Since its humble beginnings providing holiday wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery, Wreaths Across America has expanded to include most of the United States.
The organization had provided seven live, handmade balsam veterans’ wreaths — each with a corresponding service branch flag and a POW/MIA flag — to each registered location.
This year, however, the organization is adding an eighth ceremonial wreath representing the U.S. Space Force.
Since in founding as a non profit in 2007, WAA has provided seven live, handmade balsam veterans’ wreaths — each with a corresponding service branch flag, including a POW/MIA flag — to each registered participating location to use in that year’s National Wreaths Across America Day ceremony. Moving forward, eight wreaths will be provided along with the U.S. Space Force delta service flag.
Each participating location is coordinated by local volunteers who are encouraged to host a ceremony using these wreaths as part of their National Wreaths Across America Day ceremony and invite veterans, current service members and their families to participate.
This year’s National Wreaths Across America Day is scheduled for Dec. 18, and more than 2,700 participating locations are registered to take part. Each location will now receive eight ceremonial wreaths.
The U.S. Space Force, which was established December 20, 2019, with the enactment of the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, is the first new military service since the Army Air Forces were reorganized as the U.S. Air Force in 1947. The U.S. Space Force organizes, trains, and equips space forces in order to protect U.S. and allied interests in space and to provide space capabilities to the joint force.
“The U.S. Space Force traces its roots to the beginning of the Cold War, with the first Army Air Forces space programs starting in 1945, and the first major employment of space forces culminated in the Gulf War, where they proved so critical to the U.S.-led coalition,” said Joe Reagan, U.S. Army Veteran and Director of Military & Veteran Outreach, Wreaths Across America. “As an organization whose mission is to Remember the fallen, Honor those that serve and Teach the next generation the value of freedom, it is imperative that we recognize all those who have stepped up to serve as Guardians and continue to protect those Freedoms all Americans enjoy.”
Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization’s mission — Remember, Honor, Teach — is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at thousands of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.
For more information on how to volunteer locally or find a participating location near you, visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.