Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, our year long mission to Remember, Honor and Teach, is in part carried out by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at more than 3,600 participating locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea, and abroad. We trace our organization's history back to a wreath-laying event held at Arlington National Cemetery in December of 1992—more than 30 years ago!—and today it has grown far beyond that small act of remembrance to become an international movement supported by hundreds of thousands of volunteers honoring the sacrifices of millions of our nation's heroes.
Laying a live, balsam veteran's wreath on an individual headstone for one of our fallen heroes and saying their name out loud is a unique and individual experience. It is a small gesture of gratitude for the freedoms Americans enjoy each day, and we are so proud to play a part in making sure that the legacy of duty, service, and sacrifice of each veteran is never forgotten.