Honoring those who served their nation...

Veterans representing each branch of the U.S. armed forces placed wreaths at Mountain View Cemetery as part of this year's Wreaths Across America observance. The event in Mountain Home began at 10 a.m. on Saturday to coincide with the start of similar gatherings in hundreds of communities across the United States.

Local veterans come together during this year's Wreaths Across America observance

A small group of people braved frosty temperatures as they gathered at Mountain View Cemetery on Saturday to pay tribute to military service members across the United States as part of a coordinated, nationwide observance.

At exactly 10 a.m. that day, veterans in the Mountain Home community took part in an event that simultaneously began at more than 1,000 locations in all 50 states and 24 national cemeteries on foreign soil as part of this year's Wreaths Across America Day observance.

Participants in this year's observance bundled up to shield themselves from the morning's icy temperatures, which had hovered into the single digits.

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Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Billy Richey, Idaho Special Assistant for Military Affairs, served as this year's guest speaker. During his prepared comments, he reflected on his years of service in the U.S. armed forces during the Vietnam War as well as the Cold War.

Jimmy Gould plays "Taps" as this year's ceremony came to a close.