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 4,900 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.

Culinary Arts used to be Keith’s Rahn’s passion, and after college he worked as a chef for many years before deciding he was ready for a change and wanted to see more of the world. He figured the best way to do that was to become a truck driver and get paid to travel. “So far, I’ve been to all fifty states, Canada and Mexico and I’ve never looked back,” Keith shared. “My high school teacher lied to me! She said I couldn’t get paid to stare out the window all day and I’m exactly doing that.”

Keith served his country in the U.S. Army from 1999-2003 as a 19 Delta. He completed his basic combat training and advanced individual training (AIT) at Fort Knox and then he went on to Ft. Polk.

Keith was working for another carrier company that participated in Wreaths Across America before joining Kivi Brothers Trucking out of Duluth, Minnesota. It’s a family-owned company three generations strong that provides open-deck and heavy haul services. “They’re real friendly and don’t micromanage and I get to do what I want to do. I presented the Wreaths Across America opportunity to them, and they immediately said okay let’s go ahead and do this.”

Keith says the whole experiences with Wreaths Across America is incredibly humbling. “I felt like it was something that I owed to the veterans who have come before us, especially the ones that have paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. The people I’ve met, like Courtney, are just excellent. You can tell everyone here is one hundred percent heart driven.”

Keith is a fine example of how the mission attracts more professional drivers every year. “I talk about you a lot actually, along with the Wall That Heals which is another passion of mine.”

Keith supports military veterans in another important way as well through a nonprofit organization he helped to create to support homeless veterans. It’s called Boots2Trucks. “We take homeless veterans and team up with a school in their area and we pay for them to get their CDL through scholarships, grants, donations and so on and then we team them up with a veteran-friendly trucking company and they start their career out that way. We have 150 students who have graduated through the program and are in the industry coming out of homelessness.”

This year as a member of the Honor Fleet, Keith transported veterans’ wreaths from Maine to the cross dock in St. Louis. “Even though it’s not to the cemeteries directly, I really looked forward to it. Not only is it the most important load we do every year, but I believe it’s the load that deserves the most respect and care because of what it represents. Anyone who is thinking about doing this absolutely should experience this.”

Many professional drivers who share with Trucking Tributes say their veteran’s wreath that’s symbolically attached to the grill of their tractor when they’re loaded in Maine winds up serving a special purpose when they complete their journey, and Keith is no different. “My family has served in the military since 1798; every generation. My grandfather is buried in Maryland so my mom will take the wreath when I get home and place it on his headstone there.”

Thank you, Keith and Kivi Brothers Trucking for all you do to support veterans and 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 Keith 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 as part of RadioNemo on Sirius XM Channel 146, Road Dog Trucking.”

Discover the Trucking Tributes archive playlist on Soundcloud.com