"Sentinel" | Now Streaming on Amazon
3 years ago
My recent documentary, “Sentinel: Inside the Sacred Duty”, has officially released sooner than expected and is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video! It can be seen in the US and UK, and DVDs are available at www.WalkingTheMat.com. I am grateful and humbled.
I began this project in 2020 to document and celebrate my father, Dr. Charles Garrison. Dad served as a Tomb Guard for seven months in 1961. I planned to combine his memories with my grandfather’s 1961 original film footage of the Tomb. However, the journey quickly exceeded my expectations when I met Jeff Gottesfeld, author of "Twenty-One Steps", and Fred Moore, the first African American Tomb Guard in US History. My friend, West Point alum Nancy Preston, generously shared a personal and non-Sentinel military perspective of the Old Guard. Later, the US Department of Defense granted me exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the Tomb Guard Quarters at Arlington National Cemetery. At the Tomb, I was introduced to 1LT Andrew Katz, SGT Troy Leister, and SGT Gabriel Silva. I am profoundly grateful for each person involved and the contribution they graciously made to this film.
Unfortunately, my father passed away unexpectedly in March 2022. He had helped guide the direction of the film and had seen a late draft of it. He loved this film and was very proud of my work.
I am forever proud of him.
Thank you for your interest in this film and I hope it adequately honors the special men and women who Walk the Mat.
Sincerely,
Phil Garrison
Director, “Sentinel: Inside the Sacred Duty”
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Did you know?
How many Sentinels have been female?
There have been over 700 tomb guards awarded the badge since 1958 when we started counting. There are hundreds more from the year 1926 when the Army started guarding the Tomb. The 3rd US Infantry (The Old Guard) is the unit that has been given the duty of guarding the Tomb. It was given this sacred duty in 1948. The Old Guard was -- and still is -- considered a combat unit. As an Infantry unit, females were not permitted in the ranks for many years. It wasn't until 1994 that females were permitted to volunteer to become a Sentinel when the 289th Military Police Company was attached to the Old Guard. The MP branch is a combat support unit and includes females.
In 1996, SGT Heather Johnsen became the first female to earn the Tomb Guard Identification Badge. She volunteered for duty in June 1995 and earned her badge in 1996. However, SGT Johnson was not the only female Sentinel. Since then, there have been a total of eight female Sentinels awarded the Tomb Guard Identification Badge:
SGT Danyell Wilson earned her badge in 1997SSG Tonya Bell received hers in 1998
SGT Ruth Hanks earned her badge in June 2015
SFC Chelsea Porterfield earned her badge in 2021
SGT Kamille Torres earned her badge in 2022
SPC Jessica Kwiatkowski earned her badge in 2023
SGT Kaylee Johnston earned her badge in 2024
Several other units have since been attached to the Old Guard -- food service, transportation, medics, etc. -- so now females have an ever-greater opportunity to become a Sentinel. Females must meet the same requirements as the male soldiers to be eligible to volunteer at the Tomb. the only difference is that females have a minimum height of 5'8" -- which is the same standard to be a member of the Old Guard.