WASHINGTON POST PHOTO STORY FEATURES NANUET FD VOLUNTEER NICK PATA

 
By Jason Schlesinger
May 31, 2010
 

On Memorial Day, May 31, 2010, the Washington Post ran a feature photo story called "Making the Army's Model Soldier."

The story details how a soldier goes through an obsessively precise training program to become a member of the ceremonial Old Guard, the unit that performs funerals at Arlington National Cemetery.

The central focus of the story was Sgt Nick Pata, a 10 year member of the Nanuet Fire Department who just began duty with the Old Guard this spring after serving a 15 month tour of duty in Iraq, and being stationed in Hawaii's Schofield Barracks.

Below are the photo excerpts from the story.