Latest news with #TheOldGuard
USA Today
26-05-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
'HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY TO ALL': Trump pens holiday post going after opponents
'HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY TO ALL': Trump pens holiday post going after opponents Show Caption Hide Caption Army soldiers place Memorial Day flags in Arlington National Cemetery The Old Guard placed about 260,000 flags at the gravestones of service members and their families at Arlington National Cemetery for Memorial Day. WASHINGTON − On a federal holiday meant to honor soldiers who have died serving their country, President Donald Trump on social media wished a "HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!" An hour later, he repeated the statement, this time in a much longer, still all-caps post attacking his political opponents and federal judges. "HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY TO ALL, INCLUDING THE SCUM THAT SPENT THE LAST FOUR YEARS TRYING TO DESTROY OUR COUNTRY THROUGH WARPED RADICAL LEFT MINDS," Trump wrote in the May 26 post. Not the first holiday rage: Trump marks Easter with blasts aimed at Biden and 'Radical Left Lunatics' The president in his post appeared to reference Joe Biden as "AN INCOMPETENT PRESIDENT," and he criticized judges who he said "SUFFER FROM AN IDEOLOGY THAT IS SICK, AND VERY DANGEROUS FOR OUR COUNTRY." Trump has stoked an ongoing war with judges across the country since the start of his second administration, from threatening their impeachment to seeking to evade their rulings against his orders. The president's allies and opponents alike have called the feud between branches a constitutional crisis. More: How Trump's clash with the courts is brewing into an 'all-out war' The president's online activity at the start of Memorial Day also included a series of posts sharing videos marking the somber holiday with tributes to the military. Later on May 26, Trump is scheduled to give remarks and participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in northern Virginia.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The Army's ultimate memorial honor: horse-drawn Caissons funerals to resume at Arlington
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY — At 6:30 a.m., the scrape of manure shovels and the shuffling of horse hooves echoed through the red-brick stable at Ft. Myer. Soldiers from caisson detachment in blue jeans, black shirts and white cowboy hats mucked out stalls. Kennedy, Lance and Truman – statuesque, dark horses – poked their heads between steel bars, eyes wide. The unit is in its final days of practice, preparing for the return June 2 of carrying deceased troops by horse-drawn caisson wagon to their graves, a tradition that dates to the 19th century. USA TODAY had access to the soldiers, facilities and horses of the caisson detachment, part of the Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as 'The Old Guard,' during one of their final rehearsals. 'It's been two years since we've taken part in a funeral,' said Lt. Col. Jason Crawford, a veterinarian and former rodeo rider who commands the unit. 'We're getting that muscle memory back.' For decades, soldiers had been providing funeral services at the cemetery with caissons, wagons that once hauled supplies to the front and brought fallen troops home. That stopped in May 2023 after two of the unit's horses, Mickey and Tony, died after gravel they'd eaten fouled their guts. An Army investigation found four horses had died in a year, the Army's herd had grown old and their training and facilities were outdated. Since then, the Army has spent more than $28 million to upgrade stables, rehabilitate horses, buy new, younger ones, and hire experts to advise on their care and training. Their equipment, from rubber mats to cushion their hooves to custom-made saddles for their backs, has been improved, too. More: Horse-drawn Army caissons to roll again for funerals at Arlington National Cemetery The caisson detachment passed its first major test in January, carrying the casket of former President Jimmy Carter to the White House during his state funeral. In the following months, soldiers acclimated the horses to Arlington National Cemetery's winding, hilly roads and the vehicles and people who visit the nation's premier military burying ground. With two squads of soldiers and horses trained, Army officials believe they can conduct two caisson funerals per day. That number will increase as more soldiers and horses are trained. It hasn't all gone smoothly. Earlier this spring, something spooked the horses, and a few bolted about 100 yards before they could be controlled. A soldier's leg got broken and one horse required rest to recover from the chaos, said Maj. Wes Strickland, an Army spokesman. Nor, in the opinion of an influential senator, should the Army have paused the time-honored tradition. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, a veteran of the Old Guard who helped conduct army funerals as a young officer, said in an interview that while it was appropriate to improve the caisson program he was 'saddened and frustrated' that the funeral tradition was suspended for two years. 'The caisson platoon has operated for decades without shutting down and frankly, horses have been pulling wagons since the dawn of history,' Cotton said. 