How Are You Serving Your Country?
December 2025
While the USA boasts one of the largest militaries in the world, only about 6% of living American adults have served in the US military. Although I have not served in the US military, I’ve always considered myself a patriot and I continuously strive to find special ways to serve my country.
The wife of a veteran, I hail from a long line of US service members. My father served as a pilot in the US Navy during WWII. Both of my grandfathers served in the US Army during WWI. My great-great grandfathers (on both sides of my family) fought in the Civil War, and my ancestors on my mother’s side served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Fast forward to the present day, and I am proud that my eldest son will soon celebrate his 20th anniversary as an officer in the US Marine Corps.
When my 90-year-old father passed away ten years ago, the US Veterans Administration (VA) immediately contacted me, as my father’s designated agent, to inform me of the VA burial services my father was entitled to receive. They kindly informed me that the 157 National Cemeteries located across the country provide eligible veterans, their spouse/widow/widower, and eligible dependent family members with dignified, cost-free burial services which reflect service, sacrifice and national appreciation.
Since my father’s father was interred at the National Cemetery in Los Angeles, CA, burying my father at the Jacksonville National Cemetery, near my current home, seemed to be the perfect way to honor his life, legacy and service to our country.
Because my father had no living friends or other family members residing in our area at the time, I expected that my husband and I, and our then-active-duty Marine Corps son (stationed three hours away) would be the only ones attending my father’s burial service. But when our tiny mourning party of three arrived at the Jacksonville National Cemetery’s designated committal site, we were warmly greeted by a charming and patriotically dressed member of an organization called The Jacksonville Ladies.
Having never heard of this organization, I asked our assigned Jacksonville Lady to share a little bit about the organization she represented. From her we learned that The Jacksonville Ladies is a local, non-profit volunteer organization whose purpose is to support any veteran or veterans’ widow and/or family when they experience the loss of their loved one.
I subsequently learned from The Jacksonville Ladies’ website that, since January 2009, their mission has been: “No veteran will ever be buried alone in the Jacksonville National Cemetery.” Their objective is “to honor those who have served this nation; to assist, accompany and promote a sympathetic relationship with Veterans and their families at interment services as needed; and be present when family or friends are unable to attend.”
It was comforting to discover that such a dedicated organization existed. In fact, one of the greatest comforts our little family entourage experienced on that otherwise challenging day was thanks to the presence and support of our assigned Jacksonville Lady.
But that wasn’t the only pleasant surprise that awaited us that day at the cemetery’s committal shelter. As part of the ceremony, a trumpeter dressed in a US Navy uniform (my father’s branch of the service) was there to play “Taps,” and two US Navy honor guards were also there to crisply conduct the traditional, silent graveside honors flag-folding ceremony. I’ll never forget that ceremony as long as I live.
I truly never expected my 90-year-old veteran father to be recognized with such honor and dignity, although I’ve since learned that such ceremonies are conducted for every veteran and/or active-duty service member interred at the Jacksonville National Cemetery.
More recently, when my “adopted” mother passed away, she too was interred at the Jacksonville National Cemetery. Although she herself was not a member of the US Armed Forces, as the spouse of an eligible, honorably discharged veteran, she too was eligible for burial at the Jacksonville National Cemetery. And once again, a representative of The Jacksonville Ladies was there to warmly greet us when the family arrived at the cemetery’s designated committal site.
Following the committal site ceremony that day, the attending member of The Jacksonville Ladies explained to me that a member of The Jacksonville Ladies attends every interment service at the National Cemetery, whether the funeral is for a current or former service member or an eligible family member. The military flag-folding ceremony is conducted in honor of every service member interred there, regardless of whether anyone else, family or otherwise, attends the interment service.
Those who volunteer with The Jacksonville Ladies have the flexibility to serve on the dates of their choosing, depending on their availability. Morning, afternoon, and full-day shifts are available. Up to two volunteers may be assigned to work on a given date to cover the possibility of multiple funeral services running simultaneously. Volunteers must commit to serve at least one day per month.
I have now signed up to join The Jacksonville Ladies, and I am looking forward to attending the next scheduled quarterly orientation training sessions. This will be yet another way that I will serve my country.
But you don’t have to live in northeast Florida to pay tribute to those who have served our nation. For many years now, regardless of where I have lived, I have sponsored wreaths to be placed on graves at National Cemeteries across the country through the Wreaths Across America program. The overall mission of Wreaths Across America is to Remember, Honor and Teach by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at more than 5,200 locations across all 50 states, at sea, and abroad.
This year on National Wreaths Across America Day, December 13, more than 2 million Veterans’ wreaths are expected to be placed at local, national, and military cemeteries, and at Veterans’ Memorials and other historic sites. As each participant lays a wreath at the grave of a veteran, they say the veteran’s name aloud and thank them for their service. My Air Force veteran husband and I will be joining this year’s many volunteers to lay holiday wreaths on graves at the Jacksonville National Cemetery. I encourage you to consider funding and / or participate in the laying of wreaths at a National Cemetery near you.
To learn more about how you can serve your country by volunteering in such programs, refer to:
· The Jacksonville Ladies at https://jacksonvilleladies.org/
· The Wreaths Across America program at https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/
Happy Holidays, and may God forever bless America.