Joint Base Charleston
Patriot Vol. 1, No. 6
Team Charleston – One Family, One Mission, One Fight!
Friday, November 5, 2010
U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Timothy Taylor
INSIDE FALL BACK
A little off the top - Mr. Tony Skinner gets his hair trimmed by a volunteer barber at the 11th annual Stand Down Against Homelessness Oct. 29, 2010, at the North Charleston Armory Park, S.C. More than 2,068 homeless veterans and civilians received services like haircuts to help get them back on their feet and raise morale in the process. Mr. Skinner is a veteran of the United States Army. See more photos, pages 14 & 15.
Local 'Stand Down' serves homeless veterans
By Airman Jared Trimarchi Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs
Remember to set your clocks back one hour Nov. 7 See page 2
COMBAT SUPPORT 16 AS deploys to Middle East See page 8
HOLIDAY MAIL
Holiday mailing deadline approaching See page 20
SPONSORSHIP First impressions make a great PCS See page 13
son is a veteran, and they immediately escort them to the VA tent where the process of getting them the help they need begins; primarily a place to live, the health care they need and job resources. More than 2,068 homeless people, both veterans and civilians, "It's rewarding when you help people get back on their feet and they find received aid from local volunteers at the 11th annual Stand Down Against a job," said Tonya Lobbestael, Ralph H. Johnson VAMC public affairs offiHomelessness, Oct. 28 and 29, at the North Charleston Armory Park. cer and co-chairman of the planning committee for the stand down. More than 300 volunteers from the local Ms. Lobbestael said she has seen homeless particicommunity and members of the local military pants become volunteers themselves after receiving worth repeating helped support the effort. help from previous stand downs. “It really opened my Sponsored by the Ralph H. Johnson Veterans "We couldn't pull this off without the help of the milAffairs Medical Center and Goodwill eyes when I saw how itary," said Ms. Lobbestael. "The volunteers came from Industries, the event provided food, clothing the Weapons Station, the Brig, SPAWAR, the Air Base, many homeless vouchers, medical and dental screenings, job and the Coast Guard. It makes a big difference especialand legal assistance, and personal hygiene families with kids are ly to the homeless veterans ... You can see them stand a items to the homeless. A hot breakfast with coflittle taller and regain some of that pride they had when in my community.” fee was provided to all the homeless particithey served just by seeing these young, clean-cut servAir Force Master Sgt. Anthony Mullins ice members in uniform out there helping them." pants, and flu shots were also administered by Detachment 3, Naval Consolidated Brig, volunteers from the VA. Although the goal of the event is simple, helping Joint Base Charleston-Weapons Station "I think it's a wonderful thing, not only helphomeless veterans get off the street is still an uphill bating our fellow veterans, but also helping those tle, said Ms. Lobbestael. who just live in the community and have fallen on hard times," said Henry "We had 390 less homeless participate than last year. That by itself is Young, an Air Force veteran and volunteer. encouraging but there is still a significant need in the community," she said. Blankets and clothes were distributed and the homeless were assigned "The hardest part is seeing how many people are out there that need help." personal "shoppers" who helped them find the right size clothes that had For one local veteran and volunteer, participating in the event made been donated by Goodwill Industries for the event. In addition to the blan- that need quite clear. kets and clothes, haircuts were given to those in need. "It really opened my eyes when I saw how many homeless families "It feels good getting a free haircut," said Richard Krempusch, a local with kids are in my community," said Air Force Master Sgt. Anthony man who participated in the event. "I've paid 16 bucks I didn't have for a Mullins, assigned to Detachment 3, Naval Consolidated Brig, Joint Base haircut with money that I needed to spend for a job interview." Charleston-Weapons Station. "With all the volunteer work I have done in my career, helping the Helping the homeless acquire stable work is one of the primary goals of the event. Volunteers work with the VA to find out if a homeless per- homeless has really had the most impact on me."
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