ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md.-The APG community paid tribute to hundreds of veterans and family members during Wreaths Across America events on APG North (Aberdeen) and APG South (Edgewood) Dec. 18.
WAA is traditionally held on the Saturday before Christmas. The APG Community Spouses Club sponsored a WAA event at the Shore Park Cemetery on APG North (Aberdeen), with assistance from APG garrison staff and the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command. The Shore Park Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 300 Soldiers, military spouses, military children and Army civilians. The cemetery dates back to the Revolutionary War.
APGCSC volunteer Melinda Conway served as the event narrator. The guest speaker for the event was Maj. Gen. Antonio Munera, commander of the 20th CBRNE Command.
The program opened with a moment of silence to remember the fallen, prisoners of war, missing in action, and honor those who have served and are serving in the nation’s armed services.
Munera said the fallen heroes buried in the Shore Park Cemetery helped fight for our independence and freedom. He said WAA aims to remember, honor and teach.
“By participating in this event you are remembering the brave men and women who gave their lives or sacrificed for this nation,” he said.
Munera encouraged participants to educate future generations on the sacrifices of those who came before them. This year the WAA theme is, “Live up to their Legacy.”
“[This] perfectly captures the teach portion of the mission,” he said. “By participating in today’s events and by encouraging our younger generations to remember and honor, we are instilling in them American values and love for their country. We are teaching them not just the names of those fallen heroes, but their bravery, their loyalty.”
Munera said he was “humbled and honored” to take part in the WAA tradition.
After the ceremonial wreath-laying, volunteers were invited to lay a wreath on a gravesite. They were encouraged to say the name of the veteran or family member’s name out loud, and thank them for serving the nation.
“These live balsam fir wreaths symbolize our honor to those who have served and are serving in the armed forces of our great nation and to their families who endure sacrifices every day on our behalf,” Conway said. “To our children, we want you to understand that the freedoms you enjoy today have not been free but have come with a cost that someday, you may have to pay yourself.”
Lt. Col. Drewry Brown with the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command, brought his son Dylan Brown, 2, with him to the ceremony.
“This is his first time doing this,” he said. “I think it would be good for him, teach him about service.”
Combat Veteran volunteer Bob Rynard, a Desert Storm veteran said he is glad Munera spoke about teaching the next generation about remembering veterans.
“We do that with a lot with VFWs [Veterans of Foreign Wars] and other veterans organizations around here making sure the younger generation understands about military service.”
About WAA
WAA is a national non-profit organization founded in 2007 to continue and expand the annual wreath- laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The mission of Wreath’s Across America is carried out in part by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington, as well as veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50
states and beyond. This year, across the country at more than 2,700 participating locations like this one, there are millions of Americans gathering safely as one nation to Remember, Honor and Teach. Since
2008, Congress has issued a proclamation officially recognizing “National Wreaths Across America Day” each December.
Other local WAA ceremonies
Also on Dec. 18, a WAA ceremony was held on APG South (Edgewood) with Col. Robin Neumeier, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense Commander as the guest speaker. APG senior commander and CECOM commanding general Maj. Gen. Robert Edmonson participated in the Bel Air Memorial Gardens ceremony; APG Garrison Col. Johnny Casiano at the Havre de Grace Angel Hill Cemetery; Director of the Army Futures Command Network Cross-Functional Team Brig Gen. Jeth Rey at the Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in Timonium and 20th CBRNE Soldiers provided a Humvee vehicle display.
For more photos, visit APG Participates in Wreaths Across America - Dec. 18, 2021 | Flickr
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