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A historic guard change was made at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery last week.
Officials completed an all-female guard change for the first time in the vigil's 84-year existence, which pays tribute to unidentified service members killed during war, NPR reports.
The changing of the guard takes place during a ceremony overseen by a relief commander in which one Sentinel -- a soldier who stands watch at the tomb -- relieves another of their duties.
The historic change last Friday (October 1) came when all three soldiers were female as Sergeant of the Guard, Sgt. 1st Class Chelsea Porterfield, the first woman to hold the position, was preparing to make her final wak, according to Patrick Roddy, commander of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, widely referred to as "The Old Guard."
"It wasn't anyone's intent to 'engineer' this event, but we knew an event like this had significant meaning," Roddy said during an interview with Task & Purpose. "So in honor of SFC Porterfield's service, and at her request, the schedules were aligned for the first all-woman changing of the guard as part of her last walk."
The changing typically takes place every half hour in the summer and every hour in the winter, regardless of weather conditions, according to the Society of the Honor Guard via NPR.
The Tomb of the Unkown Soldier was created in 1921 and was initially guarded by the U.S. Army in 1926, but the branch began its 24/7 presence at the memorial in 1937.