Memorial Medic

From the Stars and Stripes:
"Army medic becomes guard at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier"

A nation spends Memorial Day weekend remembering its military's fallen. Luke Porter devotes most of his life to that mission. It's his job. He also makes sure others pay proper respect. When he walks across the plaza of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, his uniform crisp and immaculate, creases like razors, all eyes turn to him. Tourists lounge and gab — until the State College native delivers the standard address for the Changing of the Guard ceremony. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please," he intones. "I am Sgt. Porter, of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, United States Army Guard of Honor, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. "The ceremony that you are about to witness is the changing of the guard. In keeping with the dignity of the ceremony it is requested that everyone remain silent and standing. Thank you." It always works. "As soon as we say that, everyone stands up and everyone stops talking, and I love to see that," Porter said. Marines call themselves the "the few, the proud." They've got nothing on Porter. He'll soon receive the prestigious Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Identification Badge, the Army's second least-awarded badge behind the Astronaut Badge, to become a member of the tomb's Honor Guard. Nine months of rigorous, on-the-job training, completed April 21, led to the sterling silver badge about 2 inches wide. At 24, Porter will become the 623rd recipient in Army history, and only the third medic to accomplish the feat. On June 9, the badge will be pinned to his uniform, officially making him one of Arlington's famous sentinels. "To me, just in my personal experience, in my humble opinion, it's my way of rendering honor to all the service people who came before me," Porter said. Before his parents, Joyce and Dave Porter, and his many siblings, he'll finally wear the inverted wreath of his hard-earned piece of silver polished, naturally, to brilliance. Rain or shine, in heat or cold, despite insect bites and itches, he'll solemnly uphold the Sentinel's Creed memorized long ago. "My dedication to this sacred duty is total and wholehearted," it begins, continuing in part: "In the responsibility bestowed on me will I never falter. And with dignity and perseverance my standard will remain perfection." Out on the plaza, every second is Memorial Day, every step a tribute to the nameless remains of fallen but not forgotten souls. "I'm in it because there are so many people who sacrificed so much more than I could ever imagine to sacrifice," Porter said. "And I respect that so much that it's become an enormous part of my life."

^ This is a fitting story on Memorial Day. ^

http://www.stripes.com/news/us/army-medic-becomes-guard-at-tomb-of-the-unknown-soldier-1.285405