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On the crisp morning of December 14 at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, around 200 Guidehouse employees joined a sea of 30,000 Wreaths Across America volunteers to place wreaths on veterans’ resting places.
This was Guidehouse’s seventh year taking part in the annual tradition. Guidehouse employees came together in Arlington and 17 other locations across the United States, spanning Philadelphia to Los Angeles, in order to pay a heartfelt tribute honoring the nation’s heroes.
Among the volunteers at this year’s event in Arlington were Guidehouse Senior Consultants Josh Sanchez and Terry Wilson and Partner Charles Maglione, each with their own stories woven around memories of loved ones who served their country.
The sight of graves lined with evergreen wreaths and vibrant red bows stirred a mix of emotions for Wilson. Coming to Arlington allows him to visit the burial places of his late father, a U.S. Army veteran and engineer, and his brother, who died as a baby from sudden infant death syndrome in 1963.
“I felt an enormous sense of pride knowing that my father and brother were both laid to rest among other patriots and heroes,” Wilson shared, adding that each year when Wreaths Across America is held, he’s reminded of a promise he made to his father in the final days of his life.
“I told my father I’d take care of things for him, so he didn’t have to continue holding onto this life. When I approached his grave for the first time since his funeral back in 2018, all of those emotions came flooding back, and I found myself in tears, asking him if I’d honored him by fulfilling that promise.”
Nearby, Sanchez, who has organized and participated in the Guidehouse Wreaths Across America group for the past seven years, knelt to adjust a wreath on the headstone of a fallen hero amid a quiet stillness.
“My dad, a Korean War veteran who passed from dementia, isn’t here at Arlington,” Sanchez said. “He asked to be buried in San Juan, Puerto Rico. While I haven’t been able to visit his grave recently, taking part in Wreaths Across America every year brings me back to a special visit I had with him here and gives me a chance to honor him by paying tribute to others buried in these hallowed grounds.”
The cemetery holds cherished memories for him, as it was on those grounds that his father finally opened up to him about his experiences in the war.
“What we intended to be a short stop at the cemetery ended with us walking around for hours and watching the Changing of the Guard at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. My dad told me all about his time in the war—from losing his best friend a few days after arriving in Korea to a painful period of his life with what we now know as PTSD. Coming here to honor our veterans, alongside so many of my colleagues, reminds me of their strength and our responsibility to never forget.”
Guidehouse Partner Charles Maglione observes a moment of silence while touching his father’s gravestone at Arlington National Cemetery. Photo by Jeff Ray.
As the event came to a close, volunteers could see countless rows of gravesites adorned with wreaths, symbols of remembrance.
"You always walk in and think there’s no way the entire cemetery can be completed,” said Maglione, whose father is interred at Arlington National Cemetery. “But every single time the event wraps up, you’ll see that every gravesite has been visited and covered with a wreath. That’s how dedicated our volunteers are.”
Guidehouse’s participation in Wreaths Across America is more than a gesture. It’s an embodiment of our commitment to ensuring our veterans’ legacies endure and supporting them and their loved ones in their healing journeys.
“Wreaths Across America is just one of the many ways we can show gratitude to those who have served,” Sanchez said. “Outside of donating to organizations that support veterans and thanking them for their service, give them a chance to tell their stories on their terms and understand if they can’t. Looking back, I now realize that I may not have fully appreciated my dad’s story when I was younger.”
The event was also a chance to reflect on how we can continue honoring our service members, Wilson said.
“A veteran’s service doesn’t end with discharge or retirement, as the effects of military service impact them until the end of their life,” he added. “Those who have served make incredible sacrifices for us, be it mentally, physically and/or emotionally. Participating in events like this is a great way to honor them, but there are other ways as well, like taking the time to offer a few words of encouragement or even buying them a coffee or meal to thank them for their service.”
Two hundred Guidehouse volunteers and guests braved frigid temperatures to participate in Wreaths Across America Day at Arlington National Cemetery. Photo by Jeff Ray.
Guidehouse’s impact on the military community stretches beyond our volunteer efforts.
Through Guidehouse’s work with clients in defense, intelligence, diplomatic, and law enforcement agencies, we deliver innovative, mission-critical solutions that boost national security to new heights.
Guidehouse serves all 21 departments of the U.S. federal government and its military branches. We leverage proven, sustainable methodologies in mission optimization, technology modernization, and financial management to compete, deter, and win in our evolving world.
As a long-time champion of the military community and a recipient of the Military Friendly Employer designation for the sixth year in a row, Guidehouse is proud to invest in programming and opportunities designed to help our veterans and their families thrive. Twenty-one percent of our workforce has served in the U.S. military.
From prioritizing the professional development of service members with programs such as Hiring Our Heroes and DOD Skillbridge, to offering military spouses opportunities through our Military Spouse Employment Program, we’re committed to empowering the futures of our veterans and bridging the gap between military service and civilian employment.
“We say that we support the military, but it’s touching when you can feel it in your company’s culture too,” Maglione said. “The time and effort our people invest in our military community is inspiring, whether it be through our Veterans Affinity Network or showing up to events like Wreaths Across America.”
Guidehouse invests in military-focused corporate social responsibility endeavors through partnerships with organizations such as the United Service Organizations and volunteer opportunities like Honor Flight to provide critical resources for military families.
Each year, Wreaths Across America volunteers lay around 260,000 wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery. Photo by Jeff Ray.
“Supporting our veterans and defense community through working with clients whose mission and values align with ours, creating meaningful career opportunities, and actively participating in programs that uplift veterans and their families is at the heart of who we are at Guidehouse,” said Shannon White, Guidehouse partner and head of the company’s Defense & Security segment. “Serving them isn’t just a responsibility, but a privilege.”
