In November and December, one of the busiest periods of the year for the transportation sector, the Wreaths Across America mission brings drivers together in an effort of unparalleled unity. With a positive, “can-do” work ethic, these professionals make it possible for Americans to honor millions of veterans laid to rest at home and overseas. In 2024, with over 4,200 participating locations, in addition to Arlington National Cemetery, transportation logistics are immense.

Many of these drivers are military veterans and say the truckload of fresh balsam-fir wreaths is the most precious cargo they transport in their careers. Wreaths Across America shares their stories in the “Trucking Tributes” feature online and on Wreaths Across America Radio and Sirius XM, Channel 146, Road Dog Trucking.

Sean Dunn entered the moving and storage sector of the trucking industry in 2003 after “floating through life” in his early twenties with different jobs. “My mother was a storage coordinator for a moving company, Allied Van Lines, in Tucson, Arizona and she gave me the idea to apply with the moving company.” He got the job and worked his way up from being a helper to getting his CDL. He would go on to become an over-the-road driver (OTR) for a different moving company and he’s stuck with it ever since. “It’s kind of an amazing thing to help families during a stressful time in their lives when they’re moving, and every job is different. I see so many different places from small towns to big cities. I go anywhere and everywhere they ask me to go.”

Today, Sean contracts with Horizon Moving and Logistics in Phoenix, Arizona. They’re a dual agent for Mayflower and United, and they operate a cross dock for Wreaths Across America. Sean’s experience with Wreaths Across America started in 2017 when he was asked to sponsor a veteran’s wreath which he did. Then he started hearing talk from other drivers on social media and saw pictures they were sharing from their experiences. Sean knew participating with Wreaths was going to be amazing. As an OTR professional for four years, Sean had been to every state in the U.S. except Maine and South Dakota. He eventually managed to get a load where he traveled through South Dakota, so Maine was it!

Even though Maine was last on his travel list, his experience was filled with firsts. Because Sean was not the least bit intimidated by a six-day route from Columbia Falls to California, in 2023 he became a member of the Honor Fleet and he departed with the very first load of veterans’ wreaths being trucked that season for National Wreaths Across America Day. “I was going from Columbia, Falls Maine to Carson, California and my wreaths were destined for the Punch Bowl in Hawaii for Pearl Harbor. It was so great being up there in Maine and seeing how it all starts. I can’t thank the people enough for their hospitality up there. From start to finish it was an amazing and humbling experience. The tour at the museum stood out the most to me,” Sean continued. “Seeing all the artifacts and letters and pictures. Then to see the Vietnam Room and all the names of Vietnam veterans who have signed the boards in there. It was really moving.”

Another first for Sean was dealing with a cross dock. Wreaths Across America operates eight cross docks throughout the country. “Ironically enough I’ve been a truck driver for five years, but I’d never really dealt with a cross dock or freight warehouse type thing,” Sean explained. “I’m in the moving business you know so I usually go to residences, so that was a first too. Having to back my trailer into a cross dock that’s not meant for 53-foot trailers, so that was interesting, but everything went off without a hitch getting the pallets off my trailer to be put on a shipping container to cross to Hawaii. I had to look up the Punchbowl because I didn’t know what it was. I was blown away when I learned that I was responsible for that load of veterans’ wreaths.” There are over fifty Wreaths Across America participating locations in Hawaii.

Thank you, Sean Dunn and Horizon Moving and Logistics for helping support the mission to remember, honor, and teach.

If you’d like to join the Wreaths Across America Honor Fleet, you can get started with a click right here!

You can hear more with Sean on Trucking Tributes, which can be listened to every Truckin’ Tuesday at 11:00 AM and again at 4:00 PM EST on Wreaths Across America Radio and Wednesday at 8:30 AM EST on Sirius XM Channel 146, Road Dog Trucking Radio.

Discover the Trucking Tributes archive playlist on Soundcloud.com