Twenty-five years ago this week, the United States began Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, launching a military campaign whose impact would reach far beyond the battlefield.

On Oct. 7, 2001, less than a month after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, American and British forces began strikes in Afghanistan. The campaign targeted al-Qaeda, the terrorist organization responsible for the attacks, and the Taliban regime that had provided it sanctuary.

Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan concluded at the end of 2014. American military involvement continued under Operation Freedom’s Sentinel beginning in January 2015, with the final U.S. military withdrawal taking place in August 2021.

Those dates help explain the history, but cannot fully describe what that history meant for the people who lived it. For service members and their families, the years following Sept. 11 brought deployments, long separations, injuries and loss.

For younger Americans, many of whom were born after Operation Enduring Freedom began, understanding that experience depends on listening to veterans and preserving the stories of those who did not return.

Wreaths Across America offers one way for generations to take part in that work together. Its mission is to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and teach the next generation the value of freedom.

Here in Manteca, this anniversary is also an opportunity to turn remembrance into action. Scouting America Troop 828 is selling Wreaths Across America wreath sponsorships as a fundraiser, helping honor veterans laid to rest at East Union Cemetery and Park View Cemetery while raising funds for the troop.

Troop 828’s fundraiser connects that mission with Scouting’s commitment to service. Each $17 sponsorship provides a remembrance wreath for a veteran’s grave at East Union Cemetery and Park View Cemetery.

Sponsorships sold through the troop also help raise money for Troop 828, allowing residents to support local Scouts while participating in a community effort to honor veterans. The wreaths are sponsored for placement at the cemetery during Wreaths Across America, rather than purchased as decorations to take home.

The second annual Wreaths Across America ceremony at East Union Cemetery in Manteca will take place at noon Saturday, Dec. 19, 2026.

Following the ceremony, volunteers will place balsam fir remembrance wreaths on veterans’ graves and speak each veteran’s name aloud.

This year’s local goal is to sponsor at least 900 wreaths to cover every single veteran laid to rest in Manteca, whether at Park View or at East Union.

The effort honors veterans from across generations and conflicts, bringing the remembrance prompted by this October anniversary into a broader tribute to those who served. Speaking a name is a small act, but it gives remembrance a personal meaning. Behind each headstone is someone whose life extended beyond a uniform: a family member, a neighbor, a friend.

Twenty-five years after Operation Enduring Freedom began, Manteca residents can help ensure those lives continue to be remembered.

To support Troop 828’s fundraiser, purchase a wreath sponsorship through a participating Scout or through the following link for $17 at https://wreathsacrossamerica.org/CA0961P.