How can I observe the 3rd Infantry Regiment at Arlington Cemetery during closing time?

Question

I am informed that the 3rd U. S. Infantry Regiment musters at Arlington National Cemetery every Tuesday morning before the cemetery opens. They practice and rehearse formal military ceremonies so that they are in a constant state of readiness for state funerals, presidential events, and the like.

I have it in mind that these rehearsals would be an interesting spectacle to watch, I suppose tourists are either doing this or curious about how to do it. The problem I see is that the cemetery is "closed". Does it mean that it's gated you can't just walk in? Or would I be able to enter even though the cemetery is "officially" closed?

If so, is there a vantage point from which the rehearsals could be observed? I lived in Rosslyn for about 5 years attending graduate school and getting my career started so I am deeply and intimately familiar with the terrain, I just never thought to check out the cemetery when it was closed. There's a high-rise block of flats near the Iwo Jiwa Memorial that may provide a vantage point, but I cannot be sure.

Question: how can I observe the 3rd Infantry Regiment going through its various drills?

Answer 1

The cemetery is closed and inaccessible to visitors outside of opening hours:

(d) Visitors hours. Visitors' hours shall be established by the Superintendent and posted in conspicuous places. Unless otherwise posted or announced by the Superintendent, visitors will be admitted during the following hours:

• October through March—8 a.m. through 5 p.m.
• April through September—8 a.m. through 7 p.m.

No visitor shall enter or remain in the Cemetery beyond the time established by the applicable visitors' hours.

This means that you can't walk in and watch the rehearsal live. Your best bet would therefore be to find a vantage point nearby and get a pair of binoculars or even a telescope. I'd also imagine that the military isn't too keen on having people spectate rehearsals so I would try to do this as discretely as possible.