Helping Teenagers of Deployed Service Members

[Alan Reagan]

A few months ago, a high school teamate of my daughters mentioned to her that her car was not running right and that she may have to park it until her dad returned from a tour in Iraq.



I had my wife call the girls mom and set up a time for me to go by and look at it. It was a VW beetle and one of the spark plug coils was causing a misfire. I picked one up along with a set of plugs and the kid and I got the car running like it is supposed to and I went on my way.



Yesterday, I replaced the hoses on another car belonging to the child of a deployed soldier. The upper radiator hose split and stranded her. Her mom picked up the parts while the teenager and I pulled off the old hoses and thermostat.



In both cases, I had the kids stay with me and help on the repairs. They seemed to enjoy it and actually took a lot of pride in helping fix their own cars.



But the biggest benefit is to the deployed guy who doesn't have to hear about it knowing there is nothing he can do until he gets home or the other option of putting it in a shop and paying for it.



The reason I'm posting this is to recommend that if you guys have the time and inclination, this is a good way to help out a deployed service member and at the same time, teach a teenager a thing or two about working on their own cars. In both cases, I had the teenagers do more of the work than I did. At a minimum, I require them to put everything back together so they know how to do it.



I've been deployed for long periods so I know what it is like to have this stuff happening while being gone with no way to fix it myself. Most of the concentration for assistance is for the younger children of service members. My point is, don't forget the teenagers. They need some help and assistance too, from people they can trust.

 

[Hoefler]

Kudos to you!!! I kind of do the same thing around here, except I help the elderly.

 

[Alan Reagan]

I do that some, too. The elderly do really appreciate it. One guy I help is just with oil changes and fuel filter. He buys the parts and then stands there and talks to me while I do the changes. He has gotten to the point where he can't slide under the truck like he used to.



The big benefit from him is that he grows all kinds of vegetables and once a week, he will drop off a "load" for us.



It all works out.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Your a GOOD man for doing that. When I was working my partner and I were always going to the disaster areas when they happen to get the gas stations up and running with fuel. Now that im retired I see what's going on in the midwest and feel like I should be doing something other than setting on my hands at home Its a helpless feeling

 

[Alan Reagan]

I'm with you BIGNASTY. Now that I'm nearing retirement, I'm picking more things to do with my time and abilities to help people that need help. I'm talking about people that work and take care of their families but sometimes need a hand to get by. Sometimes good people just need a break and to know that there is someone out there to help out when they need it.



I'm not professing to be a do gooder. I know there have been times in my life that someone has given me a hand and it meant all the difference in the world to me.



For the last couple of days, I've looked at those storm hit areas in MO and AR and thought about hooking up the trailer and heading up their to help out. I'm trying to find out what people might need. With everything tore all to hell, I don't think it is building supplies. Probably basics like water, food, clothing. I should just pull my big smoker up there and cook for them.

 

[BIGNASTY]

The best thing that EVER happen to me was during Katrina we went down to Louisianan for 3 mo. When we did this kind of work the rules changed allot. There were no hours of operation no 10 hours drive time with all the other crap that we normally had to deal with. FEMA gave us free rein on when your tired get some sleep and left it at that. My best was about 72 hours then I had to get some sleep at least 12 then I could usually hold a 36 on 10 off for quite awhile. After about a month of this we were in the yard where we returned fuel for processing. I was sitting in the truck doing the horn button stare. When the lady from across the street came over and asked if SHE could do anything for US. I was dumbfounded here this little old lady was offering us help when she had nothing. I tried to swallow the softball in my neck and couldnt say anything. For the next week she had coffee and always some kind of pastry for the drivers. The wife flew in (as allot of wifes did) to help us out and just a pice of home. We had the wifes get as much food as they could and take it to the Lady and damned if she didnt fix it for us as much as her own family. Ill never forget her. Excuse me I need a kleen ex. After that no matter where we went it wasnt just for the BIG BUCKS and we did make some super money but the people just needed a hand. Thats what really PO's me that the big MOVIE STARS are willing to help other countries but not so much our own people.

 

[Alan Reagan]

Bignasty,



Coming out of the Coast Guard, I know what you are talking about when you end up in Katrina like situations.



On a couple of the big responses I was involved in, it was always and I mean always the Salvation Army that would be there feeding us and helping us out without asking for one thing in return. The Red Cross would be there but they weren't helping the responders at all. Usually just asking for something from the responders.



Every time the SA showed up, they stayed with us until we were done and then they would pack up and leave with us. To this day, when I see the SA army doing something, I try to help them out as much as I can. They do a great job and don't ask for anything. If you gave the SA all of the money that the Red Cross takes in, they would give you 4 fold in return for what your dollar goes for.