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Air Cav Soldiers Assisting Through Habitat for Humanity
(August 7, 2010) | 
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Spc. Chase Blake (foreground), of Fort Meyers, Fla., and
Pfc. Jennifer Pizane (background), from Los Angeles, both with A Company,
615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry
Division, apply primer to the inside of a house built by the Fort Hood Area
Habitat for Humanity, here, July 29, 2010. |
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KILLEEN, Texas (August 4, 2010) — Soldiers from the 1st Air Cavalry
Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, took time out of their workdays to
volunteer with the Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity.
A handful of motivated soldiers from A Company, 615th Aviation
Support Battalion wanted to put their time to good use by
volunteering. They didn't have to look far to find Habitat for
Humanity.
1st Lt. Benjamin Small, from Augusta, Ga., the transportation
platoon leader for A Company, felt this was the perfect use of time
for his soldiers and was glad they wanted to help out.
Small didn't have to ask for help either, they volunteered on their
own accord.
“It's just wanting to give back to the community,” said Small.
“While we were in Iraq, they took care of our families. Now that
we're back, we want to do something for the community.”
Site director and construction supervisor William Generali, a
retired command sergeant major who started volunteering with Habitat
for Humanity in 2005, now works full-time for them.
“In this particular case, [the soldiers] called up and said they
wanted to bring soldiers up, which we appreciate because that's how
we get houses done,” said Generali. “All these houses are done by
volunteers.”
At any given time, the Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity could
have one to three houses being built. They recently |
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finished one house, dedicated a new site for another and are currently in
the middle of a build which the A Company soldiers are helping with. |
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Though they are not a large group, the troopers have a lot of motivation and a
knack for getting things done.
“We'll get more done with this group, then when we have 30 people,” said
Generali. “We could have 100 soldiers here a day [and] get this house done in
six weeks, but it won't look good. It has to meet today's building standards. We
get inspected just like any other home.”
And unlike some house makeover shows, Habitat for Humanity doesn't have millions
of dollars to make houses in weeks. They are a non-profit organization which
prospers from donations, grants and volunteers, said Generali.
Sgt. Angela Perez, from Pharr, Texas, a transportation specialist, sweated in
the humid heat, but couldn't see herself doing anything else more worthwhile
than volunteering.
“I've always liked helping people. I'm just happier when I'm helping someone
else than when I'm helping me,” she said.
Along with helping others and giving back to their local community, the soldiers
are learning skills which they can use to better their own surroundings at work
and home.
Most of the soldiers came into these projects with little or no construction or
home improvement knowledge. But as they gave and donated their time to their
community, they walked away with new skills which can benefit them.
“Not only are [the soldiers] learning – I'm learning,” said Small. “I really
didn't know how to paint or do some of this other stuff. So when I get my own
house, I'll be able do some minor repairs.”
This particular house is scheduled to be completed near the beginning of
September, but there are many more projects in the works and more people in
need.
The common consensus among the hard-working troopers is that volunteering and
helping others is the key – it doesn't just have to be Habitat for Humanity.
“I just encourage more soldiers, more units, more commanders to actually get
involved in stuff like this. Not necessarily just Habitat for Humanity, but
giving to other people,” said Perez. “There are so many causes out there that we
can really be helping out.” | |
Article and photo by Army Sgt. Felix Acevedo
1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs
Copyright 2010
Provided
through DVIDS
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