<p>I thought you folks might be interested in this story and photo regarding 5,000 Christmas wreaths that are donated and laid at Arlington every year. <a href="http://www.snopes.com/photos/military/wreaths.asp%5B/url%5D">http://www.snopes.com/photos/military/wreaths.asp</a></p>
<p>what a wonderful man- and a heartwarming story!!!!</p>
<p>Thankyou for sharing!</p>
<p>I am beyond humbled watching the youtube portion of that story. Moominmama, thanks a million for letting us know that was out there. Truly touches the heart & reminds us not to forget our veterans during the holidays. Bless them all.</p>
<p>This year, on December 14th, there will be wreath layings at over 200 veteran's cemeteries. The Civil Air Patrol is very involved with this and my daughter and son will both be participating here in Idaho this year.</p>
<p>Here's the article that ran in our local paper.</p>
<p>A small crowd huddled under tents Thursday at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery for a solemn ceremony in the mist and driving rain .
One by one, teenagers from a Civil Air Patrol Cadet youth program stepped to a microphone on a hill above the cemetery's sweeping, grassy expanse and reflected on the sacrifices of American soldiers. Cadet 1st Lt. (Name withheld for anonymity, My Daughter), 17, put it simply:</p>
<p>"We owe them our way of life," she said.</p>
<p>After a short speech from Brigadier Gen. Alan Gayhart, deputy commanding general of the Idaho Army National Guard, uniformed active-duty troops laid wreaths under flags for the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy and soldiers listed as prisoners of war or missing in action. An honor detail of Treasure Valley Marine reserves gave a 21-gun salute; a bugler played the mournful tones of "Taps."</p>
<p>The ceremony was organized by the Idaho Civil Air Patrol, a U.S. Air Force auxiliary, as part of Wreaths Across America, a program that places wreaths at all 230 state and national cemeteries and veterans monuments across the country. It coincided with the annual laying of wreaths at headstones in Arlington National Cemetery.</p>
<p>The ceremony's bugler, Norris Lynch, is a World War II veteran who had a direct relative fighting in the Revolutionary War and a son who fought in the first Gulf War. Lynch said Americans need to pause from time to time to reflect on veterans' sacrifices.</p>
<p>"Right now our lives are so filled with everything else, we need to have a reminder," he said.</p>
<p>Civil Air Patrol 1st Lt. Susan Peter said the young people who spoke at the ceremony recognize that past veterans established the freedoms we enjoy today, and troops serving now are defending those freedoms.</p>
<p>"The inspiration it would give the veterans is that the next generation is not hopeless," she said. "Our future is well protected."</p>
<p>Tracy Mattox attended the ceremony to see her son, 12-year-old Caleb Mattox, take part. Caleb is a Civil Air Patrol Cadet who plans to one day join the Air Force. His mother said she is proud of her son's recognition of veterans.</p>
<p>"I don't think we honor (veterans) enough," she said. "We need to do more."</p>