By Staff Sgt. Scott J. Evans
4th Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Rebecca R. Ray, the accountable officer for the 247th Composite Supply Company, 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, conducts wreath-laying honors during a ceremony at Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Colorado Springs Dec. 15, 2018. The ceremony was part of an annual event to honor deceased veterans throughout the country. (Photo by Jennifer K. Miller)
For the past two decades on the third Saturday of December, veterans organizations and local communities have participated in National Wreaths Across America Day.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Rebecca R. Ray, the accountable officer for the 247th Composite Supply Company, 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, participated in the annual event at the Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Colorado Springs Dec. 15, 2018, by laying the wreath during the formal ceremony in honor of deceased veterans and their Families in a gesture of appreciation and remembrance.
“They had a void, they needed a representative from the Army and they asked me if I would be available,” Ray explained.
She said it was an honor to be part of the ceremony and she learned a lot through the process.
The American Legion posts in Colorado have been involved in the event since it first came to the state several years ago. It is considered a major event for veterans groups throughout the country.
“The big takeaway for Wreaths Across America is to honor all branches of service: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and even the Merchant Marines,” said Joseph Schmidt, material coordinator at Fort Carson and American Legion Department of Colorado District Seven historian. “To honor all of them and their Families and their service and sacrifices they made before us, because they are the ones who paved the way, and that is what Wreaths Across America is really all about.”
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Rebecca R. Ray, the accountable officer for the 247th Composite Supply Company, 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, salutes during a “Wreaths Across America” ceremony at Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Colorado Springs Dec. 15, 2018. People across the U.S. lay wreaths at the graves of veterans as a tribute of appreciation for their sacrifice. (Photo by Jennifer K. Miller)
The staff members at American Legion Post 209 spent months planning and coordinating with the Wreaths Across America organization to ensure the event was a success every year. They ensured the wreath deliveries came in on time and recruited people to participate and donate. Those who donated wreaths had the option to choose the cemetery they would like it sent to by using the website.
About 30-40 people helped set up for the formal ceremony, Schmidt said. There was a large turnout for the event from the Colorado Springs community and beyond.
“There were about 300-400 people total at the cemetery laying wreaths,” Schmidt said. “A couple of thousand wreaths were laid within a matter of minutes.”
Ray embraced the experience of participating in the formal ceremony honoring the city’s veterans.
“If you look at it, you’re representing the Army, you’re representing the veterans,” Ray said. “I’m representing women in the service, you’re representing the broad spectrum, so you want to make sure that the representation is a good one.”
The formal portion of the event is an honor that Soldiers regularly take part in.
“Overall it’s an honor to have not only an officer, but a female officer present the wreath so we have representation across the board, and it really shows that it’s not just a man’s Army anymore,” Schmidt pointed out. “That we all serve, we’re all green.”
Ray looks forward to potentially participating in another of these events in the future.
“Ultimately as a service member you want to give back to the community, and I thought that this was definitely a positive interaction and a great way to do that,” Ray said. “There were representatives from every service, veterans that laid wreaths, and it’s a great way to bring everyone together and to collectively honor those who have served.”