Photo By Elizabeth Fraser | Commander of the Guard U.S. Army Capt. Sean Paul Stolarski conducts his last walk at...... read more read more
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On May 29, 2026, U.S. Army Commander of the Guard of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Capt. Sean Paul Stolarski said goodbye to his fellow Tomb Guards at Arlington National Cemetery as he prepared to leave the Army. Yet he did not see his departure as final. “I still havea vested interestin a lot of theseguys,” Stolarskisaid, “and I plan on returning to check on them.”
Since 1948, the Tomb Guards of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) have stood watch over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery 24 hours-a- day, seven days-a-week. Their vigilance and precise rituals honor the three Unknowns buried at the Tomb, as well as all unknown or unidentified American service members who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
On his last day as a Tomb Guard, Stolarski, a 2021 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy from Weston, Connecticut, laid white roses at the base of each Unknown crypt, a tradition for departing Tomb Guards. At his departure ceremony, Stolarski thanked his wife, Annabel, for encouraging him to join the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment. After serving as a platoon leader in the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, he contemplated interviewing for a position within the Old Guard. Annabel told him he would never regret doing something hard, but he would regret not doing it.
“That’s all I needed to hear,” Stolarski told an audience of well-wishers in Arlington National Cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater. Not only did he join the Old Guard, but he served 16 months as the commander of the Guard. He credited his wife with all the praise he received at the ceremony.
Sergeant of the Guard Sgt. 1st Class Jesse Zafft, who served with Stolarski for 11 months, said working with him was a privilege. “Your work ethic gave me something I’ll always look up to,” he said, “and at the end of the day, you always had my back, and I hope you know that I had yours.”
Stolarski thanked those who made leading this mission so special, including organizations for families of loved ones lost in combat or those missing in action. “I'm so honored to be in that portion of your lives,” he said. “I hope you know that any Tomb Guard will accept you here, and this is your home as well.” Stolarski noted that whenever veterans from America’s previous wars, particularly World War II, visited the Tomb, he reminded them that they inspired him and his generation to serve in the military. “I’m fortunate that I've had countless encounters like that,” he said.
He also thanked the team at Arlington National Cemetery. “I love this place,” he said, “and you guys are really the ones who make it so special for me.”
Fellow Tomb Guards spoke highly of Stolarski’s tenure. Spc. Bryce Russo recalled how quickly Stolarski learned his duties. “He was out there every single morning, practicing the change as soon as he got here,” Russo said. Sgt. Ivan Ramirez, who has served at the Tomb for just six months, noted Stolarski’s concern for his comrades: “If someone is feeling bad or ill, he will always step up, take charge, take the lead.”
Stolarski will spend his first two months out of the Army interning for Major League Baseball in New York City, a part of the Army Career Skills Program, which helps officers transition to the civilian world. The job will combine his interest in business and leadership skills with his passion for baseball.
Stolarski acknowledged he will missthe Army and his role at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Yet he knows that the Tomb Guards will continue to pursue perfection.“They’ll be just fine,” he said after the ceremony.“I'm not the linchpin downhere,I'm just the guy fortunateenoughto have the wheel for a little bit.”
| Date Taken: | 07.17.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 07.17.2026 17:08 |
| Story ID: | 570235 |
| Location: | ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A Commander’s Farewell and Lasting Promise to the Tomb Guards, by Kevin Hymel, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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