AGE isn't just a number: Airmen provide roof over community's head

Published Feb. 5, 2013
By Staff Sgt. Rachelle Elsea
325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- As military members, having food, shelter, clothing and job security can at times be taken for granted, which is why the Air Force stresses the need to give back into the minds of every Airmen.

The Aerospace Ground Equipment shop, 325th Maintenance Squadron, takes this idea very seriously and acted on it.

The shop recently transitioned from contracted personnel to military members in conjunction with Tyndall's move from Air Education and Training Command to Air Combat Command in October 2012. This gave a group of several dozen service members the rare opportunity to build unit cohesion and morale from the ground up.

They used the principles of volunteerism and group dynamics in a joint effort to help build homes for families in the local community.

"I had spoken to my supervisor about volunteer opportunities, and he asked me what I wanted to do and did I want to do something that really gives back, and I said yes," said Senior Airman Sean Stanton, AGE journeyman and project organizer. "He told me about Habitat for Humanity and how it helps build houses for families in need and I thought it was a great idea."

Nearly 20 AGE personnel, a handful of Bay County Habitat for Humanity board members and other local volunteers, donated a day out of their weekend to help work on two homes.

"We are definitely helping families out that need it," Airman Stanton, native of Walthm, Mass., said. "One of the homes is for a single mom with two children, and the other home is for a single mom with four children."

The Bay County chapter of Habitat for Humanity was established in the early 90's.

"We have already completed 63 houses in Bay County since 1992," said Cornel Brock, Bay County Habitat for Humanity executive director. "We collect donations from the community and take the money to buy land and materials. Then, we call upon all our friends to help us build. We build homes for people, who under normal circumstances, would never be able to afford their own home."

However, the homes are not free.

"We don't give these homes away," Brock said. "Every home is sold to the homeowner for a mortgage based on what it costs us to build. There is no interest charged."

Also, applicants must put in a certain amount of, what the program calls, "sweat equity."

"There is scale, almost like community service hours," said Brock. "Once they get approved for the program, a single family has to volunteer 300 hours, half of that on someone else's house before they can work on their own. If it is a couple, they have to do 500 hours, half of that, on someone else's house before their own."

Ms. Maria Richards is a single mother of two who earned herself a Habitat Humanity home several years ago and has just finished paying it off. She now is on the organization's board and gives to others.

"I started getting involved with the program about eight or nine years ago when I moved back here from Las Vegas with nothing," Richards said. "A friend of mine was involved and invited me to attend a meeting. She said she was getting a house, but I didn't believe her. I started volunteering, not really expecting to get a house of my own, and next thing you know, I filled out an application and was accepted."

She said she was overwhelmed by the whole experience.

"When I use to show up, to work on it, I had to say to myself, is this real," Richards said. "I came back here with nothing and now I am getting a house, pinch me is this real? Then I would say: it is real."

Richard's kids have since grown up and moved out, but she said she feels blessed to have a place for them to come home to whenever they want.

It takes Habitat for Humanity around 90 days to build a home and they average four to six homes a year. The rate at which the house is built is based on the number of volunteers.

"There is a lot of talk in our society about self image and self worth and we believe that a lot of folks who don't feel like they are worth anything is because they have never done anything worth anything," Brock said. "There is room for everyone in this program and you shouldn't be bashful about that. If you want to help somebody else, if you want to feel good about yourself, this is the place to do it."

Brock said they constantly see volunteers from Tyndall.

"We are glad to have the Airmen here; we couldn't do it without them," said Brock. "We have a lot of support from the military in the area, principally Tyndall."

As much as Habitat for Humanity appreciated the help, the Airmen appreciated the opportunity and benefits.

"This is my first time working with Habitat for Humanity, and it's fantastic," said Airman Stanton. "Today has been great for our shop morale. It almost takes the rank out of it and adds a more partnership and friendship feel. I think it will help people gain more respect for each other, working side by side, doing something completely different that doesn't involve our job."