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 we talk about a “can-do” attitude Graig Morin, Co-Founder and President of Brown Dog Carriers and Logistics comes to mind immediately. Graig's brain is wired to only see solutions to life's challenges, and he has found those solutions not only for himself and his company but also for the Wreaths Across America mission.

Graig was in college pursuing a degree in law enforcement when he realized it wasn't where he wanted to be. “College just wasn’t for me,” Graig explained. “I told my mom one day I was all done with college and wanted to go to trucking driving school. A week later, I was in a truck driving school, and I got a job at a loading dock and worked my way up from there. From the moment I started driving, I knew I wanted to do this for the long haul, so to speak.”

Graig enjoyed his driving career, but after about eighteen years, he felt a new calling. He wanted to start his own trucking company. “ While I was driving for other companies, I was taking mental notes about the good, bad, and the ugly, and on my vacations, I would attend trucking shows to learn more and see how it was done. One of my old bosses was very supportive of me and was a mentor, really talking me out of some of my wild and crazy ideas. You don’t even know sometimes who is going to be contributing to your success. I remember the day I handed in my keys and said to my last boss, I want to help you train your next driver, and I'm not going anywhere until you're all set. It was about a month after that, and I remember it getting real when I handed him those keys. I just handed my career back to him and said, now what?”

Graig credits many people for helping him along the way, most importantly his wife, Christine. He and his co-owner, Darrell Pardy, and his wife, Carolyn started the small little trucking company out of a back bedroom of Graig’s house and called it Brown Dog. Operating out of the city of Biddeford, Maine, Graig started with a couple of trucks, and he now has a 25-truck fleet serving New England. As you can imagine, the company has relocated out of that back bedroom. Brown Dog Trucking recently took top honors for their class in the Maine Motor Transportation Association’s safety championship, and they’ve been named a member of the Truckload Carriers Association, Elite Fleet. Graig also gives a shout-out to his Operation Manager, Jeff Dorais.

The first time Graig saw the Annual Wreath Escort to Arlington National Cemetery, he wanted to find out more. “I went to the Mid-America Truck show in March of 2017. Wreaths had just introduced its Mobile Education Exhibit, and I remember talking to Rob Worcester and I told him, I don’t have my operating authority yet, but when I do, I’m going to call you, and I’d like to start hauling for you guys. As soon as I got my authority, Rob was my second call.” The first call was to a broker to get his truck loaded and on the road.

Graig has loved the mission to remember, honor and teach for a long time and his passion has been motivated from the beginning by his grandfather, who served in World War II in the Battle of the Bulge as a truck driver supplying ammunition to the front lines. “I read so many of his letters home to my grandmother, and he never let on to her the danger he was in.”

Graig has stepped up time and time again for Wreaths Across America, serving as a volunteer location coordinator for the cemeteries in Biddeford and as a member of the Wreaths Across America Board of Directors. His humble response when asked why he does so much for the organization? “Why wouldn’t I?”

Graig and his team at Brown Dog Carriers and Logistics have hauled numerous loads over the years he’s been involved, from Massachusetts National Cemetery at Bourne to Arlington National Cemetery, and many other participating locations. He’s never hesitant to jump through hoops for Wreaths, even ones with rims on fire. “Courtney in transportation has my number, and she’s not afraid to use it,” he explained with a prideful chuckle.

Thank you, Graig and your entire team at Brown Dog, for your service and continued commitment to our veterans with 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 Graig 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