Volunteers, veterans and staff held a Wreaths Across America wreath-laying ceremony at Culpeper National Cemetery in Culpeper County, where participants honored service members across branches and called for remembering the lives behind the headstones.

John Kavakis, speaking on behalf of the Sons of the American Revolution and the Virginia Society for the Sons of the American Revolution, opened with a prayer and remarks about remembrance and duty. "We thank those that gave their lives to keep us free, and we shall not forget you," he said, framing the event as both tribute and civic instruction for younger generations.

Jessica Shimko, representing Culpeper National Cemetery and the Department of Veterans Affairs' National Cemetery Administration, thanked attendees for joining the event and introduced program coordinators Jennifer Smith and Sharon Klauschwan. "On behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration, and staff members, I want to thank all of you for coming today to join us in this year's Wreaths Across America Ceremony," Shimko said.

Organizers listed volunteers and representatives who would place wreaths for each military branch and for prisoners of war and missing-in-action service members. The program named participants including First Sergeant Robert Bender for the Army, Annette and Paige Durham for the Marine Corps, Cheryl Phillips for the Navy, Jessica Holmes for the Air Force, Colonel Kenneth Holmes for the Space Force, Capt. Eric Johnson and Rob Abbott for the Merchant Marine, and Sonny Dickerson for the POW/MIA remembrance. A speaker noted there are more than 5,598 participating locations nationwide and referenced "over 81,000 United States servicemen from all branches" whose last known status was POW or MIA.

Organizers asked every volunteer who places a wreath to say the veteran's name aloud and take a moment to thank them for their service. "We are not here today to decorate graves. We are here to remember their lives," a ceremony speaker said, urging attendees to treat wreath-laying as an act of memory rather than decoration.

A Gold Star mother, Shawn Rigsby, laid a remembrance wreath in memory of Dakota Kyle Rigsby and on behalf of other Gold Star families. Later, veterans including Terry Sharp and Ken Wilson laid a wreath in honor of Alan Wilson and to call attention to veterans who struggle with invisible wounds of war.

The ceremony concluded with a final prayer from John Kavakis and the honor guard retrieving the colors. Organizers emphasized the event's dual purpose of honoring service and teaching the next generation about the costs of freedom.