CAP members place wreath at Air Force Memorial

Air Force Link ^ | Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski

[SandRat]

12/18/2007 - ARLINGTON, VA. (AFPN) -- Members of the Civil Air Patrol paid their respects to fallen Airmen at a wreath laying ceremony at the Air Force Memorial here Dec. 15.

CAP Brig. Gen. Amy Courter, national commander, joined the Hagerstown, Md., unit at the memorial to "offer support in the spirit the Civil Air Patrol always has."

"We came out here to honor Airmen at their memorial," General Courter said. "Of our 23,000 cadets across America, to bring some of those cadets here is just a terrific honor."

The ceremony included several members of the unit's honor guard, a bugler to play "Taps" and two officers who walked the wreath to its place amid the trio of spires that make up the monument.

Cadet Logan Kendall, one of the youngest members of the honor guard, braved the 34-degree weather but said it was worth it to have the opportunity to pay his respects.

"It makes me glad that we could come to this," Cadet Kendall said. "We just wanted to honor the people who have passed away."

The ceremony was part of the national "Wreaths Across America" celebration where members of the CAP place holiday wreaths on the graves of fallen service members at memorials and in cemeteries in every state. The Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine, donated more than 15,000 wreaths for the endeavor.

"Wreaths Across America is a exceptional way to honor our veterans who helped preserve the freedoms we as Americans hold dear and too often take for granted," General Courter said. "Through the community involvement of our members in Maine, Civil Air Patrol has been involved with the Arlington remembrance ceremony for several years. We take great pride in helping Worcester Wreath Co. make this remembrance program a memorable national event this holiday season."

[SandRat]

Members of the Civil Air Patrol honor fallen Airmen during a wreath laying ceremony Dec. 15 at the Air Force Memorial in Arlington, Va. The event was part of the national "Wreaths Across America" celebration where members of the CAP place holiday wreaths on the graves of fallen servicemembers at memorials and in cemeteries in every state. (Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski)