Sacred Duty: A Soldier's Tour at Arlington National Cemetery

“A moving, reverent history—a tribute, really—to ‘The Old Guard’ … An ode to excellence and caring in service to the nation. It is an inspiring read for every American.” — ROBERT M. GATES

An extraordinary journey behind the scenes of Arlington National Cemetery, Senator Tom Cotton’s Sacred Duty offers an intimate and inspiring portrait of “The Old Guard,” the revered U.S. Army unit whose mission is to honor our country’s fallen heroes on the most hallowed ground in America.

Cotton was a platoon leader with the storied 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment—The Old Guard—between combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. At the height of the Iraq Surge, he carried the flag-draped remains of his fallen comrades off of airplanes at Dover Air Force Base, and he laid them to rest in Arlington’s famed Section 60, “the saddest acre in America.” He also performed hundreds of funerals for veterans of the Greatest Generation, as well as the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

The Old Guard has embodied the ideals of honor and sacrifice across our nation’s history. America’s oldest active-duty regiment, dating back to 1784, The Old Guard conducts daily military-honor funerals on the 624 rolling acres of Arlington, where generations of American heroes rest. Its soldiers hold themselves to the standard of perfection in sweltering heat, frigid cold, and driving rain. Every funeral is a no-fail, zero-defect mission, whether honoring a legendary general or a humble private.

In researching and writing the book, Cotton returned to Arlington and shadowed the regiment’s soldiers, from daily funerals to the state funeral of President George H. W. Bush to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, reliving the honor—and the challenges—of duty at the nation’s “most sacred shrine.”

Part history of The Old Guard, part memoir of Cotton’s time at Arlington, part intimate profile of the today’s soldiers, Sacred Duty is an unforgettable testament to the timeless power of service and sacrifice to our nation.

“[Senator Cotton] helps his fellow Americans understand not only the hardships, but also the tremendous rewards of service in our military.” —GENERAL H.R. MCMASTER, former National Security Advisor

Sacred Duty EPB takes you inside America’s most sacred shrine to explore:

• A Veteran Author’s Perspective: Walk the grounds of Arlington with Senator Cotton as he recounts his time as a platoon leader in The Old Guard, from carrying fallen heroes from Dover Air Force Base to performing their final honors in Section 60.
• The Standard of Perfection: Discover the intense training and no-fail, zero-defect mindset required of the soldiers who perform military-honor funerals in blistering heat, freezing cold, and driving rain.
• Behind the Scenes at the Tomb: Gain unprecedented access to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Sentinels who stand a ceaseless, reverent watch over our nation’s heroes.
• America's Oldest Regiment: Journey through more than two centuries of U.S. history with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, from its founding in 1784 to its sacred duty today.