An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

News from around the Fleet

Hundreds Gather at Barrancas National Cemetery for Wreaths Across America

20 December 2022

From Bruce Cummins, Naval Air Station Pensacola Public Affairs

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Hundreds of volunteers gathered Dec. 17 at Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida, to lay nearly 26,000 wreaths on Veterans' headstones.

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).

 

Google Translation Disclaimer

  • Google Translate, a third party service provided by Google, performs all translations directly and dynamically.
  • Commander, U.S. Navy Region Korea, cnrk.cnic.navy.mil has no control over the features, functions, or performance of the Google Translate service.
  • The automated translations should not be considered exact and should be used only as an approximation of the original English language content.
  • This service is meant solely for the assistance of limited English-speaking users of the website.
  • Commander, U.S. Navy Region Korea, cnrk.cnic.navy.mil does not warrant the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of any information translated.
  • Some items cannot be translated, including but not limited to image buttons, drop down menus, graphics, photos, or portable document formats (pdfs).
  • Commander, U.S. Navy Region Korea, cnrk.cnic.navy.mil does not directly endorse Google Translate or imply that it is the only language translation solution available to users.
  • All site visitors may choose to use similar tools for their translation needs. Any individuals or parties that use Commander, U.S. Navy Region Korea, cnrk.cnic.navy.mil content in translated form, whether by Google Translate or by any other translation services, do so at their own risk.
  • IE users: Please note that Google Translate may not render correctly when using Internet Explorer. Users are advised to use MS Edge, Safari, Chrome, or Firefox browser to take full advantage of the Google Translate feature.
  • The official text of content on this site is the English version found on this website. If any questions arise related to the accuracy of the information contained in translated text, refer to the English version on this website, it is the official version.

Commander, U.S. Navy Region Korea   |   PSC 478 Box 1   |   FPO AP, 96212-0001
Official U.S. Navy Website