Service to the Armed Forces: Helping Military Members, Veterans, and their Families

Written by: Stephanie Babyak, Communications Volunteer

SAF Regional Specialist, Tommy Bolin  

Senior SAF Regional Specialist Tommy Bolin spends his work day helping military members, veterans, and their families. One vet struggles with PTSD, a wife needs to reach her husband posted overseas to let him know of a death in the family, another needs housing. However, in late Fall 2020, a most unique case landed on his desk, a mystery involving a World War II Navy war hero and an all-out effort to reunite his family with his personal effects. 

Two years ago, Chris Reilly’s daughter, an officer in the U.S. Army, completed a tour of duty at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State and moved home to her parents while she attended graduate school. The moving van shipping her belongings and those of other soldiers traveled the country from the West Coast to the final destination of the Reilly home in Delaware, making stops along the way. At the Reilly's, everything remaining in the truck was unloaded. 

As Chris and his daughter culled through the piles of boxes, they uncovered a large, leather briefcase that neither of them recognized. Inside the unlocked briefcase were letters the Navy vet had written to his finance, along with his passport, driver's license, and military medals and citations, including a Silver Star Medal, the U.S. Armed Forces decoration for valor in combat.

_______________________________________________________________________

“If you read those letters, you’re reliving history and understanding what it was like to be in World War II because, as you know, most of the World War II vets are no longer with us.”

_________________________________________________________________________

Army veteran Chris Reilly 

Determined to return the Navy hero’s personal effects to his family, Chris contacted agency after agency – the moving company, insurance company, Navy Personnel Command, Veterans of Foreign War, the Veterans Administration – all with no luck. Because Chris was not family and lacked legal authorization, privacy laws prevented the agencies from sharing information. Then someone suggested Chris contact the American Red Cross.

“I called the 1-800 RED CROSS number, they assigned me a case number, and said someone would contact me," said Chris. 

The briefcase contained the Navy hero's personal effects,
including a Silver Star medal and letters to his fiancé.

Based in Wilmington, Tommy Bolin was first assigned the case. Then, the San Diego Red Cross office also got involved as the WWII vet, who died in 1993, was from San Diego. Working with the Red Cross and a genealogist, Chris finally connected with the Navy veteran’s nephew who accepted the briefcase, letters, and medals.

This story is an example of the many ways the American Red Cross helps military members, veterans and their families prepare for, cope with, and respond to, the challenges of military service. 

Since 9/11, the Red Cross has served more than 1 million military families. Service to the Armed Forces volunteers provide home comforts and critical services on bases and in military hospitals around the world. We support military families during deployments and emergencies and we continue serving our nation’s veterans after their service ends. 

NC&GCR Red Crossers distributed stockings from Operation Quiet
Comfort and the Red Cross at a holiday event at Walter Reed
National Military Medical Center.

The Service to the Armed Forces program in the National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region (NC&GCR) supports military personnel, veterans, and families on 27 separate military installations in the region, at five Veteran’s Administration Hospitals, and throughout the community. Key installations supported include: Fort Meade, Quantico Marine Corps Base, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Fort Belvoir, Joint Base Andrews, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, the US Naval Academy, and the Pentagon. 

There is a team of over 1,000 active volunteers supporting the SAF mission throughout the region. 

Volunteers range from civilian to active duty, from administrative through PhD, RN and MD who practice to the full extent of their credentials. During the summer months, we add a robust program of youth volunteers with our VolunTeen programs. 

Here are some of the key ways the American Red Cross helps military and their families: 

• 

  Last fall, volunteers delivered Girl Scout
  cookies, stress balls comfort kits, and
  e-cards  to raise morale and support our
  military partner and veteran communities.

  Financial Assistance: The Red Cross partners with the military aid societies to help service members and their families get emergency financial assistance 24/7. 
• Information and Referral Services: The Red Cross provides counseling, guidance, information, referrals and other social services for all military personnel and their families. 
• Deployment Services: Before, during, and after deployments, the Red Cross provides training information, and support for military members and their families. 
• Resiliency/Reconnection Workshops: The American Red Cross has developed the Reconnection Workshops for all military families to assist them with managing the challenges of reintegration, and to
  help them build resiliency skills that make it easier to rebound from setbacks and difficulties. Click here to learn more.
• Holidays for Heroes: Holidays for Heroes offers individuals, corporations and community entities (church/temple groups, schools, community centers, etc.) the opportunity to support the unique work that the American Red Cross in the National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region is doing for the local military and veteran community. Click here to learn more.

The American Red Cross has also launched a new online, self-service tool called the Hero Care Network. This free tool gives military families more flexibility and expanded access to help during times of crisis by allowing them to quickly communicate emergency messages 24/7 via computer, tablet, or even by smartphone. 

To download the free Hero Care App to get access vital emergency and non-emergency resources for military members, veterans and military families.  Or text: "GETHEROCARE" to 90999 

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

You can join us too!

