the tradition of guarding the institute is one of the longest standing and is carried out to this day. cadets have been posted as sentinels guarding the barracks 24 hours a day, seven days a week while school is in session since the first cadet sentinel, cadet john b. strange, and others relieved the virginia militia guard team tasked with defending the lexington arsenal (that later became vmi) in 1839. the guard team wears the traditional school uniform and each sentinel is armed with an m14 rifle and bayonet.