While surveying flooded neighborhoods with a damage assessment team in South Carolina, we encountered a member of the public who asked, “Why do you do it?”
Many things come to mind. As a child raised in a family whose father was a 23-year Air Force veteran and a mother who worked as a civilian on government contracts, seeing the camaraderie among former/current soldiers and sailors, the coordinated response to a call to duty, assisting those in need, and receiving a heartfelt, “Thank you” come to mind.
Maurice deployed to Operation: Palmetto Punch to support South Carolina residents affected by historic flooding.
On my first deployment with TR to Region V’s Operation: Sleeping Bear, I assisted a chainsaw strike team in removing a portion of a tree that had been struck by lightening and was hanging over a propane tank. The father explained that this tree and propane tank were on the same side the house as his two children. He was recovering from back surgery and could not lift more than 8 lbs.
Region V volunteers responded to severe storm in Traverse City, MI by lending a hand with sawyer work and debris management.
Team Rubicon went to work and took care of business. After we had cleared and cleaned the area and were talking with the husband and wife, both children came to us and without prompting from their parents said, “Thank you.”
I knew I was where I wanted to be. Thank you, Team Rubicon.
