Where There’s Smoke...
Two years ago this Western Kansas farm boy was able to be in the oval office of the White House with the President as he signed into law the extension of the Fire Act Grant program. But on March 19, 2026 I had an honor and privilege even greater than that. I placed a wreath on behalf of firefighters at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers in Arlington National Cemetery. The sacrifice of so many brave men and women is on full display at Arlington - andat every other national or state veteran’s cemetery across this great nation. When we took our kids to Washington DC for the first time they were pretty small, but the first place we went after arrival was at Arlington. I wanted my kids to understand that it was not about the buildings, memorials and monuments but rather it was about the sacrifice that others had made throughout the years for our freedom. Arlington has a storied history. It belonged to the Robert E. Lee family and the United States seized it for the burial grounds of civil war soldiers. Essentially this was done to make the land uninhabitable by the Lee family. As I recall the family actually sued several years later and won theircase to have the grounds restored to the Lees but then the family sold the land to the United States Government after a decision from the United States Supreme Court.
Your arrival at Arlington is met with row upon row upon row of markers laid out in military precision. It is an awesome sight. Of course there are some very famous people there, including Presidents Kennedy and Taft. Walkingin the cemetery is humbling and sobering at the same time. 639 acres with 420,000 people buried within its confines.Then there is the tomb. It contains the remains of unidentified soldiers from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. Once it held a soldier from the Vietnam War but that person was eventually identified.
The Old Guard - soldiers assigned to the 3rd US Infantry Regiment guards the tomb. They are an elite group. Each move they make is scripted. Each move has meaning. Twenty-four hours a day soldiers guard the tomb. If you have not seen this, it should be on your list.
The fire service and military have a common history going back decades. Whole fire companies enlisted in the civil war and fought in battles throughout the war. Even today we share a bond with our miliary men and womenthat is unbreakable. To lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers was about honoring our servicemen and women. It was also about honoring firefighters, volunteer and career, that have died in the service of our nation, but also have died in service to their communities. God bless the United States of America, because where there’s smoke...