One USO Volunteer’s Experience

These are the actual words of Velma Drier, a USO volunteer, who recently went on her first visit at the Scott Air Force ASF Hospital:

I was called to receive 5 wounded soldiers, on their way home from Iraq, at Scott AFB.  They were just arriving when I got there, and they were very tired, hungry and feeling a little lost.  Being my first time on this mission, I too was a little apprehensive and unsure exactly what was expected of me.

I waited until they had been settled into their rooms, and then approached the first soldier.  I introduced myself as a USO representative, and offered him fresh cookies, some candy and a pen in case he wanted to write home.  He told me his home was in Biloxi, Mississippi.  I had been there, and told him how much I like his town. He told me of his wife and family, and his plans for his future.  He was first going to Fort Knox Hospital, where his family might have a chance to visit him.  The nurse came in to speak to him, so I wished him well and moved on to the next soldier.

This young man had a shoulder injury, and told me that he came from Louisiana.  He was very sad about what had happened to that area when the hurricane hit it, but was looking forward to being home again.  He also was going to the Fort Knox Hospital for possible surgery to his shoulder.  He spoke of his wife and two small children.  Didn’t ask for anything except his lunch, which I was assured was on its way.

The third young man I visited had a burn on his hand.  He was a little reluctant to talk to me at first, but after a few minutes he told me that his home was in Michigan, and he had a wife, two daughters and a little son, all under five years.  He said he had served a hitch in the Navy during Vietnam, but had enlisted in the Army because he wanted to help with the fighting in Iraq, although he was glad to be back and looking forward to seeing his family.

The next soldier I visited was a young woman with a wounded hand.  She was receiving an injection which was quite painful.  She was unable to talk for a while.  I asked if there was anything I could get for her, and she said she would like some pajamas.  I was thrilled to be able to provide a set of scrubs from the USO closet.  When she saw them, she was very pleased, exclaiming that they were very pretty, and asked if she could keep them.  I was happy to tell her that they were a gift from the USO.  I left her to look for the remaining solder, but he had a visitor, and I did not want to intrude, so I went back to check on the young woman, and found that she had put on the new pj’s and was sound asleep.

Their lunch arrived, so I departed with a rewarding feeling of having done something for those who had done so much for me and all America, and I can hardly wait to be called again!  Perhaps I can bring happiness to other GI’s.

Velma Drier