CAP Will Lead Nearly Half Of All Observances Next Month

In what is now very much a holiday tradition, the Civil Air Patrol is partnering with Wreaths Across America, a nonprofit organization with a mission to remember, honor and teach about the service and sacrifices of our nation's veterans.

Veteran memorials and gravesites across the nation will be adorned with remembrance wreaths on December 13 in solemn tributes to the courage and sacrifice of those who have guarded and preserved our nation’s freedom throughout history. CAP units will lead almost half of roughly 350 observances this year and will participate with other color and honor guards in many additional locations. CAP cadets and officers will lay wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery that morning as well.

Members of the public have sponsored placement of more than 100,000 wreaths on veterans’ graves across the US, an increase of nearly 70,000 wreaths from 2007. These wreaths will be placed in ceremonies at cemeteries in all 50 states.

Worcester Wreath Co. donated more than 17,000 wreaths for the remembrances, 10,000 of which will be placed at Arlington National Cemetery.

Wreaths Across America began in 2006 as an offshoot of the Arlington National Cemetery wreath project, which was started in 1992 with the annual placement of wreaths donated by Worcester Wreath Co. Wreaths Across America ceremonies were conducted largely by CAP wings and squadrons with the help of veterans’ organizations; private citizens; the Maine State Society of Washington, DC, which annually assists with the laying of wreaths at Arlington; and the Patriot Guard Riders.

In its first year, Wreaths Across America wreath-laying ceremonies were held at more than 240 national and state veterans’ cemeteries across the country and in Puerto Rico.

Tobin Slaven, Wreaths Across America spokesperson, applauded the relationship between Worcester Wreath and CAP. "It really has been phenomenal. Civil Air Patrol has been a driving force behind Wreaths Across America’s growth over the last several years," Slaven said.

FMI: www.wreathsacrossamerica.org, www.gocivilairpatrol.com