Veteran volunteer

MARY REICHARD, CO-HOST: Today is Tuesday, March 29th.

You’re listening to WORLD Radio and we’re so glad you’ve joined us today! Good morning. I’m Mary Reichard.

NICK EICHER, CO-HOST: And I’m Nick Eicher.

Coming next on The World and Everything in It: supporting veterans and active duty personnel.

Today is Vietnam Veterans Memorial Day. It was first recognized nationally five years ago—in honor of the last U.S. combat troops to leave Vietnam on March 29th, 1973.

REICHARD: There’s a military base near the international airport in Panama City Beach, Florida. So it sees a lot of military members coming through.

On a recent trip through that airport, WORLD Radio reporter Lillian Hamman noticed a military welcome center. She spoke with one of its volunteers.

SOUND FROM AIRPORT

LILLIAN HAMMAN, REPORTER: It’s a late night at the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Panama City Beach, Florida. TSA finishes locking up security checkpoints as a janitor sweeps leftover sand from the beach out the automatic doors. With the restaurants closed, vending machine peanuts suddenly become a five-star meal.

A group of military men headed for Tyndall Airforce base less than 50 miles away wait for their luggage around the baggage claim carousel. Wearing a POW-MIA hat over his white hair and an American flag mask, 84-year old Roger Straley is the first to greet and serve them.

ROGER STRALEY: [15:30] Thank you, men!

For the last 10 years, Roger has volunteered at the airport’s locally owned and operated military welcome center.

The space is designated free of charge for the Bay County Veterans Council to provide a home for servicemen and women, and their families, as they travel through the world at war.

ROGER STRALEY: We have little piddly snacks and little drinks, cold drinks for them… We have a great supply of books and I show em the books…take some books with you, if you're a reader take the book… they can spend the night there… we have a little separate room with a cot on it… And it's free… So I think it's quite convenient for them. And we enjoy doing it.

Other organizations like the USO offer similar services. But they’re available only to active military members. The welcome center in Panama City is open to everyone with a military connection.

ROGER STRALEY:  If you served in the second World War you can come here, you've served Korea, you served in the desert war you can come. We don't care, we're glad to have you.

A Navy veteran himself, Roger is as well-acquainted with airports, as he is sacrifice and service.

ROGER STRALEY: I enlisted in 1957. And I got out in 1977…I enjoyed my 20 years and three days.

Roger served as an aviation electronics technician, helping flight crews and patrol bombers look for submarines. But that wasn’t always the plan.

ROGER STRALEY: Before I went into the Navy I went to the University of Florida for two years, but I was busy drinking beer and they invited me to leave if I didn't make grades in my fourth semester. And I said eh and thought to myself, you can't throw me out because I quit. And I did and went in the Navy, and spent 20 years, and wisened up.

After the war, Roger used his GI bill to finish his bachelor’s degree at Temple University. A masters degree from Tyndall Air Force base’s program with the University of Southern California led him to a long 28-year career working in defense contracting.

While retirement and age prevent Roger from performing the same duties as his active military days—he embraces any opportunity to serve.

ROGER STRALEY: The wife and I travel quite frequently…if we're home, we volunteer. She's still doing the turtles quite often. And I'm out here at the airport fairly frequently. And I enjoy doing it.

By “turtles,” he means the turtle watch held at Tyndall to protect the eggs that are laid on the base. And by “at the airport fairly frequently”, he means 5 to 6 days every week.

ROGER STRALEY: You know, they say join the Navy and see the world. And in my case, I did pretty much… There is no place like America. It is just so good… And part of what I do volunteering out here at the Welcome Center is paying back to America for what it has done for me. It is beyond description. We're a land of opportunity. And I'm so grateful to be an American.

And he invites everyone to join him in serving.

ROGER STRALEY: People always need volunteers in whatever they're doing, you know, some worthwhile cause… It's really not hard at all… I'm 84 years old… If I can do it, anyone can do it.

Reporting for WORLD from Panama City Beach, Florida, I’m Lillian Hamman.

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