DUGWAY PROVING GROUND, Utah – Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Jay’s biggest passion in life is his 6-year-old son, Finn. When he is not spending time with his son, the former Dugway Proving Ground (DPG) field sample handler puts his heart and soul into his Army career. Since leaving Dugway, Sgt. Jay has gone on two tours of duty in Afghanistan and one in West Africa. His latest role is one of the most prestigious in the U.S. Army.
On May 30, Sgt. Jay took over as the 41st sergeant of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Soldiers were first assigned to guard the Tomb in 1926 to discourage visitors from climbing or stepping on it. In 1937, the guards became a 24/7 presence, always standing watch over the Unknown Soldier. Sgt. Jay is a graduate of the Culver Military Academy in Indiana, he tells the newspaper there “It’s something I could never imagine would happen, but next to deploying and going to combat for my country, this is among the highest honors that I could be doing in the military.”
Sgt. Jay decided to join the military while working at DPG. Being near servicemembers and hearing their stories pushed him toward the service. Following his tours, the Sgt. joined the 3rd U.S. Infantry, known as “The Old Guard,” the Army’s official ceremonial unit and escort to the president.
While Jay is leading the unit at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, he will also work toward earning his Tomb Guard Identification Badge, which would give him the title of “sentinel.” The silver badge is one of the Army’s rarest as fewer than 700 have been awarded since 1958.
Jay’s mother, Kelly Jay – who works as a paramedic at DPG – says, “I have always been proud of my son. I was proud of him when he joined the Army, I was proud when he fought for his country, and I was proud when he joined the Old Guard.” She adds, “Becoming sergeant of the guard has made me an entirely new level of proud as a mother. When he lays a wreath on the tomb with the President on Veteran’s Day, it will be the most amazing day of his career.”
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