Every September, tree care professionals across the country load up their gear, shut down their regular schedules and head to a national or state veterans cemetery – not for work, but to serve. It’s called Saluting Branches, and it’s become the largest single-day volunteer event in the arboriculture industry.

Andy Jones with son, Collin (age 2), in 2015 at Charleston Air Force Base in Charleston, South Carolina, with a C17 in the background. All photos courtesy of the author.

This was my sixth year participating. For me, the event is more than a chance to give back. It’s a continuation of a mission I’ve carried most of my adult life – honoring the fallen.

Nationwide effort of arborists in action
Saluting Branches was founded in 2015 by Rainbow Treecare, an accredited, 37-year TCIA member company based in Minnetonka, Minnesota. What began as a one-day event with just more than 1,000 volunteers at 27 cemeteries has grown into a national movement. In 2023, the event drew nearly 4,000 volunteers to 108 veterans cemeteries, contributing roughly $4 million in donated tree care services. The 2024 event expanded further, bringing together more than 4,000 than volunteers at 110 locations across all 50 states and Puerto Rico, with an estimated $4.5 million in contributed labor and equipment. The final numbers for this year’s event, which was scheduled for September 17, were not yet available when this article was written, but looked like they would surpass 2024.

Participating companies include local shops, municipal crews, contract arborists and some of the biggest names in commercial tree care. The goal is simple; provide free tree work – removals, pruning, risk mitigation, planting and care – on the hallowed grounds where our nation’s veterans are laid to rest. The work done during Saluting Branches helps cemetery staff catch up on backlogs, address major safety concerns and ensure that these final resting places are maintained with the dignity they deserve.

Some crews show up with a chip truck and a couple of saws. Others bring cranes, bucket trucks and full climbing teams. Everyone brings what they can. Everyone leaves the site better than they found it.

From Air Force NCO to arborist team leader
Before I ever picked up a rope or chain saw, I served in the United States Air Force. I worked as a 2T2 Air Transportation Specialist, a role that covered a wide range of logistical responsibilities – moving personnel, cargo and equipment into and out of deployed environments. But one segment of that job stood apart: managing the personal effects and remains of our fallen brothers and sisters.

I didn’t volunteer for that duty. It was assigned. But it quickly became clear that, while it wasn’t my sole role, it was arguably the most important. I came to understand it as one of the most meaningful responsibilities of my life.

I participated in what the military formally calls a dignified transfer – the process by which the remains of a fallen service member are prepared, documented and transported back to their family. Every item was accounted for, every movement intentional. There was no room for mistakes, no tolerance for carelessness. The process was deliberate, respectful and unforgettable.

You come to understand sacrifice differently when you’re packing a service-
member’s effects. You read the dog tags, handle the boots and sometimes see the letters that didn’t make it home in time. Something as simple as a watch or a wedding ring can stop you cold. These aren’t just personal items – they’re reminders of a full life that ended in service to others. Those memories don’t fade.

Finding purpose in tree work
After leaving active duty, I never imagined I’d find a second career that felt like a calling. Arboriculture did that for me.

I started climbing as an apprentice with more grit than grace, but I was fortunate to be trained by people who emphasized safety, skill and doing the work the right way. That was especially so with my now best friend, Thomas Paine, a direct descendant of the Thomas Paine, author of the invaluable 1770s pro-revolution pamphlet, “Common Sense.” Thomas and I honed our craft and eventually went on to co-found Rooted Arbor Care. What began with the two of us has grown into a close-knit, highly capable team with a shared sense of purpose.

When I was first invited to participate in Saluting Branches, it immediately struck a chord. The work – especially at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri – felt familiar. The uniforms were different. The tools were different. But the purpose was the same – to honor the fallen through focused, respectful work.

Now, years later, I’m proud to lead our team each time we return to Jefferson Barracks – often tasked with some of the most technical removals on site. Our crews train year-round for challenging work, and it means a great deal to apply that experience in a place like this.

Andy Jones, Afghanistan 2013.

Air Force core values still apply
The Air Force core values – Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do – weren’t just a mantra during my time in uniform. They continue to shape how I lead my company and my team.

• Integrity First: Whether you’re managing a hazardous removal or handling a fallen veteran’s remains, integrity means doing the right thing, every time.
• Service Before Self: Our crew doesn’t show up for recognition or exposure. We’re there because the mission is worth it.
• Excellence in All We Do: We hold ourselves to a high standard, because the men and women laid to rest on these grounds deserve nothing less.

These values helped lay the foundation for Rooted’s culture. We may be arborists now, but we still approach our work like it matters – because it does.

A shared mission across the industry
One of the most rewarding parts of Saluting Branches is the collaboration. I’ve worked alongside contract climbers, municipal arborists, mom-and-pop-company crews and nationally recognized teams from all over the region. Nobody cares what logo is on your shirt. We’re all there for the same reason.

The staff at Jefferson Barracks are incredible partners as well. They help coordinate access, support logistics and always treat the volunteers with the same respect we aim to show the grounds.

I also love seeing first-timers and younger climbers join in – especially military veterans who are just getting into tree work. It’s a reminder that this mission will continue long after we’re done climbing.

From left, Thomas Paine, CTSP, Steven Letzetler, Mat Bronakowski, Tim Wos and Andy Jones, CTSP, TRAQ, all with Rooted Arbor Care, at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Mo., during the Saluting Branches event in 2024. Paine, Letzetler, Bronakowski and Jones are all ISA Certified Arborists.

Two uniforms, one mission
It still surprises me sometimes that tree work became my second calling. I went from handling caskets and munitions to handling ropes, cables and saws – from transfer cases to rigging systems. But both jobs require trust, composure and respect for the task at hand.

Whether serving stateside or throughout the Middle East, or serving in the canopy at Jefferson Barracks, I, along with my team, am still doing work that honors the lives of the lost and the families they left behind.

I’m grateful that Rooted Arbor Care gets to be a part of Saluting Branches. I’m proud of our crew. And I’m humbled each time we walk those grounds, knowing we’re contributing in some small way to a place where our nation’s heroes rest.

To the men and women who gave us the freedom to build careers, raise families and do a job we love – thank you. The least we can do is keep your final resting places safe, clean and worthy of your legacy.
Aim High. Fly, Fight, Win.

Andy Jones, CTSP, is an ISA Certified Arborist, is Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) credentialed and is a production climber and co-founder of Rooted Arbor Care, a two-year TCIA member company based in St. Louis, Mo. He also is a member of TCI Magazine’s Editorial Advisory Committee and an Air Force veteran.