Alaska, military remembers heroes with Wreaths Across America

Amid the joy, decorations, and gift-giving of the holiday season, a somber ceremony that serves as reminder of the fallen service members took place at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) on December 12, as wreaths were laid as part of the Wreaths Across America ceremony.

This ceremony honors all who have served all branches of the military, including honoring Merchant Marines and the prisoners of war or those missing in action veterans.

Following the presentation of wreaths, members from each branch of the military, along with people from the Alaska community, reverently placed a wreath on display before rendering a salute to their fallen brothers- and sisters-in-arms. Afterwards, hundreds of volunteers including families, friends, service members and community members commenced placing wreaths at gravesites at the Fort Richardson National Cemetery, making sure that every hero was honored.

The annual ceremony is part of the larger program held at over 5,500 locations nationwide, including Arlington National Cemetery, where volunteers place wreaths on veterans' graves to remember, honor, and teach about service and freedom, with the theme "Keep Moving Forward.”