European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 1, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                By Janet Howells Tierney Washington Bureau w Ith a precise flurry two tall slim men prepare for their walk. First they snap on snug girdles Over pleated trousers and slide into pressed White shirts. Then Wool jackets Are pulled Over Broad shoulders and shining Silver buttons Are secured. Black belts Are buckled into place around trim waists before two other men step up to tug and position the jackets pressed creases. Finally White Gluyes Are pulled on and lightly sprayed with water. The men Are Tomb guards and alternately they will spend 30-minute shifts in front of As Many As 300 people switching places in an exacting ceremony in front of the Tomb of the unknowns at Arlington National cemetery in Virginia two dozen soldiers members of co it 3rd inf regiment at fort myer a have volunteered for the Tomb guard duty. They Are All Between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet 6 inches tall for aesthetic reasons similar Heights Are grouped together for the 24-hour shifts. Those who qualify receive free haircuts and four sets of the army a dress Blue uniform but they Are More than Well dressed Young infantrymen. To be a Tomb guard volunteers must first spend six months with the ceremonial guard company. Then they Are interviewed by a Tomb guard badge Holder and if they have potential begin a two week trial. Quot this is the greatest Honor in the military Quot said spec. David e. Gnose 23 Quot we done to let people come Down Here who done to feel that  a a Soldier must have e desire to be Here Quot said staff sgt. William Manning Abo at 30 years old is called the Quot grandpa of the guard Quot by the younger members. Quot this duty is very demanding Quot Manning said adding that Only 344 Tomb guards have received the badge since 1948 when it was first issued. During the two week trial the novices must learn to care meticulously Lor their uniforms memorize the cemetery a history and convince Ihler trainers that they want the duty despite freezing cold steamy heat and wayward insects. If the volunteers pass they Are considered trainable and begin nine months of constantly improving their walk ceremonial fist and  Clah a Vilii Tonto guard spec. David e. Gnose on duly a this is the greatest Honor in the  the trainers feel the novices Are ready they Are Given a 100-question test on the finer Points of the duty they can Only piss two to receive the Tomb badge. But even then there is always room for my movement. Quot a movements Are done in unison Quot said Gnose. Who has been with the guard 14 months. Quot i m always working on something. I need to Pult my head and shoulders Back and Roll my hips Forward More. It never gets  Gnose remembers worse times though a on my first Welk i could t Stop my legs from shaking Quot he said Quot i saw the flashes from cameras and i was so Seif conscious Quot once his entire left Side went numb later Gnose realized that his tie was too tight. A a in a never going to get where i want to be Quot said sgt William a Zana 24, referring to his own expectations about How he performs sentry duty. After 10 months of training Zana with take the test a any Day to be a badge Holder a. A Quot in a very anxious but not nervous Quot he said. Quot when f volunteered for Tomb guard i was an operations sergeant. The Job did no to give me the same emotions or feelings. Quot there s an Aura about the Tomb a 2ana said. Honouring the unknown soldiers requires each Many is amps chm in v not sgt Kevin of Connor right inspects spec. Michael Knight before shift starts at the Tomb of the unknowns. Full attention. Keeping their uniforms in top shape can take As a Rich As five hours pier week. Shoes with special taps attached Are spit shined the old fashioned Way and military brass is kept sparkling. Placing the brass correctly on the uniform can take of much As an hour per week. Then comes the endless chore of pressing and. Searching creases into the stubborn Wool uniforms. Balky pocket flaps Are taped Down. The rifles Complete with fixed bayonets carried by the guards during their sentry duty also require Long hours of care. But experience tells the guards that clean Rifle stocks Are Slippery. So they Spray water on their Pristine gloves to better control the spinning weapon during the changing of . Actually if the guards do drop their weapons or otherwise react visibly to any outside influence a even Pesky insects a they Are automatically relieved of duty Quot one guard had a Bee get caught behind his sunglasses during his walk Quot said Gnose. Quot that a painful but no reason Lor losing his  the guards Are allowed to Wear sunglasses on sunny Days w Dull the Bright reflection from the Marble Monument. An unforgiving camera Eye relays any mistakes to two television sets in the guard rooms behind the Tomb. While waiting their turn guards work on their uniforms listen to music or Leaf through volumes of record books going Back to 1959 that name All past guards to stay Alert during their Vigil in front of the Tomb some guards silently song Little ditties recite poetry or just count the 2f seconds Between moves a Alt without showing any unnecessary outward movement or emotion. In their private lives most Tomb guards Are single which works out Best because they never have weekends or holidays off when the guards Complete their 6 a m to 6 a m shills they have a Day off this is followed by a work Day of live to six hours of military training. And on the next Day they begin their 24 hour shift again some people can t understand Why the Tomb guards agree to the Gruel my routine but the answer glitters in their eyes like Sparks from a fourth of july display a no matter How Long you spend hero How sore How tired you get. ,. There is Noah my like the Way you fuel when people cry or children look up at you or some older Man salutes you a said Ana Quot you can t show in but that feeling runs deep a a sunday july 1, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 13