Local Civil Air Patrol unit seeks sponsors for wreath-laying salute to veterans

MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho--Members of The Mountain Home Civil Air Patrol Squadron invite the public to sponsor remembrance wreaths for placement on the graves of veterans on Dec. 11 to honor those who served our country as well as current military members. Sponsors can even designate where the wreaths will be laid in the local community. The squadron's efforts coincide with tributes occurring simultaneously across the nation during Wreaths Across America observances.

As a partner in Wreaths Across America for five Decembers now, the Civil Air Patrol has adorned memorials and veterans' graves with evergreen wreaths to make sure the sacrifices of our nation's soldiers are not forgotten.

Last year, members of the public sponsored placement of more than 161,000 wreaths on veterans' graves across the U.S., an increase of more than 60,000 wreaths from 2008. These wreaths were placed in ceremonies at cemeteries in all 50 states. Worcester Wreath Co. donated more than 24,000 wreaths for the remembrances, 16,000 of which were placed at Arlington National Cemetery. CAP units lead many of the 405 observances and participated with other color and honor guards at many additional locations, including Arlington National Cemetery.

For more information on how to sponsor wreaths in your area, Contact Cadet Second Lieutenant Samuel Rosinsky, (208)-587-2375

Wreaths Across America began in 2006 as an offshoot of the Arlington National Cemetery wreath project, which was started in 1992 with the annual placement of wreaths donated by Worcester Wreath Co. Wreaths Across America ceremonies were conducted largely by CAP wings and squadrons with the help of veterans' organizations; private citizens; the Maine State Society of Washington, D.C., which annually assists with the laying of wreaths at Arlington; and the Patriot Guard Riders. Visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org for more information about Wreaths Across America and participating locations.

Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with more

than 61,000 members nationwide. CAP performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the AFRCC with saving 113 lives in fiscal year 2010. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug-interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the more than 26,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been

performing missions for America for 70 years. For more information on CAP, please visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com.

Contact info:

Cadet Second Lieutenant Samuel Rosinsky, (208)-587-2375