Part of the nationally recognized Wreaths Across America initiative, Pensacola, Florida-area volunteers joined an estimated three million individuals in placing wreaths on Veterans' headstones at more than 3,700 sites across the nation, something Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola Commanding Officer Capt. Terrence Shashaty said is important in both remembering and honoring the millions of Veterans who have ensured American ideals and values remain intact.
"We are truly fortunate to be part of a community which has embraced our service members for more than a century," Shashaty said. "Being able to celebrate the lives of the men and women interred here at Barrancas National Cemetery is a privilege, and I am honored that our community is invested in the generations of service members whose final resting place is on these hallowed grounds."
The Pensacola-area event, now in its ninth year, was organized by the Kiwanis Club of Big Lagoon-Pensacola; while 3,000 wreaths were placed on gravesites nearly a decade ago, more than 26,000 wreaths were ceremoniously placed during the Dec. 17 event on Barrancas National Cemetery's nearly 100 acres.
Wreaths Across America Day - observed annually on the third Saturday in December - boasts a mission of remembering, honoring and teaching carried out by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at locations across the United States, at sea and at some foreign cemeteries. Youth-centric organizations - as well as school, scout, civic and religious groups across the country - historically volunteer for the Wreaths Across America initiative around the United States. Shashaty said that each tenet of the Wreaths Across America philosophy is critical, and stressed the importance of ensuring younger generations maintain the ideals and values associated with the annual observance.
"Actions such as this - laying a wreath on the gravesite of a service member - serve to honor their memory and service and remember the individual," he said. "But teaching those younger about the sacrifice these men and women have made and will make is equally important. The Scout Troops, children and younger service members present today are learning about the value our nation places on its founding ideals."
Shashaty attended the three-hour event with his wife and children.
NAS Pensacola, referred to as the "Cradle of Naval Aviation," is designed to support operational and training missions of tenant commands, including Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC), Naval Aviation Schools Command (NASC), the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT), Marine Aviation Training Support Groups (MATSG) 21 and 23 and is the headquarters for Naval Education and Training Command (NETC).