It’s been called the longest parade in the world. The Wreaths Across America convoy runs for a week close to 1,000 miles through 10 states from Columbia Falls, Maine, to Arlington, Virginia. And this year I was part of the action.

Every year, Wreaths Across America (WAA) convoys tractor-trailers filled with wreaths to Arlington to decorate the graves at the National Cemetery. And every year, the convoy is a prime opportunity to share WAA’s mission to Remember – Honor – Teach. That’s remember the fallen, honor the veterans and Gold Star families, and teach the next generation of Americans. Along the way to Arlington, the convoy plans three stops a day at high schools, fire departments, American Legion Halls – and, yes, the Wiscasset Speedway – where local citizens put on presentations to share the WAA story, honor local vets and Gold Star families, and salute our country.

This year, I arranged to join the convoy in Portland on its way to Virginia. I was one of about 100 volunteers – truckers, veterans, Gold Star family members and interested citizens – who made up the escort for 15 tractor-trailers filled with wreaths. We were led all the way on our week-long journey by law enforcement officers who, as we traversed each state, kept us in convoy formation and closed off the highways and the Interstates we drove on to ensure our clear passage and generally keep us safe.

From Portland, we traveled south on Route 1 to Eliot, Maine. All the way, Mainers – including school-aged students -- lined the roads, waving flags, cheering and clapping as we passed. It was a revelation to me – I have always stood and clapped for veterans and active-duty troops as they have marched past me, but never have I been on the receiving end of such a tribute. Of course, the people weren’t clapping for me – they were clapping for the same reason that I was on the convoy – to pay tribute to our veterans and the fallen and the country we all hold dear. Still, throughout the week, it was difficult for me to accept tributes that so clearly belonged to veterans and actives, not volunteers like me.

All of the presentations at each of our stops was meaningful. That said, the most moving – to me – were at high schools when the young people stepped forward to thank the veterans for the freedoms we all too often take for granted. Twice, former Vietnam POWs spoke to us about their experiences. Often, the invocation would quote Isaiah 6:8, which reads: “I heard the Lord say, Whom shall I send? And I said, Here am I, Lord, send me.” Frequently, Gold Star family members introduced us to their loved ones. And always, the tributes brought many of us to tears.

When we crossed into Delaware, and again into Maryland, our police escort was augmented by air support via helicopters that checked out traffic as we traveled south. I began to become accustomed to the police cruisers speeding past us to close off the Interstate entrance ramps and keep us in order.

Finally, after a week on the road, Saturday, Dec. 18, Wreaths Across America Day arrived. Our convoy rolled into Arlington National Cemetery to be joined by thousands of volunteers – active-duty personnel, Scouts, families, community members - who came out for the day to help lay wreaths. And even though Arlington is the epicenter of WAA’s work, it is one of only 3,100 cemeteries in this country and worldwide where 1 million volunteers laid 3.5 million wreaths.

Wreaths Across America’s philosophy is that we aren’t putting wreaths out simply to prettify a cemetery. Rather, we are there to pay tribute to those who have served our country. And so we were instructed to lay each wreath carefully, with the red ribbon at the top, and speak out loud the name of the person buried there.

That proved to be extremely emotional, especially at the Vietnam memorial, where we laid a wreath at the foot of every panel. We could only speak out loud a few of those too-many names, of course, and I found myself selecting those of the MIAs whose families still have questions unanswered about their loved ones, even after all these years.

As for me, I was there for all the young men and women who I grew up with who served in Vietnam. Some never came home; too few were welcomed home by a society that confused the warrior with the war. Most important, I was there for my father – a career Coast Guard officer who first saw service during World War II – and my husband – an Air Force staff sergeant who served during the Korean buildup.

Nationally, Daughters of the American Revolution is one of Wreaths Across America’s strongest partners. Locally, our DAR Pemaquid Chapter has joined in, working to raise money to decorate the graves of the veterans in our Region. The cost is $15 per wreath, and it’s never too soon to start thinking about next year. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we were able to decorate the graves of every veteran in the Boothbay region?