Putnam Civil Air Patrol Honors Military Veterans

Civil Air Patrol officers and cadets participated in the annual National Wreaths Across America Day observance, on December 18, to honor local veterans laid to rest in the Raymond Hill Cemetery in Carmel.

Volunteers from across Putnam County assisted the squadron with placing wreaths on veteran’s headstones in appreciation of the freedoms Americans enjoy. New York State Senator Peter Harckham (Dist. 40), New York State Assemblyman Kevin Byrne (Dist.94) and Putnam County Legislator Carl Albano (Dist. 5) were among the participants.

Opening the ceremony, Major Elena MacDermant, squadron commander, thanked the volunteers for their dedication and for coming out in the rain. “We are truly honored to be able to place these wreaths in remembrance of our veterans and their sacrifices for our country. They should never be forgotten,” said MacDermant.

Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, the mission to Remember, Honor and Teach is carried out by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies with Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at more than 3,000 additional locations across the country, at sea and abroad. This year the squadron participated with over two million volunteers, placing more than 2.4 million veterans’ wreaths on headstones throughout the country.

For information about the Putnam County Squadron or Wreaths Across America, contact Major MacDermant at [email protected], (845) 216-5433, or visit www.ny033.cap.gov.

About Civil Air Patrol

Now celebrating its 80th year, Civil Air Patrol is the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and as such is a member of its Total Force. In its auxiliary role, CAP operates a fleet of 560 single-engine Cessna aircraft and more than 2,100 small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) and performs about 90% of all search and rescue operations within the contiguous United States as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. Often using innovative cellphone forensics and radar analysis software, CAP was credited by the AFRCC with saving 130 lives during the past fiscal year. CAP’s 56,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. As a nonprofit organization, CAP plays a leading role in aerospace education using national academic standards-based STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education resources. Members also serve as mentors to more than 22,000 young people participating in CAP’s Cadet Programs.

Visit www.CAP.NEWS or www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com for more information.