Grissom Airmen volunteer in local community Published Jan. 11, 2016 By Senior Airman Andrew Crawford 434th ARW Public Affairs GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Most Airmen join the military to serve their country, but that desire to serve often overflows into the community, and a group of Airmen recently demonstrated just that. Airmen from the 434th Air Refueling Wing showed up and dedicated their time and service to paint the third floor at the Terrace Towers, an apartment complex containing 105 one-bedroom apartments for senior citizens and physically challenged individuals, in downtown Kokomo, Ind., Jan. 9. "This project is a good example of the selfless service we see from our Airmen at Grissom on a daily basis," said Chief Master Sgt. Robert Herman, 434th ARW command chief. "A lot of our Airman at the event yesterday didn't live in that community, but they showed up and helped people they didn't know because it was the right thing to do; that says a lot about the men and women who serve at Grissom!" Events such as these help enrich the community with Air Force core values and demonstrate the bond between the base and the surrounding communities. "It was heartwarming to see the residents of the Terrace Towers come out of their rooms and compliment us on how much better we are making it look," said Staff Sgt. Jami Lancette, 434th ARW public affairs specialist. During volunteer events, Airmen from the base are able to give back to the community that supports them and interact with people outside of Grissom. "The great thing about our Airmen is they have a sense of service to our nation, and that same service was shown to the less fortunate people that these Airmen were helping," said Herman. "Being a good Airman is not only about doing what is required; it's also just as important that we give back by helping others who are less fortunate and helping the community around us become stronger." 2nd Lt. Erica Morgan, 434th ARW executive officer and event coordinator, echoed Herman's sentiment towards giving back to the community. "Events like this give our Airmen, myself included, a sense of pride for giving back to people in need that live around the base, and you can see the positive responses in people's faces," explained Morgan. "The project at Terrace Towers is a continuous project, and we will be volunteering and helping the residents there again soon." Additionally, later in the project, a mural dedicated to all branches of the military will be painted to show support. If you are interested in volunteering for community events such as this one, contact Morgan at 765-688-4931. Grissom is home to the 434th ARW, the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command, but also three Army Reserve units and a Marine Corps Reserve communications detachment. Stay connected with the 434th ARW on Facebook and Twitter
