Airmen donate spare man-hours to national battlefield

  • Published
  • By Amy Perry
  • Fort Lee Public Affairs Office
9/20/2012 --  FORT LEE, Va. (Sept. 20, 2012) -- Instead of having his Airmen in hold status spend their days cleaning the dormitories over and over, a military training flight commander has found a way to promote volunteering while helping Fort Lee and the local community.

On any given day, about 30-50 Airmen are waiting for a start date for training or orders to their new base after graduating, and 2nd Lt. Blandon Prowse, 345th Training Squadron MTF commander, decided their time could be better spent than performing "hey-you" duties around the squadron.

"We waste a lot of federal man hours when the Airmen are just hanging around the dormitory, cleaning the same stuff every day," said Prowse. "We always try to make a positive impact in the community - it's part of our training. This volunteer project helps show the Airmen the importance of volunteering within the community."

The flight leadership has sought out opportunities where the Airmen could volunteer and found several different places that would benefit from the extra support. They include the Petersburg National Battlefield, local food pantries and multiple locations on Fort Lee such as Outdoor Recreation, the Stray Animal Facility and FMWR.

The Airmen's efforts at the Petersburg National Battlefield are particularly noteworthy. At least three days a week - sometimes up to five days - 10-12 Airmen go to the battlefield to help out on projects.

"They have participated in general maintenance work (weed-eating/mowing) at the park, trail restoration, creek bed restoration, planting trees, building bridges and other structures," said Prowse. "Airmen rotate in and out quickly - most are able to volunteer one or two days before starting classes, so none of them end up getting burnt out on the project."

A few Airmen volunteer several more times, based on how often they want to go and how long they are in hold status. Airman Derick Reed, a student awaiting an air transportation course, has volunteered seven times, and said he likes giving back to the community.

"I enjoy volunteering at the battlefield - it's definitely better scenery than being stuck at the dorms cleaning," he said. "I've also been able to learn a lot about the history of the area."

The battlefield staff definitely appreciates the Airmen's assistance, said David Beaver, Petersburg National Battlefield facility manager. The Airmen have contributed more than 7,200 hours and saved the battlefield at least $108,000 since they started in March.

"These Airmen allow us to do work that just wouldn't get done without them," he said. "If I didn't have these guys, we wouldn't be able to do the landscaping we need to do.

"One of the projects they are working on is weed-eating the headstones at Poplar Grove," Beaver continued. "I would have to pull my entire crew to weed-eat the 6,000 headstones there. The Airmen knock it out in a day or two with only one staff member with them. My crew is able to do work they need to do that requires more expertise."

Prowse said he appreciates the effort the battlefield staff makes with the Airmen. Not only do they get proper safety briefings, but they also learn about the history of the local area.

"One of the things we are most grateful for is that the park rangers and maintenance workers always take the time to explain the history behind all the sites before they begin working on them, such as the Battle of The Crater, Poplar Grove Cemetery, City Point/Grant's Headquarters and the Siege of Petersburg," he said. "This way, we instill in our Airmen an appreciation for the deep historical significance of the surrounding area as well as an awareness of the sacrifices of military members of previous generations."