More than 500 people gathered at the United States Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery (SAHNC) in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 13, 2025, to take part in the annual Wreaths Across America Day event. Bundled up against the cold, they honored those who sacrificed for their country by laying wreaths at nearly 14,000 headstones. Some people read the name on the headstone out loud. Others touched or rested a hand on the headstone and reflected on the lives and service of the fallen.
The event began with a noon ceremony that included prayers, a poem reading and the laying of memorial wreaths. U.S. Army Col. Jeremy Stewart laid the first wreath of the day, followed by a Marine, a sailor, a Coast Guardsman and a Merchant Mariner. Three Airmen also laid wreaths: one representing the Air Force, one representing Space Force and the third representing POWs and MIAs.
Stewart, who laid the first wreath with his six-year-old daughter Grace, reflected on the military’s years of service and sacrifice. “It’s quite an honor and a privilege to do this and share the heritage with my daughter,” he said, “particularly for the 250th anniversary of the Army.” Grace said she was just happy to be with her father.
Many attendees came as families or as groups. Matthew Dingee, who works at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, used to lay wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery with his daughter Ursuli when she was younger. This year, he decided to come to the SAHNC after realizing he often drove past it. “We like to do community service and volunteer,” he said. “It’s a way to engage with history and spend the day doing something positive in the holiday season.”
For Ursuli, laying wreaths made her think about the stories behind each headstone. “Everyone has a different experience and a different life, and it's really hard to commemorate each one,” she said. “But it feels good to be able to do at least a little something to remember them.”
Diana Lewis, from Bethesda, Maryland, wanted her young son Thomas to experience honoring the fallen, so she brought him to the cemetery along with his Cub Scout Pack. She appreciated the instructions for everyone to slow down and read the names of the service members on the headstones. When she mentioned that her father had served in the Air Force, Thomas looked up and asked, “So my grandpa was in the military?” At that moment, he seemed to grasp the meaning of the headstones.
Kelly Defilippis has been bringing her son to the cemetery for the last six years. Today, she brought him as part of his Boy Scout troop. “We love the opportunity to help out the community, do something meaningful and talk to our service members,” she said. While she particularly enjoys the opening ceremony, she said she feels a personal connection as she lays wreaths. “I think of my father-in-law, who was a career Marine; my father, who's still here; a couple of my grandfathers and uncles; and then about the gentlemen that still live in the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home,” he said, referring to the residents of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, located just north of the SAHNC.
Retired U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Rahim Boone led 12 members of his Shriners group through the cemetery, unloading boxes of wreaths from the delivery trucks and laying wreaths for the families who could not attend. For Boone, laying wreaths is personal. “I'm a Gulf War combat veteran myself and I just happened to be one of those who made it back home,” he said, “so deep down inside, it’s heartfelt.”
Heidi Maloni, who works at the Washington VA Medical Center in Washington, D.C., has been laying wreaths at the cemetery for years. She reflected on seeing a headstone for a soldier who fought in both World War I and World War II. “It's history and it's legacy,” she said.
As a testament to the efforts of Maloni and all the volunteers, the wreath-laying was finished in under an hour. Participants were proud to honor those who served through the annual Wreaths Across America tradition. With their work complete, the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery was ready for the holiday season.