Arlington National Cemetery for Educational Tours
Cemeteries never really do live up to their reputation. They are portrayed in so many scary movies as creepy. But rarely does anyone point out the fact that they are often beautiful parks and places for peaceful reflection. Although cemeteries aren’t usually the most considered attraction for student travel, arlington national cemetery is often the first place considered for Washington D.C. educational tours.
Arlington is perfect for student travel because it has all kinds of opportunity for education, especially in American history. Arlington is far more than the location for several funerals a day. It is the final resting place for so many of our national heroes, men and women who paid the ultimate price. It’s a historical landmark and a modern centerpiece for our military, one of the most respected roles for any American today.
The visitor’s center is a good place to begin an Arlington tour. There students can obtain guides to the various gravesites, monuments, and memorials for those buried there - some famous, all remembered with the same reverence. This is perhaps the most memorable aspect of Arlington - the deliberately unremarkable white gravestones used to honor equally each of the fallen. But there are some more notable memorials, and the guide can help students navigate them. For instance, there are two presidents buried at Arlington, John F. Kennedy and William Howard Taft. A military background is not required for former US presidents to be buried there.
Arlington is also frequently used throughout the year for various services in its beautiful Memorial Amphitheater. This is also an important focal point for Arlington tours as it contains so much of the cemetery’s rich history and many meaningful pieces attributed to some of the buried soldiers. The folded flags and medals of honor for each of the soldiers whose remains are buried in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier are located in the Memorial Amphitheater. There is also intriguing history surrounding the objects placed within the cornerstone, which include among other items a copy of the Bible, the US Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence.
Probably the most famous aspect of Arlington, besides its uniform white gravestones, is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, its guards and daily ceremonies. The tomb is not officially named but usually referred to as that and is certainly a moving attraction for educational tours. The tomb contains crypts for the remains of unidentified soldiers who died in almost all conflicts and wars in which the United States was involved. There was quite a process in choosing these remains. Interestingly, the soldier in the Vietnam crypt was eventually identified by further testing. He was re-interred by his family, and the Vietnam crypt remains empty.
The most memorable aspect of this Tomb is the way that it not only honors those fallen but shows the beautiful excellence of our military today. It is one way to show our support for our military past and present. A member of the United States infantry stands guard over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier 24 hours a day. His pace and stance before the Tomb takes place in sets of 21, a tribute to the 21-gun salute and highest honor for any member of our military.
Every thirty minutes in warm weather, there is a ceremonial changing of the guard. It includes an elaborate inspection of the soldier accepting duty. This is one of the most popular attractions in washington d.c. and certainly the most famous at Arlington.
America has come through extremely dividing times, often centered around the various conflicts we found ourselves in. But one thing we have always been able to unite around is the deep honor and gratitude we feel for our military. At Arlington students can pay tribute to this unifying factor. They can better understand the role of our military, the mindset of its members, and the respect due those who pay the greatest sacrifice. It’s a moving D.C. attraction for anyone and perfect for student travel.
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