Fainting at work

Soldiers often have to stand to attention for hours in all kinds of weather, which often leads to fainting. You will see a selection of such curiosities in this issue.

A female cadet passed out at a graduation ceremony at a police academy in Bogotá, Colombia. (Jose Gomez/Reuters)

A member of the Coldstream Guards collapsed during the military parade "Trooping the Colour" in the UK. (Reuters Photographer/Reuters)

A US Marine faints near US President George W. Bush's helicopter in Ottawa, Canada. (Jim Young/Reuters)

One of the guards of honor faints in front of the Spanish Princess Leticia during a parade near the Royal Palace of El Pardo. (Andrea Comas/Reuters)

Members of the French Republican Guard support a colleague who passed out on the steps of the Elysee Palace in Paris. (John Schults/Reuters)

A female cadet collapsed during a ceremony outside the police academy in Bogotá, Colombia. (John Vizcaino/Reuters)

Cadets help a colleague who collapsed ahead of a parade at the funeral of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in Caracas. (Garcia Rawlins/Reuters)

An Air Force soldier collapsed during a ceremony marking the 67th anniversary of Indonesian Independence near the presidential palace in Jakarta. (Anny Nuraheni/Reuters)

One of the elite guards of honor collapsed near the Planaltu Palace in the city of Brasilia before the visit of Finnish President Tarja Halonen, October 31, 2003. (Jamil Bittar/Reuters)

A guardsman faints at the funeral of Prince Rainier III of Monaco in Monte Carlo, April 15, 2005. (Gerard Julien/Reuters)

The guardsman collapsed at the funeral of Prince Rainier III of Monaco in Monte Carlo, April 15, 2005. (Gerard Julien/Reuters)

Honor guards assist a colleague who collapsed as the presidents arrived at the opening ceremony of the Ibero-American Summit in Panama, November 17, 2000. (Reuters Photographer/Reuters)

Recruits from the Indian Armed Forces stand next to a comrade who collapsed during a parade on the outskirts of Srinagar on January 4, 2003. (Fayaz Kabli/Reuters)

An Australian soldier collapses outside Sydney's Town Hall after a march by Australian soldiers who returned home from Iraq on June 18, 2003. (David Gray/Reuters)

A Greek soldier passes out due to the heat near a military cemetery in Athens. (Reuters Photographer/Reuters)

An official collects the weapons of a member of the French Republican Guard who collapsed during a parade on Bastille Day in Paris, July 14, 2007. (REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier)

French soldiers help a comrade who collapsed during a ceremony in memory of the late French Prime Minister Pierre Maurois in the courtyard of Les Invalides in Paris. (Charles Platiau/Reuters)

A guard fainted during a ceremony in Ottawa, Canada. (Chris Wattie/Reuters)

A policewoman helps her colleague who collapsed during a rehearsal for Indian Independence Day celebrations in Chennai. (Babu Babu/Reuters)

Medics help a soldier from the Maltese armed forces who collapsed during a parade near the war memorial in Floriana. (Reuters)

A soldier supports a colleague who collapsed during the celebration of the 55th anniversary of the founding of the Sri Lanka Armored Corps in Colombo. (Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters)

Members of the French Republican Guard assist a colleague who collapsed on the steps of the Elysée Palace in Paris. (John Schults/Reuters)