Wreaths Across America Celebrated at Fort Bayard on Saturday

Article and most Photos by Mary Alice Murphy, with the first three photos of the slideshow courtesy of Mark Erickson

Dean Bearup of the Gaffney-Oglesby Marine Corps League Detachment 1328 served as the master of ceremonies. He began the event with a welcome to the about 75 people gathered and wished everyone a Merry and Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year.

"The air is chilly, but we have warmth in our hearts for this lovely setting we have here," Bearup said. "We have come to pay our respects to those buried here."

He said he visits the Fort Bayard National Cemetery more than the times he comes for Memorial Day, Veterans Day and for this event. "I see a grandmother and parents bringing their kids out here to teach them why we have the privileges we have in America. It is an honor to come out here."

Bearup gave a brief history of Wreaths Across America at Fort Bayard. "Six years ago, we had about 60 wreaths. This is the fifth year Mary Cowan has been the promoter of this event. Last year, we had 1,404 wreaths. This year we put out 1,755."

He then asked for a moment of silence to remember the fallen, the missing in action and the prisoners of war, and those serving today.

Marine Leonard Pritikin, 94 ½ years old, led the Pledge of Allegiance. The Hi Lo Silvers led the audience in "The Star-Spangled Banner,"

The featured speaker was Laura Mullen, an Army staff sergeant, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I am a veteran of six years in the Army," Mullen said. "I wanted to serve my country, and I wanted to honor my father and my uncles who also served. I was in the 101st Airborne, and my father had been a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne."

She said she served as an interrogator, which is now known as a human intelligence collector. "My year in Iraq was a violent year and has no doubt done damage to me, as well as to all of those with whom I served. But I learned important new life skills."

She also attended Defense Language School in California. "After I re-enlisted, I made it through jump school."

"I worked with and for some of the bravest and most skilled people, most of whom are no longer with us," Mullen said. "As an interrogator, I didn't get to stay with my unit."

She described one man who still served, although he had lost an eye in combat. "He was physically wounded, but not defeated. He got through Ranger School and was determined to move forward."

"I am a wife, a mother, a church secretary and just plain old Laura," Mullen said "I moved here to join my husband who is in the Border Patrol. Transitioning out of the Army has been the hardest thing to do. I tried to hide my service. I felt like I had not done enough. I had guilt for coming back alive. But I cannot hide from my past, because it would be disrespectful of my fellow veterans. I will honor all those who have wreaths on their graves."

The audience rose in a standing ovation, and Bearup said: "Wow."

"I've heard politicians talk, but they can't hold a candle to you," Bearup said to Mullen. "You're awesome." He said she made a valid point about it taking her four years to talk about her service. "It took me 16 years to join the Marine Corps League, Bearup said. "You're in a void. You don't know if you did enough. You don't know why you're still here.

"Go out today, thank a vet for his or her service and tell them thank you," Bearup said.

"The freedoms we enjoy cannot be valued in dollars," he continued. "The headstones—the costs of our freedoms are out there with the wreaths. We have the freedom to travel from one end of our country to another, without asking permission. We answer to no one, but our feelings. We have the right to succeed, and we have the right to fail.

"We are still a shining beacon of freedom and liberty to the world," Bearup said. "We will apologize to no one. We shall not forget those who gave their lives so we can keep our freedoms.

"We honor our forces for protecting us every day," he said. "We owe veterans our way of life. Say to them 'Thank you and God Bless You.'

"As one of our former presidents said: 'Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.' Ronald Reagan said that," Bearup quoted.

The wreaths were presented for each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, and two wreaths for those who served at Fort Bayard—one for enlisted officers, and the other for members of the Army Nurses' Corps.

The Hi Lo Silvers sand "America, the Beautiful," and "Taps" was played by Richard Erwin, Jr.

Three hundred-forty-five individuals and entities sponsored the wreaths, and Girl Scout Troup 834 handed out the programs, which were created and printed by Connie Zawacki.