A convoy carrying wreaths that will be placed at Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday by Wreaths Across America has arrived in Maryland.
The journey the wreaths made from Maine to the nation’s capital was documented by PenFed Digital and WAA through social media coverage led by Andrea McCarren, who made the trip with Ace, the service dog she is training for America’s Vet Dogs.
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She made the trip with Maverick in 2019.
“It was the most moving experience to take a service dog on the convoy last year,” McCarren said. “Veterans understand the need for service dogs.”.
Along the way, Maverick was presented with a variety of items that McCarren has big plans for.
“When Maverick is placed, hopefully in May of 2021, all of this memorabilia will go with him,” she said.
You can check out a patriotic stop made by the convoy this year in Portland, Maine here.
Thousands of volunteers normally converge on the cemetery to place the wreaths on the graves of those who are interred there during the popular event, set this year for Dec. 19. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, how those wreaths will be placed has changed.
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McCarren and Ace were on the road with the WAA convoy for around 10 days. She explained that raising a service dog is a lifestyle commitment made by the entire family. Ace goes to work with her at PenFed during the day and is with McCarren’s family at all other times.
It’s not just an act of love or labor of love,” she said. “Raising a service dog is a lifestyle.”
McCarren is teaching Ace a variety of commands and socialization skills -- things the pair used every day while on the WAA convoy.
“I love every step of the way,” she said. “Service dogs save lives, plain and simple, particularly in this pandemic, they are saving lives.”
Maverick left for six months of professional training with Canine Companions for Independence in early November after being taught 30 commands by McCarren. He will be taught more than 40 advanced commands during his CCI training.
The cemetery has been closed to the public all week to allow soldiers from the 3d Infantry Regiment to place wreaths on graves. A small group of WAA team members will place wreaths in a designated section of the cemetery, and the National Wreath Day event will be broadcast here, beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com
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