A 9/11 Personal Account from T.D. Smyers: U.S. Navy Turned Red Cross Leader

Written by T.D. Smyers, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross, North Texas Region 

As September 11, 2001 dawned, I was on Navy staff duty in New Orleans, LA. My friend, "Twitch" and I were worrying about a PowerPoint and Excel presentation we had to do in a peacetime Navy before our lives and careers dramatically changed. As we watched news of the attacks we had no idea what kind of world we were now living in; we could only guess at the kind of operations we would lead and we struggled with the nature of our enemy. What we did know is that we were in for a fight - us and our families. Twitch left the staff shortly after 9-11 to lead a squadron of fighter aircraft in bombing runs over Afghanistan. I left at about the same time to lead a squadron of surveillance aircraft against terrorist targets in the Western Pacific and to prepare for potential combat operations in the Middle East. Life changed quickly for us, and the challenges faced by the military family grew more drastic and starkly real.

In the years since the September 11 Terrorist Attacks, I've served a number of roles in the United States Navy, including tours in the Pentagon and command of a Naval Air Station. Late last year, I retired from the military and picked up a new mantle of service - the humanitarian mission of the American Red Cross. Today, I am proud to lead a professional team of staff and volunteers who perform selfless, eye-watering work on behalf of others every single day. In fact, my Region Team turns a family's despair into hope once every four or five hours; and that's just in North Texas.

As I reflect on the gutsy, smart and dedicated teammates with whom I serve in today's Red Cross, I recognize something familiar. I recognize the dedication, courage and commitment with which I grew up in the United States Navy. I count it a privilege to have served with America's Sailors, just as I now consider it a privilege to serve with the Red Cross. In fact, the link becomes even stronger when I consider how our Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) teams help thousands of military men and women, and their families, with the very real challenges they face every day; challenges that are a permanent part of the new world I saw ushered in on September 11, 2001.

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Happy Holidays to the United States Military!

Holiday Mail for Heroes 2011 concluded at the Dallas Area Chapter on Saturday as some 40 volunteers came together to sort thousands of holiday cards written to members of the United States Armed Forces. Many of the cards were from children and to say they were all heartfelt would be an understatement. Thanks to all of you who took the time to brighten the day of an active duty, veteran or wounded warrior! And a big thanks to Pitney Bowes for once again being a great partner!

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Grab a Stamp and Mail Your Greeting!

There are three days left to grab a pen, holiday card and a stamp and fill out your greeting card for a member of the U.S. military. Follow this link to Holiday Mail for Heroes to find out all of the details. Make a service member's day. Send a grateful note of thanks this holiday season!

To do more for to help U.S. servicemembers, take a look at our Holiday Giving Catalog where you can purchase phone cards or military comfort kits.

Since its inception, the American Red Cross has been meeting the needs of military members and their families at home and around the world.

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Service To The Armed Forces Supports Military Members And Their Families

The American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) provides important support to members of the United States military, help that includes financial assistance, counseling and a commitment to support our veterans - the sick and disabled men and women who have served our country through the Armed Forces.

But perhaps the most important support SAF provides is emergency communications to link members of the military with their families back home. SAF provides that vital link between families and their member of the military 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, no matter where in the world service members are stationed.

Ohio mother Angela Blair learned how important the SAF emergency communications program is when her son, Chad, was stationed overseas in 2009 and there was a death in the family. She contacted her local Red Cross chapter, the Hancock County Chapter in Findlay, Ohio, about the possibility of getting Chad home to be with his family. Angela reports she made that call on a Thursday and Chad was home Sunday night.

The military mom later began to learn all she could about the Red Cross SAF program and found it very helpful to her during Chad’s time overseas. Since then she has become an SAF volunteer and recently completed training to become a volunteer caseworker for the program.

Red Cross emergency communications services keep military personnel in touch with their families following the death or serious illness of an immediate family member, the birth of a service member's child or grandchild or when a family experiences other emergencies. Red Cross-verified information assists commanding officers in making a decision regarding emergency leave. Without this verification, the service member may not be able to come home during a family emergency.

“My Red Cross friends helped me through this latest situation with Chad,” Angela said. “I would encourage everyone who is going through the same life event I did to give the SAF program a try. It is so helpful, especially during a deployment.”

“It’s very important to educate yourself about what help and information is available,” she continued. “Service to the Armed Forces can help family members and new members of the armed forces with that. Taking the orientation is even beneficial for parents whose child is considering joining the military.”

Chad has just returned stateside from Afghanistan. Since his first deployment in 2009, he has been injured three times and received just as many Purple Hearts, the award presented to members of the armed forces who are wounded by an instrument of war at the hands of the enemy.

“My son asked if I would keep on going with my SAF volunteering when his time with the military is over and I told him I will do it for as long as I can,” Angela said. “It’s important for people to have a place to go to get an education about what help is available when someone is in the military.”

While providing service to 1.4 million active duty military personnel and their families, the Red Cross also reaches out to more than 1.2 million members of the National Guard and Reserves and their families living in nearly every community in America.

For more information on Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces, contact the American Red Cross-Dallas Area Chapter at 214-678-4800 or visit www.redcross.org.

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Three Things We Can do on Veteran's Day

When I woke up on this Veteran's Day morning in the year 2010, I did what most of us do. I checked my Facebook page. One of my friends had posted this as her status:

"A veteran is someone, who at one point in their life, wrote a blank check payable to the United States of America for an amount up to, and including, their life. That is beyond honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer remember that fact. Copy and paste this as your status if you are a Veteran, know a Veteran, Love a Veteran, or support the Troops."

