Rep. Dan Crenshaw called on Arlington National Cemetery to change course after the federal burial ground canceled its annual Wreaths Across America at Arlington.
“Reverse your decision,” the Texas Republican tweeted in response to the cemetery’s announcement.
Reverse your decision. https://t.co/KxWGShfdxX
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) November 17, 2020
“Due to the current COVID-19 situation across the nation and within the National Capital Region, it is with great regret that Arlington National Cemetery is canceling Wreaths Across America at Arlington National Cemetery and the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home Cemetery on December 19, 2020,” the cemetery said in announcing its decision.
Cemetery Executive Director Karen Durham-Aguilera said that although officials did not make the decision lightly, they didn’t see a path to holding the event safely.
“We did not make this decision lightly. Despite the controls developed to disperse potential crowds in time and space, and required personal safety protocols, we determined that hosting any event of this scale risked compromising our ability to accomplish our core mission of laying veterans and their eligible family members to rest,” Durham-Aguilera said. “We reviewed various options to safely execute this long-standing event and held numerous consultations with WAA leadership and local government and public health officials. We understand that although this is disappointing for so many, we could no longer envision a way to safely accommodate the large number of visitors we typically host during this event.”
Cemetery Superintendent Charles “Ray” Alexander said it plans on hosting the event again next year.
“Our strong hope is to be able to resume hosting this great event next year in 2021,” Alexander said. “While many of our families and visitors associate the wreath event with the holiday season, we thank all the thousands of volunteers who had planned to take this time to Honor, Remember, and Explore those who are laid to rest at our nation’s most hallowed ground. We invite everyone to virtually visit the cemetery through our multimedia platforms @ArlingtonNatl.”
An Arlington National Cemetery press release said that “family pass holders and visitors” will still be able to visit the cemetery “on their own schedules,” and they may place tributes such as flowers or wreaths at gravesites.
Wreaths Across America is an annual event to “Remember, Honor, and Teach” through wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and locations in all 50 states and abroad.
