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Clothing donation brings comfort in emergencies

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Michael Matkin
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  People are often asked to volunteer their time and goods to help those less fortunate. Sometimes what is asked for strikes a personal note and spurs the potential volunteer into action.

This was the case for 1st Sgt. Julio Martinez of the 379th Expeditionary Operations Group, Army Priority Air Transport, Europe Flight Detachment, deployed from Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

"I saw the notification in the Daily Dispatch that the Emergency Leave Clothing Locker was looking for clothing donations; it brought back some memories that are near and dear to me," Sergeant Martinez said.

Two years ago, while stationed overseas, the first sergeant received a frightening phone call; his father had been involved in a fatal motorcycle accident on his way to work. Sergeant Martinez immediately flew home on emergency leave.

"My Dad who had always been, and still is, my role model, retired in 2005 with 23 years of service in the U.S. Army -- you can imagine how confused and desperate I felt when I received the news," Sergeant Martinez said.

When Sergeant Martinez read the news brief requesting civilian clothes for this cause, he remembered the feeling of agony he had felt on his trip back home after his father's accident. He decided this was a chance for him to help people who may be experiencing those same feelings, with just the simple gesture of clean clothes to wear home.

"I know that a set of cleans clothes may seem like a little thing considering the circumstances servicemembers are going through while preparing for emergency leave; however, if getting clean clothes relieves their worries just a little, then the effort is definitely worth it," Sergeant Martinez said.

That night, he wrote an e-mail to his rear detachment commander and to the Family Support Group leader at Ramstein and asked them if they could place a couple of boxes in their work area to collect clothes for this effort.

When Army Sgt. Joseph Wichowski, U.S. Army Priority Air Transport, Europe Flight Detachment rear detachment commander, received an e-mail from Sergeant Martinez, he immediately wanted to help his fellow servicemembers going through a difficult time.

Sergeant Wichowski worked with the Family Support Group Leader Enza Martinez and, together, they sent messages to everyone they knew in the area -- collecting, packaging and sending three large boxes of clothes through the Military Postal Service Agency. The boxes arrived here in less than two weeks.

"I can honestly say, if a [servicemember] is ever in need, there is always another [servicemember] who is willing to help," Sergeant Wichowski said. "This is just a small privilege of being a servicemember supporting and defending our great country."

"I was pretty impressed with the support and care from everyone back home," Sergeant Martinez said.

On Nov. 25, Sergeant Martinez delivered the boxes to the 379th Expeditionary Mission Support Group Personnel Support for Contingency Operations.

"Servicemembers come through here on emergency leave after being downrange, under a large amount of stress, and this is just one less thing they have to worry about," said Senior Master Sgt. Lisa Casteel, PERSCO team chief, deployed from Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. "It is great to see servicemembers step up and support their fellow servicemembers -- with heart, empathy and respect."