Volun-told to volunteer: A different point of view

  • Published
  • By By 2nd Lt. Christopher Bowyer-Meeder
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  When it comes to volunteering, many Airmen jump at the opportunity. Some do it because it makes an impactful bullet statement. Others do it because they feel led to do something greater, but no matter what makes an Airman volunteer, they occasionally take part in an event that changes their heart. This Veteran's Day, that Airman was me.

I must admit, when I initially offered to volunteer at the Panama City Rescue Mission, I did it because I knew it would look good as a bullet statement. Even as I was en route to the mission, all I could think about was if anyone I knew would be there. Events like this are always more fun when you have a friend to help you pass the time. But somewhere between looking for a parking spot and snapping a few photos of veterans, this became more than just an opportunity to make myself look better.

Up until the event actually started, I had not contemplated the gravity of a homeless veteran. I mean, this is America. These are men that fought in wars to protect our country. The very freedoms we live by every day are a result of their sacrifices. How could they be homeless? I always thought of them as grandfatherly figures with toddlers on their knees; Toddlers gazing up in wide-eyed wonder listening to stories of grandpa hunkered down in a hole with enemies all around him, while he held on to nothing more than a pistol with a single bullet and a letter from grandma.

Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that not all veterans have a child on their knee. They are not sitting in a rocking chair with a blanket on their lap, but they are reaching out for help. Fortunately, places like the Panama City Rescue Mission are there to provide the necessary help. They provide help that, for a brief amount of time, allows homeless veterans to forget about their troubles.

During the Veteran's Day event, I saw veterans sharing stories and smiles with each other. I witnessed bonds form over a steak dinner. Even though they may not have been in the same hole together, they had a commonality amongst themselves. This was a chance for them to forget about being homeless, and remember what brought all these men together, and I saw this all while looking through the viewfinder of my camera.

After I captured a few moments in time, I helped deliver food and drinks to the veterans in attendance. As I looked in to their eyes, I realized volunteering is more than just taking a few hours out of my busy schedule and doing an event that benefits me. Volunteering is a time to genuinely ease another person's burden. Whether it's washing cars, building homes or just handing out meals, someone's life is just a little bit easier when you decide to volunteer.

Looking back on Veterans Day, I didn't plan on feeling sentimental. I planned on showing up at a rescue mission, taking some pictures, delivering some food and going home. Now that the day has come and gone, I realize I left with more than just photos. I left with a change of heart. I left knowing that, at least for this Airman, volunteering now means more than another impactful bullet statement. It means directly touching someone's life.