Arlington National Cemetery: A History of Honor

One of the most sacred spaces in a region filled with memorials and monuments is Arlington National Cemetery, located directly across the Potomac from the U.S. Capital. Jim Carr, a retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel, offers an overview of its history and heritage and examines what sets Arlington National Cemetery apart from other cemeteries in the world.

He covers some of the customs and cultures of the five traditional military services; noteworthy figures, including two presidents, buried here; and some of the unique headstones and sections in the cemetery. He also discusses one of the cemetery’s most distinctive ceremonies, the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns, which observed its 100th anniversary on Veterans Day 2021, as well as the history of the venerable Tomb Guards.

Carr is president of the Guild of Professional Tour Guides of Washington, D.C., and a former official with the Secretary of the Navy.

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