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Cmdr. Robert Haley, USN (Ret), will coordinate five remembrance ceremo- nies where more than 1,000 wreaths will be placed. MOAA chapter members and leaders from other local veterans’ groups lead the ceremonies, which draw schoolchildren, area politi- cians, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, and Junior ROTC cadets. Brochures from ceremonies in 2014 identified some of the veterans being hon- ored, such as Army Spc. Blair Thompson, who was 19 when he died in 2010, after in- surgents attacked his unit in Afghanistan. Following the cer-

program is not hard ... but the impact ... in our community has been

“ The flag tremendous.

emony, volunteers trudge into the cem- eteries and carefully clean off each veter- an’s headstone and military plaque. Then they pause, say the veteran’s name, and place a wreath at the grave. “Our goal is to get as many people

— Whidbey Island (Wash.) Chapter

”

Secretary Lt. Cmdr. David Cohick, USN (Ret)

and cadets. The Greater Rome-Utica Chapter receives a portion of the an- nual wreath sales, which members use to support Honor Flight and fund Ju- nior ROTC field trips and scholarships for college-bound cadets.

Honoring the fallen Members of the Whidbey Island (Wash.) Chapter (www.moaa.org/ chapter/whidbeyis land) foster commu- nity patriotism through their annual Veterans Day flag program. Last year, chapter members worked alongside Junior ROTC cadets and Boy Scouts and their parents to place 1,800 American flags on veterans’ graves at six area cemeteries on Whidbey and Fidalgo islands. Dues and dona- tions from the chapter’s 155 members covered

as we can involved in these wreath- laying ceremonies so we can educate them on the sacrifices veterans have made so we can enjoy the freedoms we have today,” says Haley. Many other MOAA chapters par- ticipate in Wreaths Across America, including the Spokane (Wash.) Chap- ter (www.spokanemoaa.org), South- west Virginia Chapter (www.moaa .org/chapter/southwestvirginia), and Greater Baton Rouge Area (La.) Chap- ter (www.moaa.org/chapter/greate rbatonrougearea), to name but a few. The program not only helps chapters encourage patriotism, but it also funds other programs that help veterans

the $1,500 needed to purchase the flags, which are placed for Veterans Day and collected about a week later and stored until the next year. “We’re not just placing flags,”

says chapter President Capt. James Patton, USN (Ret). “We use the op- portunity to share our experiences as veterans with the scouts and cadets who help us.” Chapter Secretary Lt. Cmdr. David Cohick, USN (Ret), came up with the idea after noticing American flags were placed on veterans’ graves for Memorial Day but not Veterans Day. Now in its third year, the chapter’s flag program continues to draw more community volunteers. “The flag program is not hard to

do,” says Cohick. “It’s not expensive, and it’s not terribly time-consum-

ing. But the impact it’s had in our community has been tremendous.”

Veterans in the Classroom Members of the Tallahassee (Fla.) Chapter (www.moaa.org/chapter/tal lahassee) are longtime supporters of the annual patriotic program at Deer- lake Middle School in Tallahassee. In 2014, they expanded their efforts to teach schoolchildren about the mili- tary and what it means to be a veteran by launching a Veterans in the Class- room Program. Chapter supporter M.H. Allen organized and led the program, which was held the week of Veterans Day at four area schools. Lt. Col. Gary Callaway, USA (Ret),

made seven presentations to 10th- and 11th-grade students at Lawton M. Chiles High School in Tallahassee. Callaway, a second-generation veter- an, answered students’ questions and shared his experiences in Vietnam. “I learned a long time ago, as a

parent, how little our students are taught about patriotism and what the military does,” says Callaway. “That’s why [Veterans in the Class- room] is important.” Chapter Treasurer Cmdr. Dennis

Baker, USN (Ret), addressed students in uniform. Other members used photos, maps, and props. Afterward, Baker received a bag

of thank-you letters from students. Baker took the letters, which were ad- dressed “Dear Veteran,” and distrib- uted them to a group of local veterans who are being treated for PTSD. “This program was very reward-

ing, both for our members who par- ticipated and for the students who got a chance to understand and ap- preciate what veterans have done for our country,” says Baker.

JULY 2015 MILITARY OFFICER 45