'This is not a complicated task.' The Army needs to care for the horses properly and accept that some will be injured or killed, he said. 'We have to be realistic that horses are going to pass away and horses are going to be injured,' Cotton said. 'That's just the nature of the work they do. Just like elite horses on racetracks, we want to care for these horses. And I can promise you that no one cares for these horses better than the young horsemen soldiers who have trained with them and lived with them for years.' The unit's soldiers do appear diligent about their horses' care. They shovel poop from the stalls into wheelbarrows, sweep the last wood chip from the aisle and set down fresh bedding. No grousing, instead soft, soothing words to the horses and pats on their flanks. Sgt. Natalee Silva, 23, went through the morning ritual: cleaning the stall, filling water bowls, stocking up hay and inspecting the horses for any bumps or cuts. She grew up in Gillette, Wyoming around horses, and enjoys spending time with them. Lance is her favorite. 'Me and him have a connection,' she said, scratching Lance's neck where she once found a tick. Across the way, Truman sprawled out on a bed wood shavings. 'He knows he'll be working in a few hours. You have to be patient with him; he can be a morning grouch,' said Private 1st Class Joshua Allen, 19, from Houston. 'We'll be getting him ready for the mission soon.' Soldiers like Allen and Silva apply for the caisson detachment. About half the candidates make the cut after interviewing, slinging a bale of hay, and displaying calm with horses. Then training begins: a 12-week basic horsemanship course followed by six-week boot camp at an equestrian sports facility in Ocala, Florida. Experience with horses is great but not required, said Sgt. 1st Class Trevor Carlin. About two-thirds of the unit's soldiers, including Allen, didn't grow up around them. He looks for soldiers who ask questions and want to learn. Core strength is key, too. Carlin said, as soldiers need to guide their horses while keeping erect posture. 'We need very independent, super-fit soldiers,' said. A soldier like Staff Sgt. Isaac Melton. He led the rehearsal, riding ahead on what is called the section horse. That's Truman, age 5, who was last seen lounging in his stall. Now Truman stood tall, a gold heart on his breast plate. All business. 'Truman and I have similar personalities,' said Melton, 34, from McKenzie, Louisiana. Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall adjoins Arlington National Cemetery. Melton brought Truman and the caisson team through the gate into the shade of oak trees that tower over row upon row of white marble tombstones. Six horses, three with riders, tow the caisson. At a moderate walking pace, the horses clip-clopped up the hill past Arlington House, the 19th century home built as a memorial to George Washington and later inherited by Robert E. Lee. Tourists snapped photos and the horses pressed on. Melton stopped the procession on a shady stretch, a designated rest stop with green metal hitching posts for the horses. The unit is ready to conduct funerals, he said. 'One hundred percent,' Melton said. 'We've been training for a long time and have left no stone unturned. Every day the horses settle in a little more. They're in their own vibe.' At the stable after the practice run, under fans suspended from its gabled roof, soldiers washed down the horses. They cleaned and stowed equipment and Kennedy gnawed at fresh hay. Cotton, who as an officer oversaw funerals, said the caisson ceremony holds special meaning for relatives of the fallen. The first funerals with caissons will be limited to troops killed in action, recipients of the Medal of Honor or Prisoner of War Medal and high-ranking service members. About 25 service members whose families have waited during the two-year pause will also be carried to their graves by caisson. 'It's something that I think solemnifies the moment even more for those families,' Cotton said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ultimate Army honor: Caisson funerals to resume at Arlington Cemetery
The Hill
22-05-2025
- General
- The Hill
'Flags In': Veterans Honor FALLEN HEROES For Memorial Day Event At Arlington National Cemetery
Every year around Memorial Day members of the military walk the grounds and place a small flags at more than 260,000 headstones. The United States flag is one of the most significant symbols of Memorial Day, representing freedom, sacrifice and remembrance. Just before Memorial Day weekend, the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (also known as The Old Guard) honors America's fallen heroes by placing American flags at gravesites for service members buried at Arlington National Cemetery and the U.S. Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery. This tradition, known as "Flags In," has taken place annually since the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment was designated as the Army's official ceremonial unit in 1948. Every available soldier in the Old Guard participates, along with members of other service branches. They place small American flags in front of more than 260,000 headstones and at the bottom of about columbarium 7,000 niche rows. Each flag is inserted into the ground, exactly one boot length from the headstone's base.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How Did Andy Lose Her Immortality Before The Old Guard 2?
