Old Guard Selects first Woman to Command Tomb of Sentinels

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By Spec. Tremeshia Ellis
The 3d Infantry Regiment, the “Old Guard,” added
a new chapter to its own rich history, and to the
history of women in the military, with the selection of
a new commander of the guard for the Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier. Captain Carrie Wibben is the first
woman and the first military police officer chosen to
serve in the position. The 26-year-old officer had
commanded the 289th Military Police Company (-),
which is attached to Headquarters Company, 3d
Infantry Regiment. Captain Wibben assumed her new
duties 15 May 2004.
The new commander grew up in a small town in
Iowa, but wanted to join the Army “to see the rest of
the world.” After high school, she attended the US
Military Academy Preparatory School before going
to West Point and graduating there in 2000. The more
she learned what it meant to be a military officer, the
more she wanted to set herself apart by becoming a
good leader.
“I think many people are unaware they possess
leadership potential until they are put into a leadership
role,” she said. “I didn’t know I was a leader until I
was given the opportunity to lead.” Now this military
police officer is leading the way for others as a member
of the Army’s oldest active unit. Women sentinels are
rare, and only a few have served at the tomb since
sentinels began standing guard there in 1948. The
sentinels are also responsible for giving the final honors
for those who are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
The tomb guards belong to a special platoon of
3d Infantry Regiment soldiers, officers, and noncommissioned
officers who are selected as sentinels. All
are “three-time volunteers” explained one officer. They
volunteer for the Army, the unit, and sentinel duty.
By Specialist Tremeshia Ellis
Reprinted from the “Guidon,” Fort Leonard Wood,
Missouri, 11 March 2004.
Old Guard
Selects First
Woman
to Command
Tomb Sentinels
Commanders of the guard are chosen from the
ranks of officers within the regiment. The regimental
commander and deputy commander conduct a highly
selective process to pick the best candidates for the
position. Candidates are evaluated in three areas:
quality of service, physical ability and composure, and
Army longevity. The aim is to choose officers who
will eventually take the Old Guard’s discipline,
standards, and ethos back to regular Army units.
A series of five progressively tougher tests will
prepare Captain Wibben for her post by examining
her mastery of the uniform; her knowledge of the
history of the sentinels, the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldiers, and Arlington National Cemetery; and her
familiarity with the rituals of sentinel duty. After the
final trial—the “badge test”—she will be allowed to
wear the tomb badge as a temporary award. Only after
serving honorably for nine months with the tomb
guards will she be awarded permanent orders for her
Tomb Identification Badge. Captain Wibben, who has
been an officer in the Old Guard since June 2003, will
be responsible for the sentinels who guard the tomb
24 hours daily. She will also be responsible for
training and coordinating with outside agencies and
organizations, as well as units within the Military
District of Washington. As the first woman commander
of the tomb guards, she will deal with the public more
than most platoon leaders because of the visibility of
the tomb.
“It feels good to be a part of a unit that renders
honors to those who have gone before us and those
who have served their nation as a career,” she said. “I
am proud to be a part of a unit that thanks them for
what they’ve done for this country and our military.”
Captain Carrie Wibben leads a formation in
Arlington, Virginia.