(Vallejo, CA – December 10, 2011) – More than a dozen cadets from Cal Maritime traveled to the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, Calif. today to lay wreaths on the grave sites of our nation's fallen veterans.

The students were joined by thousands of local friends, families, and service men and women, who had all gathered to honor our nation's fallen veterans as part of the annual Wreaths Across America initiative. The wreath laying efforts are organized nationally by Wreaths Across America, a non-profit group committed to remembering, honoring, and teaching about our nation’s heroes. This year, more than 400,000 wreaths were placed at over 600 locations in all 50 states.

After a moving memorial ceremony, in which honors were laid for each branch of the services, the crowd dispersed to lay wreaths throughout the cemetery, which consists of nearly 8,500 grave sites on 561 acres. The mood was both somber and joyous, as the cadets worked side-by-side with members of the community to quietly pay their respects.

"I was overwhelmed by the showing of support from the cadets who participated in the ceremony," said Cadet Kevin Reinhardt, who organized the students' involvement on behalf of the Cal Maritime Associated Students. "I'm always deeply touched when both veterans and active duty service men and women join together to honor their fallen friends. To see the look on the cadets' faces as they placed wreaths and connected with that part of their Cal Maritime heritage told me that it was the right thing that we were out there. I can't wait to start getting the word out about next year's event."

Serving with an organization such as Wreaths Across America is just one of many ways that the cadets, faculty, and staff of Cal Maritime give back to our community every year. These events are organized by the Office of the Commandant of Cadets, the Associated Student Government, and the Office of Housing and Residential Life.

ABOUT CAL MARITIME
Established in 1929, The California Maritime Academy, a campus of The California State University, is the only degree-granting maritime academy on the West Coast. Cal Maritime was recently ranked by Forbes magazine as #18 in the “Top 20 Best Value Colleges” in the nation – and the #1 Best Value in California for providing students with the highest quality education for their academic dollar. Located in Vallejo, Calif., the campus serves approximately 900 students and offers undergraduate degrees preparing students for careers in engineering, transportation, international relations, business, and global logistics. It also offers a master’s degree in Transportation and Engineering Management, as well as a number of extended learning programs and courses. For more information about Cal Maritime, visit www.csum.edu.