Our Veteran's, and those currently serving, truly are heroes and it's an honor to be able to support them through our work at the American Red Cross. Maybe you're not familiar with how we support the troops every day so let me give you just a few highlights of our program called Service to Armed Forces:

• The Red Cross helps some 2.6 million members of the military and their families every year.
• We send and receive emergency messages around the world 24/7. For a service member who has left cell phones and Blackberries behind, this service is the connection back to his/her family at home and it's priceless in delivering peace of mind.
• We brief nearly one million deploying service members and their families about how to access Red Cross services when separated.

Those are just the highlights. We do so much more including financial assistance, running a Fallen Solider program like we do here in Dallas, and creating opportunities for you to show your support through programs like Holiday Mail for Heroes. So, I decided to do three things today in honor of Veteran's Day and I'm asking you to join me.

First, I will take a moment of silence to say a very grateful thanks to all of our Veteran's and to those currently serving. Next, I will select a holiday card created by Amy Grant, Dr. Phil, Miley Cyrus or Jane Seymour that will be sent to one of our military members currently serving and lastly, I will make a $25 gift to the Red Cross to go along with that card. It's the least we can do and it's quick and easy to help. Just click here. http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=hmfh_card_gallery&JServSessionIdr004=natkjvom01.app297a

Since I started writing this blog, a Twitter follower posted this as his status: "If you live in freedom, thank a Veteran". On behalf of all of us at the American Red Cross, we do thank you Veteran's. Enjoy your special day.

--Anita Foster, American Red Cross, Dallas, Texas

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Send Holiday Greeting to the Troops!

At the American Red Cross, we love this time of year because we get to kick off one of our favorite programs...Holiday Mail for Heroes! Thanks to the generosity of Pitney-Bowes and the Hallmark Corporation, we're able to give you the opportunity to write your own holiday greeting to an active duty, hospitalized or retired service member. Last year, we sent more than one million greetings from grateful Americans, and we expect this year to be at least as many!

We'd love for you to participate in Holiday Mail for Heroes too! Just follow these simple steps:

Go to www.redcross.org/holidaymail to learn how to participate and then set up a drive at your church, school or business. If you need cards in bulk, just give us a call at 214-678-4800 and ask for Anita. We'll be happy to get you at least 100 cards.

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Greg Biffle is our Hero!

Texas Motor Speedway is always an exciting place to be when NASCAR comes to town, but this weekend, it will create an explosion for all of us who love the American Red Cross!

Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 car, will sport the world-wide symbol of hope on his firesuit, and the paint scheme of his Ford Fusion will proudly showcase the Red Cross logo! It's really exciting, but there's even more!

On Sunday, the legendary Willie Nelson will play the American Red Cross "Salute to the Troops" pre-race show and LeeAnn Womack, an American Red Cross volunteer, will escort some 150 military troops to the stage so they can be recognized for their sacrafice, heroism and selflessness. Meanwhile...

Local Red Cross volunteers will be out on the Midway at Gate 7 all weekend so stop by and learn how to become a blood donor like Greg Biffle, and while you're there, be sure to sign a holiday greeting card for a member of the United States military as part of the American Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes program.

We're very grateful to the 3M Corporation for lending us their space on the No. 16 car so that we can remind people that the American Red Cross needs blood every day, serves military members every day, responds to disasters every 8 minutes, every day. We're in love with Greg Biffle for being a regular blood donor and for going out of his way to support the American Red Cross. It's not something he has to do which makes him even more special to us.

We very much appreciate NASCAR fans, Roush Fenway Racing and all of our American Red Cross supporters! So if you're heading out to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend, stop by and see us. If you're not, consider following the Biff''s lead and text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10. See you on pit row!

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Why We Give: Ron and Julia Wensel

It's always fascinating to ask someone why they got involved with the American Red Cross. Sometimes they were affect by a disaster. Sometimes they were a member of the military. And, other times, they were inspired by someone who saved a life.

Our new blog feature, "Why we give," will tell some of those stories. These heroes help us provide disaster response, military assistance and health and safety training.

Ron Wensel has always known the power of a red cross.

During World War II, while living in San Antonio, he would frequently see military convoys passing through town bearing the red cross as a symbol of humanitarian service protected from attack.

Later, in 1954, while living in Waco, he saw the red cross on vehicles of the American Red Cross as they came into town to provide assistance after a tornado devastated the downtown area.

For Ron, the American Red Cross has always meant that reliable help was on the way. Recognizing how valuable that symbol was for any community, Ron and his wife, Julia, decided to become financial supporters of their American Red Cross.

“The Red Cross is there on the spot anytime people need it,” Ron says when asked why they give. “It can be fires, bigger disasters, Katrina, even worldwide like we saw with Haiti . . . it doesn’t matter. You can count on the Red Cross to be there. We wanted to be a part of that.”

More importantly, Ron says when he gives to the Red Cross he knows that his donation will have an impact in the community. “The Red Cross takes resources and stretches them. I know my money will be well spent and for the right reasons.”

Because of individuals like Ron, the American Red Cross is able to help nearly 200,000 people across North Texas prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters every year.

Will you join Ron and Julia in supporting your American Red Cross? Become a part of a life-changing experience by making a gift today!

Your donation will turn heartbreak into hope when disasters strike down the street, across the country or around the world.

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