Don't know about defending it but I was there once years ago on a very crummy cold, windy, freezing rain day. One of the guards was clearly having a hard time and sick. He was weaving and losing step. A WW2 old timer went gently up to him took his free elbow firmly in his hand and asked if he could have the honor of marching with him. The poor kid just kind of nodded and continued on. In the meantime the Sgt of the Guard was organizing a replacement which took a few minutes. When relived the guard was hauled off in an ambulance and I heard later he had a bad case of the flu.
A moment I will never forget.
Thanks for sharing that.
It’s a bit late now, and the weather’s not the greatest, but it seems like a great tradition to start would be to go down to the tomb on Christmas Eve and/or Day so that the sentinals and those in their care aren’t alone.