Veteran Marine Staff Sgt. Tim Chambers, also known as “the saluting Marine,” honored war veterans on Memorial Day weekend by standing at attention for 24 hours straight in Washington.
Dressed in a Marine uniform, U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Chambers, 44, stood at a concrete median at the corner of Constitution Avenue and 23rd Street in Northwest D.C., behind the Lincoln Monument, at noon on Sunday—a day before Memorial Day.
Chambers has completed the feat every year since 2002 to raise awareness about veteran suicide. This year, he held a salute lasting 22 minutes in his first hour standing to represent the average number of American veterans who take their own lives daily.
“I am going to be saluting for 22 minutes for the first hour, 21 minutes for the second hour, 20 minutes of the third hour all the way to the last hour,” he told CBS 8 on Thursday.
“I did not go to war and I feel like I need to honor the eternal sacrifice of those that did and those who didn’t come home,” Chambers added.
His wife, Lorraine Heist Chambers, told WLJA that Memorial Day weekend is always a “very emotional time” for the Marine Corps veteran.
“This is something that he needs to do every year and I support him for it,” she said. “No matter what it takes, we get out here.”
Chambers usually stands at attention during demonstrations by Rolling Thunder, a veterans advocacy group. However, the “Ride for Freedom” was canceled this year due to the ongoing CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic. Co-founded in 1987 by Vietnam veteran Artie Muller, the group aims to pay tribute to fallen and missing-in-action soldiers.
More than 100 motorcycle riders still drove by on Sunday afternoon to watch Chambers, the news outlet reported.
When asked by CBS 8 why he chooses to return every year, Chambers said, “10 seconds of silence at events? Okay? Was it really felt? There [are] a lot of ways to serve our country.”
“This is something that came from my heart, from my own accord,” Chambers said during a live stream as he approached his 18th hour standing at attention.
From The Epoch Times
Correction: This article has been updated to reflect the correct status of Veteran Marine Staff Sgt. Tim Chambers. NTD regrets the error.