Wreaths Across America

[Pylon]

It seems nobody has mentioned this yet this year, though it's been a perennial topic and event in CAP.  Anybody here participate?

Our squadron participated in conjunction with another area squadron, teaming up to distribute about 750 wreaths.  (For those interested, the article & publicity photos: http://bit.ly/CAPwaa ).

[SamFranklin]

Five Things That Make Wreaths Across America Awesome for CAP

1.)  It teaches cadets about character, sacrifice, and honor

2.)  It's a good community service for a quasi-military youth organization

3.)  Ordinary people in the community very much appreciate our helping honor veterans with wreaths

4.)  It makes for great press

5.)  It's a good fundraiser


Congrats to your squadron for their participation. Thanks for sharing the pics.

[Cool Mace]

WAA is something I look forward to every year.

This year we had the honor of also being the escorts to the Daughter of Revolution. We do the ceremony at the 45th Infantry cemetery in OKC, Oklahoma.

[SARDOC]

My squadron participated.  The Cadets love doing this every year and it's really a great fundraiser.

[Walkman]

This is our second year doing it. We're small and still working on getting the momentum up, but everyone likes it.

[FlyTiger77]

Group II of TNWG participated for the seventh consecutive year at the Chattanooga National Cemetery. Approximately 200 people attended and we were able to place between 650 and 700 wreaths.

This is one of the highlights of the CAP year for me.

[Cool Mace]

Group II of TNWG participated for the seventh consecutive year at the Chattanooga National Cemetery. Approximately 200 people attended and we were able to place between 650 and 700 wreaths.

This is one of the highlights of the CAP year for me.

Do you know if C/Lt Col Shumacher was able to attend?

[FlyTiger77]

Do you know if C/Lt Col Shumacher was able to attend?

Yes, he was there and his squadron had a large presence.

[Cool Mace]

Do you know if C/Lt Col Shumacher was able to attend?

Yes, he was there and his squadron had a large presence.

Glad to hear that! He is an outstanding cadet.

[MisterCD]

Ohio Wing had multiple units participate, and part of the Wing Staff honored the OHWG fallen from World War II: http://www.ohwg.cap.gov/home/salutetotheohwgfallen

[Woodsy]

I represented CAP at Jacksonville National Cemetery.  Seems the local squadron canceled the day before but I still went on my own to represent the wing. It was my honor and privilege to lay a wreath on the grave of a former squadron commander from this area who passed away earlier this year.  I ran into his wife, 2 daughters and a couple grandson's there as well and the widow was very touched that someone in CAP cared enough to do that. 

[Devil Doc]

NC-162 Iredell Composite Squadron and NC-800 Charlotte Squadron participated at the VA hosp cemetery. We placed about 1000 wreaths, there is over 3500 buried there. I am hoping in the future we can get wreaths in every grave site.

[starshippe]

   brunswick senior squadron was fairly well represented at the glynnville georgia veterans cemetery.

bill

[Rick-DEL]

We participated (Middletown Cadet Squadron) at the Delaware Veterans Cemetery in Bear, DE. Our squadron contributed (through sales/sponsors) over 350 of the 816 wreaths that were at that site. It was great, although sad that over 12,000 veterans are buried there. Next year we hope to vastly surpass the 816. Last year there were only 61 wreaths...so we are making progress.

[Sapper168]

We, Springfield Comp Squadron GLR-IL-036 participated in not only laying the wreaths out on graves but they had a ceremony and had our cadets post the flags of the 5 services and also lay a wreath for those who are MIA.

[BFreemanMA]

My squadron, the Westover Composite Squadron, put on a very nice ceremony at the Agawam Veteran's Cemetary. It was great getting representatives from all armed services together to honor those who served and are serving. Here's a link to one of our write-ups. The photos of the event are on Facebook, but it appears to be set to private. Sorry! http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/12/agawam_wreaths_across_america.html

[Slim]

Fifth (or sixth) year as one of the location coordinators at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, MI.  4200 wreaths delivered at 10:30 on Saturday morning, with a police and Patriot Guard Riders escort, between eight and nine hundred people, had the truck unloaded and all wreaths placed with about 20 minutes to spare before the 12:00 ceremony.  Unfortunately, the ceremony started 1:32 late due to the battery operated podium/PA system failing.

Felt kind of strange doing it in civies instead of a uniform.

[PHall]

We got notified that due to a shipping error, the 500 wreaths going to the Riverside National Cematary will not arrive until Monday the 24th.
I guess we know we're going to spend our Christmas Eve afternoon!

[FlyTiger77]

Here is the link for the TNWG Group II WAA site with some pictures from this year's event: www.waa.chattanoogacap.com

A lot of effort By 1st Lts Dyer and Stewart went into making this a very successful ceremony.

[ProdigalJim]

At Arlington National Cemetery, we contributed both to the wreath-laying teams and guards, and to the incident command group. I had to be out of town for a work thing that day, so I couldn't participate.

I spent six months this year as Deputy Commander for Cadets (I'm the Dep for Seniors now). A group of my cadets (ex-cadets?) remembered to place a wreath at my Mom's spot at Arlington. They took pictures and made sure I had them, even though I couldn't participate that day.

Talk about getting a lump in the throat. We've got some GREAT kids in this program...

[Abby.L]

Though a little late for this, still timeless:

Soon after the presentation of the service flags and a little before the wreaths were given up for passing out, a few select cadets were chosen to escort gold-star families to their respective gravesites. I was, much to my surprise, chosen to escort a family. This family --A mother and her two children of 8-10 years old-- introduced themselves, and I to them. As I am a child of divorced parents, I did not think anything about the lack of a father in the group, thinking it may have been a grandfather or uncle who was KIA. The kids did not seem in the least, for lack of better words, depressed. As I walked along with the family through the other gravesites, it gradually dawned on me that the gravesite we were going to was that of the husband and father. Now, it impressed me that the kids were so used to this change, and that they instead asked their mother about the father. "What was daddy's middle name, again?" "How old was he?" and similar hung in the air. As we arrived at the gravesite, one of the kids made a comment that daddy's birthday cupcake was still on the gravestone(His birthday having been a mere 2 months prior, I noticed the white blotch the child was indicating). The mother, having been in possession of the wreath, laid it. As I rendered my salute, tears came to my eyes(I'm almost crying just writing this) at the thoughts that these two children are growing up without a father, at the pain that I'm sure the mother went through, and the pain that I'm sure they feel whenever they visit the cemetery. I drop my salute, and the children indicate that they want a picture with daddy. The mother, unused to the fact that she had an escort, took a few pictures. I offered to get a few with her in it with them, and she goes to join the kids. After snapping a few, we go our separate ways, after a "Thank you for the escort," and "It was my pleasure, ma'am." During this whole time, I honestly felt a tinge in my chest when looking at the Army Sergeant, last name "Hunter," and the wife and children that he left behind. It pained me that things like this had to happen, but that it is the cost of living free.

When I go back to that cemetery(I also have some family buried there), I could probably locate his gravesite purely out of memory, and may put a few flowers to let the family know that they're not alone in the sacrifices that keep us free.

EDIT: Small grammar issue

[Nuke52]

When I go back to that cemetery(I also have some family buried there), I could probably locate his gravesite purely out of memory, and may put a few flowers to let the family know that they're not alone in the sacrifices that keep us free.

That would be a very nice gesture, Lt Lockling.  Thank you for posting this.  [Darn it, I think there is something in my eye...]