I’ve been involved with Team Rubicon since the Spring of 2013, and with each opportunity I have had to deploy for an operation or attend a service project, it just reinforces how important this organization is to me.
I recently returned from Operation: Five Points in Aston, PA which led up to this 4th of July holiday, a holiday to recognize our independence and the freedoms we now have as Americans due to the men and women who so bravely fought for our nation. During this operation, I had the honor of meeting a 91-year-old WWII veteran who needed assistance with the removal of a tree that had fallen due to the storms blocking his driveway. I introduced myself, why we were there, and how we planned to assist him. Before I could get into my 30-second elevator speech, he stopped me and asked that I sit with him and tell him my story, then he would allow me to continue with what I wanted to say. We spent the next 15 minutes or so swapping war stories.
Jason Miller (left) shared his story with Aston, PA homeowner James Miller on Operation: Five Points.
Although our experiences may have been different and 51 years separated us, in that moment, there was a special bond only a few can truly understand. He reminded me so much of my Pap, who too was a WWII veteran. Furthermore, we also share the same last name! So, in the end, Mr. Miller let me give my TR pitch and allowed our kick-ass team to clear his driveway. Although brief, that encounter will stay with me for a lifetime.
People ask, “Why do you volunteer for Team Rubicon?” I volunteer because of people like Mr. Miller and those we are able to help in a time of need.
