On any day in Arlington National Cemetery, one may hear the clip clop of hooves and the soft jingle of bridles over the silence as soldiers honor their comrades. The National Cemetery is more than a final resting place. Comprised of over 6oo acres, the parcel is sacred ground planted with heroism and sacrifice since 1866. Fellow soldiers pay tribute by leading a warrior through a field of courage on a final journey to rest in a place suited for our country’s bravest. The sacrifice by these soldiers is towering, and as a nation our homage should be a testimony to them. Today, as funding grows tight, what price tag do we place on the obligation to honor these selfless men, women, and equines?
The 3rd United States Infantry Regiment is traditionally known as The Old Guard. It is the oldest active infantry unit in the Army, serving the nation since 1784. The regiment has many duties. They are responsible for ceremonies like escorting the President, parades, and providing security to Washington D.C. during times of civil unrest or national crisis. This infantry regiment is divided into several platoons that answer a specific call of duty. One such duty performed—the most sacred of duties—is honoring our fallen soldiers by carrying them to their final resting place.
The Caisson Platoon consists of men, women, and equine soldiers who respectfully honor a fallen comrade. The Caisson carries out their duty an average of eight times a day. With each funeral, both soldier and horse seem to solemnly understand that every service is unique to the family, an irreplaceable ceremony and distinctive journey. This duty does not just happen nor is it taken lightly.
xperienced equestrians are aware of the difficulty of locating and training a horse to walk securely and not miss a step, no matter what explodes in their path. This is the obligation of the Caisson for both soldier and horse. The platoon ensures final honors for those they carry, more priceless than gold, with a distinction that holds position in reverence and silence. They understand that the men and women who lost their lives—perhaps dropping from planes, taking a bullet, sacrificing for others—are the true heroes.
Tom Cotton’s book Sacred Duty: A Soldier’s Tour at Arlington National Cemetery contains a library of knowledge regarding The Old Guard and their impeccable standards. Cotton is a U.S. Senator who served in Iraq and in The Old Guard.
“We held our nation’s fallen heroes close to our hearts in everything we did. From the care of our uniforms to the precision of our marching to the grooming of our horses, it was our sacred duty to honor the fallen in ways big and small. Our standard was simple: perfection on every level.” — Tom Cotton, from his book Sacred Duty.
The term “caisson” originally meant a chest or wagon built as a platform for 75mm cannons, ammunition, artillery, and provisions to carry to the front lines. The caisson was pulled by horses, and once emptied, the unit then returned to transport the wounded or dead back to hospitals or the morgue. Today the platforms have a flat deck for the casket. The caisson bears the fallen soldier and is a most hallowed responsibility. Both horse and soldier are dedicated, pristine, and impeccable as they march in uniform perfection.
Surprisingly, soldiers are not necessarily experienced riders, as they are trained to a specific style for the unit since 1948. Every maneuver and detail is rehearsed to perfection. Uniforms and tack are unique to the regiment. Soldiers learn stiff posture in military style in a specifically designed McClellan saddle. George Brinton McClellan was a U.S. Army officer who became a general and chief in 1861 during the Civil War. He designed the saddle after a tour in Europe to study the latest in Calvary developments in field equipment.
Soldiers maintain their uniform, clean tack, and care for their horse. These rituals begin in the early morning, as early as 4:00 AM, at the Caisson stables located in Fort Myer adjacent to Arlington Cemetery. Here over fifty soldiers, divided into squads and teams, are responsible for their mounts. There are seven horses to a team.
The horses come to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall to be trained for their mission of towing the caisson. The coffin is pulled by six horses, in silence, weaving the paths in three teams: the lead team, the swing team, and, nearest to the caisson, the wheel team. All six are saddled, but only the horses on the left are mounted. This historically represents the tradition in battle of one mounted horse leading another saddled only with provisions. One such equine was the infamous Black Jack, who marched in more than 1,000 Armed Forces Full Honors funerals and is buried in Arlington.
In a full-honor funeral, a riderless horse follows the procession, an ornamental covering draped over its saddle. The caparisoned horse is led behind the Caisson wearing the rider’s boots in the stirrups reversed—an indication the soldier will never ride again. This casket bears any Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps commissioned officer holding the rank of colonel or above. Also, Presidents, as commanders in chief, are bestowed the same honor.
After learning the history and duties of The Old Guard, I reflected on our obligation as a nation. I had the privilege of speaking to Julie Broadway, a certified association executive (CAE) and lifelong horse lover who has been president of the American Horse Council (AHC) and Foundation since 2016. She serves as CEO and oversees such goals as aiding the board of trustees in setting directions and visions. The AHC's role is to be the voice of the equine industry with federal legislative and regulatory bodies. They educate and provide input/feedback to congressional members, staffers, and regulatory agencies.
Broadway states: “We work closely with coalitions in D.C. to help move the industry’s efforts forward, whether that be tax, workforce challenges, gaming, sports, disease mitigation, etc. The AHC Foundation is responsible for charitable and scientific endeavors like the United Horse Coalition which helps at-risk horses, economic impact studies, equine welfare data collective, research summits, and all types of data collection and analysis.”
Broadway also noted the AHC staff has a long-standing relationship with The Old Guard and sees them firsthand. “The Old Guard conducts themselves with three duties: Duty of Care, Duty of Loyalty, and Duty of Obedience.” According to her, the AHC has been involved in several events with members of the Guard, and they never fail to elicit awe and admiration. “It's evident,” she said, “that the horses become partners, family, and colleagues to them. Adding this to the solemn duty of laying a comrade to rest, they are a magical team.”
Funding for this program comes from the Department of Defense. And like any government agency, funding is always tight and challenging. Following the increase in today’s costs, the budget to maintain this regiment is ever growing. According to Broadway, in June 2022 the Army said it spent almost $2.5 million since March on improvements for the 60 horses kept at Fort Myer-Henderson Hall and Fort Belvoir, Virginia. They are still searching to expand lots and pastures.
“We're told the Senate Armed Services Committee may include funding for improvements in the annual National Defense Authorization Act,” Broadway stated. She shared that this committee is in the process of drafting the legislation, and she encourages grassroots advocacy to tell congressional members to support The Old Guard, and to encourage the Armed Services Committee to commit funding for improvements.
Those who lead a fallen soldier who has died to bestow freedom on individuals he or she never met deserve respect. The Caisson implements this observance with the utmost dedication. The duty is vital to families and soldiers who died for our freedom. For this reason, horse lovers and others should be aware of the significance of these soldiers, both human and horse, in this platoon. To show support for the Regiment is the least we can do to give back.
Alicia Stephens Martin’s third novel, Private Mom, is about a widowed mother torn apart when her daughter, an avid equestrian, joins the Army. The novel spurred her interest in The Old Guard, specifically The Caisson, a platoon which performs the solemn duty of carrying soldiers to their final resting place.