Navy veteran Dawn Cook sat in her wheelchair on the south side of Arlington National Cemetery’s Memorial Plaza as she and three other female veterans waited for their wreath-laying ceremony to begin. They had flown in from Binghamton, New York, on Nov. 3, 2024, as part of the Twin Tiers honor flight of 20 female veterans and their guardians to honor the country’s fallen.
Once a Tomb Guard and bugler brought out the wreath, Cook stood up relying on her cane and a fellow veteran to walk to the center of plaza. The four wreath layers all wore similar red shirts for the event. Cook and her comrades then laid their wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and saluted while the bugler sounded Taps.
After the ceremony, Cook, who spent eight years in the Navy, spoke about what coming to the cemetery meant to her. “This is very sacred ground,” she said, “It’s dear to my heart and it chokes me up to come here.”
Cook’s fellow wreath layers agreed with her sentiments. “It’s a place where we still honor everybody,” said Jeanne Parsharl, who spent 36 years in the Army Reserve. Air Force veteran Melissa Miller said no matter how often she comes to the cemetery, she still feels awe. “Just knowing that the Unknowns gave the ultimate sacrifice for all of us here and there’s still families who don’t know if their loved ones are in that tomb makes me emotional,” she said.
Army veteran Crystal Councilman may have summed up the entire group’s feelings when she expressed what the trip meant to her. “It’s an honor to be amongst other female veterans,” she said, “and not just to celebrate my service, but all those who came before me.”
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