To have a son adopt his father's dream as his own is rare. But that is exactly what Rod Strong does when in 2006 he enlists in the Army to join The Old Guard. Serving as a Sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery is all his father ever wants, until he dies in the Gulf War. Now Rod decides to honor his father by taking his place.

He forges ahead, naively believing sheer will and hard work is all he needs. As he perseveres through Basic Training and Ranger School at Fort Benning, self-doubt begins to plague him. Still, holding firm to his father's goal, he overcomes hurdles he never anticipates. Finally he reaches the legendary 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment at Fort Myer, the home of The Old Guard, with his goal in sight. Then an unexpected deployment to Afghanistan derails his plans and when a firefight erupts, Rod confronts an overwhelming obstacle that threatens to defeat him completely.