Team Offutt, community step up for homeless veterans

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Matthew Opdyke
  • 97th Intelligence Squadron
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  The spacious Omaha Civic Auditorium was overflowing with volunteer spirit Nov. 14 during Operation Stand Down, as more than 200 homeless veterans received aid from both the Offutt and local communities.

The original term "operation stand down" hales back to a concept used during the Vietnam War to provide a safe retreat for units returning from combat operations. After returning to secure base camps as a break from a non-stop war environment, troops were able to take care of personal hygiene, get clean uniforms, enjoy warm meals, receive medical and dental care, mail and receive letters, and enjoy the camaraderie of their friends in a safe environment.

Today, Operation Stand Down gives homeless veterans a reprieve from life on the street. As part of this aid, Omaha's homeless veterans were given access to Veterans Administration Health Care, housing services, counseling and many other needed services.

Items donated by numerous concerned citizens and companies throughout the Omaha area, from duffel bags, pants, cold-weather jackets and boots to toiletries and decks of game cards were also available. Barbers stood by to provide their services and in the words of one veteran upon eating a free meal, "the fried chicken tasted amazing."

The generosity was also spread among approximately 70 non-veteran homeless people who received clothing, a hot meal and access to services from the Lions Club, the Strengthening Organizations and Achieving Results program, Nebraska Workforce Development and the Fair Housing Center of Nebraska.

"I've always been drawn to these events. It allows me to give something back for their service to us," said Master Sgt. Russell G. Dowe, 55th Strategic Communications Squadron chief of quality assurance and standardization evaluation and Offutt volunteer coordinator for the event.

"I was very pleased with the turn-out of volunteers this year, I actually had to turn away as many as 100," Sergeant Dowe added.

"From our stand point we couldn't pull this together without having the support from the military side. This is such a big event for us; we just couldn't pull it off without support from the base," said Linda Twomey, volunteer and civilian coordinator with the VA. Ms. Twomey has supported Operation Stand Down for nine years.

"The support of Offutt's volunteers toward their homeless veteran comrades was overwhelming this year, and I was very glad to see such upbeat and motivated individuals eager to support this effort," Ms. Twomey said. She then pointed toward many civilian and veteran volunteers and voiced her admiration for their contributions.

Airman 1st Class Devin Martin, a strategic automated command and control system online maintenance technician with 55th SCS, was among those volunteers. He volunteered during last year's event transporting donations but this year wanted the opportunity to interact with our nation's veterans.

"One of the veterans who came in at the last minute was a paratrooper in the Army for three years during Vietnam," said Airman Martin. "He said he saw some intense happenings there.

"I know that the vets I escorted were extremely gracious and were really great guys," he added. "We were cracking jokes back and forth and having an excellent time. These guys had a really tough life after serving their country. One of the vets even tried to get back into the military but was over the age limit, unfortunately.

"These men and women served their country and dealt with the consequences so that many of us could be here today to talk about it," Airman Martin said. "If we can help we should as a moral obligation , (we should) provide care and healthy living (conditions) to our struggling heroes as best as possible."

As homeless veterans left the civic auditorium with full stomachs and bags overflowing with warm clothes, Ms. Twomey deemed this year's Operation Stand Down a success. (Sergeant Opdyke is a volunteer staff writer for 55th Wing Public Affairs)