Solemn Duty in the Old Guard

This candid memoir recounts the author’s nearly four years in the 3rd United States Infantry Regiment—a.k.a. “The Old Guard” or “Escort to the President”—from 2000 to 2004. Beginning with his grueling summertime infantry basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, he depicts the day-to-day challenges and triumphs of life in the U.S. Army’s oldest and most storied unit, from the 2001 Presidential Inauguration to the recovery efforts following the September 11 attacks.

Mark Joseph Mongilutz is a professional ghostwriter, copywriter and author. He lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Mark Joseph Mongilutz
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 284
Bibliographic Info: 16 photos, index
Copyright Date: 2018
pISBN: 978-1-4766-7221-2
eISBN: 978-1-4766-3179-0
Imprint: McFarland

Author’s Note vii
Preface 1
Overview of Military Terminology 3
I. Home, Memories Thereof 9
II. “You’re in the motherfucking Army now, motherfucker” 13
III. Boots, Chutes and Amended Contracts 20
IV. Airborne School and a Temporary Homecoming 42
V. The Old Guard Welcomes Its Newest 52
VI. Second Platoon and a Cold Inauguration 70
VII. Regimental Orientation and the Expert Infantry Brigade 78
VIII. A Running Summer and a Long Day on Summerall 97
IX. “I think the Pentagon got hit” 110
X. Returning to the Bravo Co. Grind 125
XI. Polk, EIB and the Musketeers 137
XII. Driving, Crashing, Moving 152
XIII. S-3: “Nobody knows what to do with these guys!” 164
XIV. The Earning (and Occasional Abuse) of Trust 170
XV. Twenty-Five-Hour Days, a Promotion Board and a Rumor 178
XVI. Left Bravo a Private, Returned an NCO (Almost) 198
XVII. “You boys been to Africa?” 209
XVIII. Wells and Volleyball 232
XIX. Out of Africa 250
XX. A Brief TOG Return and a Morose ­Out-Processing 261
Epilogue 270
Index 275