OK, a little confession here. I support the United States Armed Forces wholeheartedly. I feel completely indebted to those brave men and women who give of themselves so that I can live free. To those who have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives, I am humbled beyond words. I cannot ever say thank you enough. Arlington National Cemetary, and all the other National Cemetaries across our great country, are shrines at whose altar we all should worship.

I first learned of Arlington, and the Tomb of the Unknowns, when I was a child. My father was sent to Washington, DC for meetings and training by his company. While there, he was able to see a ceremony of the placing of a wreath by the President. When I was 16, I took a trip with my parents and we spent three days in DC. That was the first time I was able to see all the monuments, including Arlington and the Tomb of the Unknowns, for myself. I remain in awe.

Originally known as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, it was renamed in 1958, following the internment of unknown soldiers from WWII and Korea. A soldier from Viet Nam was buried there in 1984, but was removed upon his identification after further investigation. In 1999, determining that unknown soldiers from Viet Nam or any future conflict had become extremely unlikely due to DNA and other means of identification, the Pentagon decreed that no further bodies would be interred here.

The photo above is Arlington National Cemetary shortly before Christmas 2006. You may be interested to know that the wreaths placed on each headstone -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine . The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the state.

The photo below, which also appears in "Fathers, Legends and Heros - Dan's Story", is a standard stock photo of autumn in Arlington National Cemetary.