WAA recognizes the physical and mental loss of war

Saturday, Dec. 17, marked the second annual Wreaths Across America ceremony at Navasota’s Oakland Cemetery. Braving the cold were veterans and their families, members of American Legion McClusky Post 640, Troop 101 of the Hempstead Scouts BSA, City of Navasota elected officials and staff, Navasota’s newly instituted Benevolent Order of Protective Elks Lodge (BPOE), Lions Club International and several historic groups. 

Remembering lives, not deaths

According to Kathy Cave Wells, Regent of the Robert Raines Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NS-DAR) and the Grimes County WAA Coordinator, 351 wreaths were purchased for placement on graves at Oakland and other cemeteries in Grimes County.

In her ceremonial comments, Wells said, “This year, across the country at more than 3,400 participating locations like this one, there are millions of Americans gathering safely as one nation to remember, honor and teach. The freedoms we enjoy today have not come without a price. Lying here before us and in cemeteries throughout this nation are men and women who gave their lives so that we can live in freedom and without fear.”

Closing, she said, “We are not here to decorate graves. We are here  to remember not their deaths but their lives. Each wreath is a gift of appreciation from a grateful America.”

McCluskey Post 640, 75 years old!

Wells also presented a certificate to American Legion McCluskey Post 640 Commander Steve Storey in honor of the Post’s 75^th anniversary.

In Storey’s brief comments, he pointed out that even though the wreaths are a result of a Christian holiday, those placing wreaths on the graves may be doing so on the grave of a Christian, a Muslim, a Jewish or an atheist veteran, “but they all died in defense of this country.”

Following Storey’s remarks, each branch of the service was recognized by placement of a ceremonial wreath by a youth and an adult on easels provided by YaYa’s Floral and Specialty Shop. 

At the close of the ceremony, the participants fanned out over Oakland Cemetery to respectfully place a wreath on a veteran’s grave or departed to place wreaths at community and family cemeteries elsewhere in Grimes County.

POW/MIA, vets in crisis

Also included in this recognition were those POW/MIAs (prisoner of war/missing in action) still unaccounted for as well as veterans in crisis.

According to the most recent update from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Dec. 16, more than 81,500 Americans remain missing from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War and Gulf War and other conflicts. Out of that number, 75% of the losses are located in the Indo-Pacific and over 41,000 are presumed lost as sea from ship or known aircraft water losses.

Veteran’s Administration statistics confirm that 22 veterans a day lose their battle with post-traumatic disorder. The breakdown per branch of service is as follows: the rates for the active duty individual services per 100,000 were 23 for the Army, 23.1 for the Marine Corps, 14.4 for the Air Force and 13.4 for the Navy.

Prompted by this staggering number of veterans in crisis, the Military Suicide Awareness #22ADAY Movement was founded. “22 a Day” is an advocacy action network and “the natural next step to the mission of the Military Veteran Project. Military Suicide Awareness gives a voice to the vast network of volunteers, donors, and participants involved in the work of the Military Veteran Project.”

Veterans with thoughts of death or suicide are urged to talk to someone right away. The Veterans Crisis Line is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day by calling 988 and pressing 1, or texting 838255.