Team Mildenhall honors fallen on Remembrance Day Published Nov. 9, 2014 By Staff Sgt. Rachel Waller 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs RAF MILDENHALL, England -- The air is crisp. The gusts of wind are brisk and cold. Hushed conversations can be heard sporadically among the crowd surrounding the war memorial. Most of the crowd is adorned with a single red poppy, and overall the mood is solemn. British and American service members stand in formation near the memorial. At 11 a.m. a bell tolls and silence descends on the crowd for two minutes as they pay respect to those who were killed in battle. Throughout the United Kingdom and its Commonwealth countries, people remember and honor fallen service members on Remembrance Day, the second Sunday in November. It was on this day, at the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month that the armistice, which ended World War I, was signed. Team Mildenhall members were afforded the unique opportunity to partake in the Remembrance Day events around local communities surrounding the tri-base area. "I think the opportunity to be able to participate in this event with the British military services was a great chance for us to cooperate together," said Airman 1st Class Abigail Slater, 100th Civil Engineer Squadron engineering journeyman from Fairfax, Virginia. Following the two minutes of silence, red poppy wreaths were laid against war memorials from various dignitaries. The flower was chosen as the symbol for Remembrance Day to represent the many British soldiers who lost their lives in a poppy field in Flanders, Belgium. "I felt a great sense of pride to be a part of this tradition," said Slater. "They've done so much for our country I felt like the least I can do is give back and donate some of my time to honor their fallen."