The Old Guard 2 recently released its official trailer. With the film steadily approaching its July release date, fans have begun having questions about the first film — one of them being 'How did Andromache aka Andy lose her immortality?' Like the previous film, The Old Guard 2 is based on Greg Rucka's comic book series of the same name. Rucka, who had written the screenplay of the first film, reprises writing duties for the second installment. So how did Charlize Theron's Andy aka Andromache lose her immortality in The Old Guard? Here's what you need to know. The specifics of how Andy lost her immortality in The Old Guard are unknown. This is because the film doesn't give a definite answer. In the first film, Andy learns about her immortality's loss after receiving a stab wound that doesn't heal the way it used to. Booker shoots her, revealing this new development. Additionally, characters around Andy question the source behind her immortality loss. However, the film itself does not explore the reason behind it or go into specifics concerning it. Moreover, the immortals believed that their immortality would only be active for a fixed amount of time, and once that time passed, it would start fading. The comics that The Old Guard films are based on do not explain why Andy was losing her immortality. They also have not explored crucial details surrounding it. This is by design, according to creator Greg Rucka, who explained the same in a Polygon interview. 'That was something that I had no interest in exploring in the comic,' Rucka said. 'I didn't want to waste time or real estate, because comic book pages — that's your premium, that's what you're spending to tell the story.' However, Rucka did acknowledge how he and the other creatives were 'a little more obligated to at least promise answers to questions,' since they were making a film. More questions surrounding Andy's immortality and its loss are addressed in The Old Guard 2's official trailer. These questions will most likely be answered when the film comes out.
Tom's Guide
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Uma Thurman and Charlize Theron duke it out in Netflix's 'The Old Guard 2' trailer — watch it here
Five years on from the original, Netflix is finally bringing us a sequel to its superhero movie "The Old Guard" — and it looks like it might have been worth waiting for. Charlize Theron has proven her action chops again and again — you need only see something like "Atomic Blonde" or "Mad Max" as evidence — and it looks like Theron, the rest of her immortal warrior-mercenaries, and a formidable foe (played by Uma Thurman) will be on fine form in Victoria Mahoney's "The Old Guard 2", based on the trailer that just dropped. Talking to Tudum about the sequel, star Charlize Theron had this to say: "There's something for everyone in this movie: Fans who loved the first film, fans who love the original graphic novels — and brand-new fans who are looking for insane action, grounded and relatable characters, gorgeous locations, and a global cast of superstars. "The stakes are even higher now that Andy is mortal and can die — but that certainly won't keep her out of the action," she adds. The trailer certainly makes it look like "The Old Guard 2" will deliver on her promises; the whole clip is essentially back-to-back brawls, pained screams, and intriguing story beats. There are car chases, stunts, shoot-outs, and the return of ex-Old Guard member Quynh, who's out for revenge after suffering below the waves. In between all that, we're treated to some backstory and villainous grandstanding sprinkled in to set the stakes higher than ever. Plus, it tees up the group's new rival: the very first of the Immortals, whom Henry Golding's Tuah warns is very dangerous indeed: "I am scared of what she's capable of." And if that wasn't enough to get you hyped, it ends with a quick look at what's sure to be an epic showdown between battle-axe-wielding Andy (Theron) and Discord (Thurman), wherein the "Kill Bill" star picks up a katana all over again. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. If you're after all-out action, then "The Old Guard 2" looks like it's going to be a pulse-pounding addition to the streaming service's library this summer. Interested? You can look forward to streaming "The Old Guard 2" exclusively on Netflix from Wednesday, July 2. Frankly, the trailer probably gives enough of the movie's secrets away already, but if you'd prefer a full synopsis for "The Old Guard 2," Netflix has you covered. It reads: "Andy (Charlize Theron) and her team of immortal warriors are back, with a renewed sense of purpose in their mission to protect the world. With Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) still in exile after his betrayal, and Quynh (Veronica Ngô) out for revenge after escaping her underwater prison, Andy grapples with her newfound mortality as a mysterious threat emerges that could jeopardize everything she's worked towards for thousands of years. "Andy, Nile (KiKi Layne), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), Nicky (Luca Marinelli) and James Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) enlist the help of Tuah (Henry Golding), an old friend who may provide the key to unlocking the mystery behind immortal existence." With Netflix promising "the action will be bigger and bolder than ever" and billing "The Old Guard 2" as "an emotional, adrenaline-pumping sequel," I'm certainly on board. Need something to keep you entertained while you wait for "The Old Guard 2" to land? Check out our guide to the best Netflix action movies or our overall round-up of the best movies on Netflix for tons more streaming recommendations.
