1926 through 1937, the Tomb
was guarded only during daylight hours. Ever since 1937,
the Tomb has been continuously guarded 24 hours a day,
every day of the year. Tomb guards are changed every
thirty minutes between 8 AM and 7 PM during the period
from early Spring to early Autumn (April 1 through
September 30), and every hour between 8 AM to 5 PM the
rest of the year. At all other times (i.e., while the
cemetery is closed), the guard is changed every two hours.

This seems like an appropriate spot to mention another
email about the sentries at the Tomb of the Unknowns. This
one deals with Hurricane Isabel and claims that during
Hurricane Isabel, sentries guarding the Tomb of the
Unknowns remained at their posts.

This is true. When Hurricane Isabel hit on 19 September
2003, sentries charged with guarding the Tomb of the
Unknowns did indeed spend the entire night out in the
weather rather than leave their posts. It is untrue,
however, that they disobeyed a direct order to do so, as
some e-mail versions of this story maintain.

There is a contingency plan that if winds reached 120 mph
the guards could retreat from their usual
exposed-to-the-elements posts in the tomb plaza to take up
positions in the trophy room, which is above the tomb
plaza and has a clear view of the sepulcher. This plan was
not put into effect.
----------------------------------------------------------
6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?

(For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must
be between 5' 10" and 6' 2" tall and his waist size cannot
exceed 30".)

This is true. Each soldier must be in superb physical
condition, possess an unblemished military record and be
between 5 feet, 10 inches and 6 feet, 4 inches tall, with
a proportionate weight and build.
----------------------------------------------------------
7. 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.
Not quite true. Sentinels at the Tomb do not have to
commit to serving there for any fixed period of time, and
the average tour of duty is only about half the two year
period claimed in the email. Like most servicemen, Tomb
guards may live either on-base (at nearby Fort Myer) or
off-base in housing of their choosing. There are no
restrictions on guards' off-duty drinking.
----------------------------------------------------------
8. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives
and cannot disgrace the uniform (fighting) 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
guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The
guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or
give up the wreath pin.

Parts are true and parts are not. The Tomb Guard
Identification Badge, first awarded in 1957, is a honor
for which a guard qualifies by "flawlessly performing his
duty for several months" and passing a test, not
something simply handed out to everyone who serves for a
given period of time: Once the sentinel has completed his
or her training, he or she is examined formally for
proficiency in performing the duties and in knowledge of
Alington National Cemetery. He or she must first pass a
written examination of 100 questions about the cemetery
and then be evaluated on proficiency in keeping watch at
the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Upon successful completion, the soldier is awarded a
temporary Tomb Guard's Badge at a ceremony presided over
by the company commander. The Badge is one of the Army's
higher honors and can be taken away from the soldier if
he or she does not continue to maintain the highest
military standards.

The 500th Tomb Guard Identification Badge was awarded in
early 2002, and the total number of recipients is now
about 525. The award is, as its name states, a badge worn
on the pocket of a uniform jacket, not a pin worn in the
lapel.

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."

As of early 2002, there had been nine revocations of the
Tomb Guard Identification Badge.
----------------------------------------------------------
9. The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to
keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal
heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to
make the loud click as they come to a halt. There are no
wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for
duty in front of a full-length mirror.

Somewhat true. The shoes are standard issue military dress
shoes. They are built up so the sole and heel are equal in
height. This allows the Sentinel to stand so that his back
is straight and perpendicular to the ground. A side effect
of this is that the Sentinel can "roll" on the outside of
the build up as he walks down the mat. This allows him to
move in a fluid fashion. If he does this correctly, his
hat and bayonet will appear to not "bob" up and down with
each step. It gives him a more formal and smooth look to
his walk, rather than a "marching" appearance.

The soles have a steel tip on the toe and a "horseshoe"
steel plate on the heel. This prevents wear on the sole
and allows the Sentinel to move smoothly during his
movements when he turns to face the Tomb and then back
down the mat.
----------------------------------------------------------
10. The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to
anyone, nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying
the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National
Cemetery. A guard must memorize who they are and where
they are interred. Every guard spends five hours a day
getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.

Again, some truth, some non-truth. A Tomb guard's behavior
is not so stringently regulated that he is prohibited from
speaking to anyone for a full six months (someone seems to
have confused the Old Guard with a monastery!), and guards
may do whatever they want (including watching TV) during
their off-duty hours. But since any soldier wishing to
become a sentinel must undergo rigorous training,
including several hours a day of marching, rifle drill and
uniform preparation, and every tomb sentinel is expected
to be completely versed in the history of both the tomb
and of Arlington National Cemetery (including knowing how
to find the graves of all the prominent person buried in
the cemetery), they don't necessarily have a lot of free
time to devote to recreational activities.
----------------------------------------------------------

Source for this is the Snopes.Com Urban Legend website.
http://www.snopes.com/military/unknown.asp