Photo By Staff Sgt. Andrew Valenza | U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Denise Donnell, Commander of the New York Air National...... read more read more
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SCHUYLERVILLE, N.Y. – Brigadier General Denise Donnell, the commander of the New York Air National Guard, was the keynote speaker on Saturday, Dec. 17, as 2,000 volunteers placed 15,100 wreaths on gravestones at Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville, New York.
The wreath laying was part of the annual Wreaths Across American effort to decorate the graves at Veterans Administration Cemeteries with Christmas wreaths.
The effort, Donnell said, were a symbol of the commitment the nation has to its former service members.
“The circle is a never-ending symbol of our commitment to our veterans, and also our commitment to our future to make sure that our children and our communities know the sacrifices of our veterans and we don't forget anybody,” she told the crowd.
Donnell said it was an incredible experience to be part of Wreaths Across America, for what it meant to the memory of those they were honoring.
“It's an incredible honor,” Donnell said.
“And it's humbling to be here amongst so many people to pay our respects to people who have passed away after serving their country, and to be a small part of that circle of honor and respect and teaching," she added.
During the ceremony members of each branch of the armed forces presented a wreath at the central memorial for all fallen members of their respective branch.
National Guard Soldiers and Airmen represented the Army and Air Force.
Cemetery Director Scott Lamb estimated that about 2, 000 people, turned out for the annual event this year.
One of the coordinators for the event, was Kevin Ressler, a retired New York Army National Guard sergeant, who coordinates the event for the local chapter of the Association of the United States Army.
Ressler provided instruction and guidance to the volunteers, so that every wreath was placed uniform to the ones next to it and placed in a dignified manner.
This means that as a wreath was placed, volunteers were encouraged to speak the names on the stones, he explained.
Each cemetery section is handled by different volunteer groups, Ressler said.
The Association of the United States Army chapter, which includes many current and former Army Guard members, covered two sections in the cemetery, attending to more than 4,300 headstones.
This is a way to bring the volunteers closer to the memory of the fallen, and honor their families, Ressler said.
“We have a lot of family members here that have taken time, they've placed their wreath, you know, they've taken a moment,” Ressler said.
“But now we have a lot [of grave sites] that family members aren’t here for. A lot of these people have been interned for, you know, 20 years. So, they know that their loved one is being honored with the wreath,” he said.
| Date Taken: | 12.21.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 12.21.2022 10:09 |
| Story ID: | 435609 |
| Location: | SCHUYLERVILLE, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 75 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NY Air Guard commander salutes veterans, families at Christmas wreaths cemetery event, by SSG Andrew Valenza, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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