Collaborating in a Maine Troop Greeters Occasion Was Touching

Whereas the vast majority of Mainers had been gearing up for the lengthy Labor Day weekend on Friday evening.

And the fortunate had been seeing Luke Combs on the opening evening of his tour in Bangor

I obtained a textual content that made me perk up and head for the automotive to go to Bangor Airport

First some background. A couple of years in the past I met with just a few board members from the group Maine Troop Greeters. My function was to maintain their story going and produce them some a lot deserved consideration. Oh and to assist them elevate donations in the course of the pandemic. Right here’s that story. 

I’ve at all times been fascinated by the Troop Greeters. I used to be fortunate sufficient to go on an Honor Flight from one other state to Washington D.C. for the day and witness Veterans seeing the monuments erected of their honor. Very touching is an excessive understatement.

Again to the troop greeters, the rationale I obtained excited Friday evening was I obtained a textual content saying {that a} navy flight was on the way in which to Bangor Airport and would I prefer to witness the Troop Greeters in motion. Sure. And I’ve been making an attempt to, for the previous couple of years.

Lastly, issues labored out.

The only function is to greet every navy flight that comes by Bangor Airport. Because the service women and men depart their airplane, Troop Greeters line up on the finish of the jetway and easily shake arms and thank them for his or her service.

From a flight years in the past this is what it seems to be prefer to the Troops coming down the jet approach

And right here is one other picture from a previous flight of what the Troop Greeters do.

That’s what I obtained to do on Friday night. Realizing nothing about the place they had been headed or coming from. What a part of the nation they’re from. Solely factor one may inform was their final title on their uniform. And the look on their faces. Gratitude. The sensation of being appreciated.

It is wonderful. After I obtained again dwelling I instantly reached out to a fantastic pal of mine who had been in Desert Storm, and informed him what I’d simply been part of. He obtained emotional, remembering when he got here again by Delaware, and the greeting that they had acquired. All these years later, he obtained choked up.

Thanks to the Maine Troop Greeters for what you devotedly do for every flight, and have since 1991. Nighttime, center of a snow storm, doesn’t matter. There are at all times Troop Greeters there to greet an incoming flight.

Wonderful.

And now I’ve seen first hand how appreciated that effort lands.

Thanks.

Need extra details about the Maine Troop Greeters, right here it’s.

And subsequent time you might be flying out of Bangor Worldwide Airport, or assembly somebody coming in, go by the Maine Troop Greeters Museum for a go to.

LOOK: 100 years of American navy historical past