US Army Honour Guard passes out during President Barack Obama's farewell ceremony with armed forces
The outgoing Head of State had just told members of the military there is “no greater privilege and no greater honor” than serving as Commander-in-Chief when soldier collapsed
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A US Army Honour Guard passed out in front of Barack Obama as the outgoing US President gave a farewell speech to the armed forces on Wednesday.
The soldier was pictured face down on the ground while other guards remained standing, as if nothing had happened to their colleague.
The serviceman is believed to have fainted as Mr Obama addressed the military at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington Virginia, for the last time before he leaves office.
It is unclear what happened to the guard, but it is not uncommon for soldiers to pass out during ceremonies because they often have to stand to attention for hours at a time.
Moments earlier Mr Obama had told members of the US military that there is “no greater privilege and no greater honor” than serving as their Commander-in-Chief.
He said: “As I reflect on the challenges we have faced together and on those to come, I believe that one of the greatest tasks before our armed forces is to retain the high confidence that the American people rightly place in you.
“We must never hesitate to act when necessary to defend our nation, but we must also never rush into war because sending you into harm's way should be a last and not first resort.”
He called for a smooth transition as he hands over control of the military to President-elect Donald Trump.
He said: “We've got to make sure that during this transition period that there is a seamless passing of the baton, that there's continuity.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments