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 4,909 participating locations, in addition to Arlington National Cemetery, transportation logistics were 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.

When Glenn Horack needed a job, a friend in the trucking industry trained him and put him to work behind the wheel. As a young man, he was never intimidated because he always loved big rigs. He’s put some miles on over the last forty-two years of professional driving. A lot of safe miles to be exact. Glenn owns OJCS Enterprises, which is leased to Prime, Inc., and operates out of Missouri. Glenn admits back then, the training was straightforward and uncomplicated. “My formal training was three trips around the parking lot and backing into two docks,” he chuckled. “I’ve been doing it ever since. I’ve always been kind of a loner, and I like the job because of the independence and not having someone looking over my shoulder all the time. I get my load, and I’m left alone to do my thing. It works out great.”

Glenn may be a self-described loner, but for the last fifteen years, he’s been running as a team with his wife, Karla. He agrees that some people might find working with their spouse a challenging concept. “Well, if you think about it, marriage itself can take a lot of patience, but when you fit it all in a little box, some days get interesting, but for the most part it’s great!”

Glenn has traveled throughout the country as a professional driver, and his dedication to safe driving has really paid off, developing an impressive resume in trucking. “For the TCA, I was a finalist for Owner-Operator of the Year for three years, and I won it the fourth time in 2021,” he shared. “The same year, I was the Missouri Trucking Association’s Driver of the Year, and I’m coming up on five million safe miles. I’ve been Missouri’s Driver of the Month eight times, and Prime’s Driver of the Year twice.” Glenn has received additional recognitions for his driving over the years. He’s also passed on that knowledge and expectation of excellence by training over 27 other drivers throughout his career.

That outstanding record of driving safety and integrity earned Glenn the title of Honor Fleet driver for Wreaths Across America. “I heard about them back in the early nineties, and I’ve done a bunch of different routes hauling wreaths. I did one straight run to Arlington, and I’ve done the convoy once. My first run had multiple stops, and I wound up at the veteran’s cemetery in Springfield, Missouri. It’s such an honor to do this. You’re honoring the people who can’t participate anymore. Every run I’ve done, I’ve come out of Maine.”

Not all drivers have to make the trip to Maine to pick up veterans’ wreaths because the transportation sector of Wreaths Across America operates nine cross-docks throughout the country. Some loads come out of Greensboro, some come out of Pheonix or Mississippi as an example. There are open lanes now available.

“Karla feels the same way about it that I do, that it’s an honor to do this,” Glenn shared. “It’s so much fun to come to Maine and experience the camaraderie with the other drivers. It really is a privilege actually to do this, and we don’t get paid to do it; we volunteer. I would do it every year if possible, but sometimes it doesn’t always work out that way.”

Some of Glenn’s passion for the mission results from his military service. Glenn is a military veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1977 to 1983. “My dad and my uncle were in there, and I liked the honor and professionalism of the Marine Corps. I probably would have served longer if they had let me go somewhere, but I spent my whole tour in California, and I was tired of California when I got out. I liked the camaraderie of the troops. You were there for each other. It’s kind of like the camaraderie with the Wreaths Across America mission. Everyone is there for a common goal, and it’s an honor. You’re not there for yourself, you’re there to honor people.”

Glenn explains, for those who have never participated as a member of the Honor Fleet, that the job is simple and incredibly rewarding. “My experience is, you go to Maine, and you usually stay a couple of days up there while you’re getting loaded. If you’re doing a regular run, you take off on your own. Most of the time, when you get close to your delivery, there is usually a police escort for you into the cemetery, and there are always people there to unload for you. They’re all very grateful. People are so good to you. They’re always giving you food, gift cards, and candy. Everybody is in an upbeat mood. If you do the convoy to Arlington, now that is just awesome. You go through these little towns, and the kids are out on the sidewalks, and they’re waving their flags; it’s just amazing.”

With over 5,300 participating locations going into National Wreaths Across America Day, Saturday, December 13, 2025, not all members of the Honor Fleet get the Annual Wreath Escort to Arlington run as Glenn is describing here. In fact, there’s a waiting list for that run, but the Wreaths Across America volunteer location locators, as he described, work very hard to make sure that they have a special arrival planned too, just for you! Don’t wait any longer to get signed up to participate!

Thank you, Glenn and Karla, for your commitment to our veterans through 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 Glenn on Trucking Tributes, which can be listened to every Truckin’ Tuesday at 10:00 AM and again at 4:00 PM EST on Wreaths Across America Radio and on Tuesdays at 9:00 AM ET / 8:00 AM CT as part of RadioNemo’s Road Gang Radio, streaming at RadioNemo.com , iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Facebook. You can also catch all of RadioNemo's content on-demand on your favorite podcasting platform.

Discover the Trucking Tributes archive playlist on Soundcloud.com