SCHUYLERVILLE, New York --Nine New York Air Guard Airmen and two New York Army Guard noncommissioned Soldiers were among 40 military personnel who turned out for the annual Wreaths Across America remembrance ceremony at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville, New York on Dec. 13, 2025.
The annual Wreaths Across America event honors the nation’s military veterans by placing remembrance wreaths on the graves of local veterans.
A total of 17,000 balsam wreaths were placed at the cemetery, according to the national Wreaths Across America organization.
The cemetery is located near the Saratoga National Historic Park where the critical 1777 defeat of an invading British Army took place.
Volunteers spent the morning placing wreaths throughout the cemetery and reciting the names of fallen heroes — a staple of the Wreaths Across America mission to “Remember, Honor and Teach”.
The other participants included Sailors assigned to the Nuclear Power Training Unit in Saratoga Springs, and Schenectady Naval Reserve Center, as well as members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Marine Corps Reserve.
“Each wreath we place is more than evergreen and ribbon,” said Air National Guard Colonel Steven Slosek, the commander of the 109th Airlift Wing. “It is our visible promise that those who serve will never be forgotten.”
“Part of the instructions for placing the wreaths is that the veteran’s name is spoken aloud so their memory is not forgotten,” said Navy Captain David Tranotti, commanding officer of U.S. fleet forces N01 who narrated a memorial ceremony which followed the morning’s work.
New York Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Corey Ruddock, and Sgt. Anthony Re, both members of the Troy-based, 42nd Infantry Division, placed a wreath representing the Army.
Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Dylan Schrom and Airman 1st Class Bryan Perez, both from the 109th Airlift Wing, located at Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia, placed the Air Force wreath.
“I’ve never been a part of anything like this; I didn’t even know it existed,” said Ruddock, an Attica, New York native.
“But to honor the fallen men and women, it’s a great honor. They paved the way for all of us, for my career, my personal upbringing, the whole nine yards. I would do this again in a heartbeat," he added.
“The amount of people that came out, it makes it feel a lot more worth it that people care and appreciate what’s going on here,” said Re, a Naugatuck, Connecticut native.
“Honestly, I was expecting maybe 20 to 50 people,” explained Ruddock.
“But we had hundreds here, and that shows a lot of fortitude and gratitude towards us as service members and veterans, past, present, and future," Ruddock added.
The ceremony began with a touch of atmosphere as snow started to fall during the opening remarks from speakers, including the cemetery’s director, the commander of the Navy and Air National Guard contingents, and Gold Star family members, to name a few.
Service members then laid the wreaths before the event concluded with a traditional military rifle volley of a 21-gun salute, followed by the playing of Taps. The final honor was a bagpipe rendition of “Amazing Grace.”
For both Ruddock and Re, outside of honoring the veterans who came before, representing the 42nd Inf. Div. and working alongside uniformed members of other branches was a highlight of the day.
“To be a cohesive front of branches across the board, that inspired me,” said Ruddock. “And the 42nd, being right out of Troy, right down the road in a sense, showing support across the board, I don’t have the words to share how emotional it is.”
“I like doing any kind of mission that involves all of us,” Re said of working alongside service members from other branches. “It’s nice to hear about where they come from and what they do, and it’s nice when we’re able to come together and make things like this happen.”
First designated in 2008, Wreaths Across America Day is an annual December event where volunteers place live balsam wreaths on veterans’ headstones at thousands of national cemeteries and other locations across the U.S. and the world, ensuring no veteran is forgotten.
The national nonprofit’s mission is to remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and to teach the next generation the value of freedom.
“Continuing that message and tradition is important, especially for all the active duty and reserve personnel that could one day be in these grounds as well,” Tranotti said.
For many participants, the event provided a personal moment of reflection. Friends and families of those fallen were seen visiting and paying respect throughout the morning.
“My wife's grandparents are buried here in Saratoga National, so we’ve been coming up here every year to visit their graves. We started off by laying wreaths, and then decided we wanted to get more involved,” Tranotti said.
It’s important for members of his unit and other military personnel to take part in events like this one, Slosek said.
“The service members who rest here built the foundation on which we serve today. Their courage carved the path. Their sacrifice secured the freedoms we defend,” he said.