• To learn more about the Service to the Armed Forces programs, click here. 
• Make a difference in your community. Click here to become a Red Cross volunteer. 
• Click here to learn more about donating blood with the American Red Cross near you. 

Honor to the Soldier

Written by: Kelly Norton, volunteer

If you were to ask someone to name a holiday in November that is a day of giving thanks, they would most likely say Thanksgiving. However, there is another holiday that also fits this description – Veteran’s Day. 

Veteran’s Day is observed in the United States on November 11th. The significance of this date is on this day in 1918 fighting officially stopped during World War I. The holiday was first known as Armistice Day, but after World War II and the Korean War, Congress officially changed the holiday to Veteran’s Day to honor all those who have served in the US Armed Forces. As of 2014, there were 21.8 million US veterans.

The American Red Cross has offered services to veterans since World War I, and these services are still an important part of the organization’s mission. These services include assisting with benefits claims and connecting veterans with community resources such as counseling services. Red Cross volunteers also assist in VA and military hospitals around the nation.

The DC area is home to many veterans as well as many places that honor veterans including the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the World War II Memorial, and Arlington Cemetery.

Recently, I had the chance to visit a lesser known place where one can honor veterans – the United States Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery. The Cemetery is located near the Petworth neighborhood of Washington, DC. It is one of the country’s oldest national cemeteries and is the location of the graves of more than 14,000 veterans, including many who fought in the US Civil War. It is also the final resting place for 21 Medal of Honor recipients.

Close to the Cemetery are the grounds of the Armed Force Retirement Home, an independent government agency that provides residence and related services for hundreds of veterans. Also here is President’s Lincoln’s Cottage where Abraham Lincoln and his family resided for a quarter of his presidency. The Cemetery had a significant effect on President Lincoln when he lived at the Cottage as he witnessed firsthand numerous burials taking place.

The sacrifices that our country’s veterans have made are countless. We should thank our veterans every day for their service, but on Veteran’s Day especially it is important to remember and honor them all. In the words of President Lincoln: “Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country's cause.” 

#TBT | The Gray Ladies

The recent meeting between the original six World War II "Rosie the Riveters" and President Obama and Vice President Biden - as well as our recent celebration of National Volunteer Week - got us thinking about the women who served in the Red Cross during those first two World Wars.

That's when we came across the Gray Ladies. This group, mostly comprised of women, went through rigorous training to provide non-medical care to patients in military hospitals. They acted as hostesses and provided recreational services to patients, many of whom were injured during World War I. 

By the 1930s, the Gray Lady Service spread to other hospitals around the country, both military and civilian. Their services also expanded to include blood centers and providing assistance with disaster response. During World War II, the service reached its peak with almost 50,000 women serving as Gray Ladies in military and other hospitals throughout the U.S. Following the war, some Gray Ladies even served in U.S. military hospitals overseas. While the number of Gray Ladies decreased after the war, these women continued serving in American hospitals until the mid-1960s when the Red Cross shifted to a unified concept of volunteers. 

Our archives are full of pictures and news articles about these extraordinary volunteers. In this November 1955 article from the Daily Sun of Arlington, VA, local Gray Ladies are featured during the presentation of their service caps, pins, and certificates. These volunteers served at the Fort Meyer Dispensary, on the Bloodmobile, and at the Arlington Chapter House. 

For more information about these amazing women, check out this Red Cross retrospective. 

A Holiday Movie Cameo

By Kelly Norton, Volunteer Contributor

"Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends."

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."

"Is this toothbrush approved by the American Dental Association?"

This time of year, I find that I frequently quote holiday movies in normal conversation. Do you have a favorite holiday movie?

\

I have a list of movies that I traditionally watch every year and find it's a great way to get in the holiday spirit. The list includes old classic like It's a Wonderful Life, cartoons like Frosty the Snowman, and more recent comedies like ELF. My absolute favorite holiday movie though is White Christmas. This 1954 film is a musical about two successful entertainers, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, who put on a show at an inn in Vermont with two sisters. The inn is owned by their beloved World War II commanding officer, General Waverly. There's a lot more to the story, but I don't want to spoil anything for anyone who hasn't seen it! 

While watching the movie recently, I noticed something I hadn't before. In the beginning scenes, when Wallace and Davis are serving in the Army in Europe, you can see a Red Cross vehicle in the background! 

I've read the history of the Red Cross, but not specifically the World War II time period. So, I paused the movie and did some research. Here are some facts that I discovered about the American Red Cross during WWII:

• More than 104,000 nurses were recruited by the American Red Cross to serve in military hospitals both in the U.S. and overseas
• 27 million packages were prepared for American and Allied prisoners of war
• Over 300,000 tons of supplies were shipped overseas
• At the military's request, the Red Cross initiated a national blood program that collected 13.3 million pints of blood for use by the armed forces
• 78 Red Cross workers died while serving their country overseas during the war

Although I wasn't expecting this "cameo" by the Red Cross when watching White Christmas, I'm so glad it inspired me to learn more about the history of service that Red Cross volunteers have provided in the past. It made me even more thankful for the many volunteers who are continuing this tradition today.