Mission Just Us needs all of us

Brig. Gen. Rich Johnston
KMC and 86th Airlift Wing commander


***image2***I often observe our aeromedical evacuation squadron, contingency aeromedical staging facility, and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center personnel assisting injured servicemembers.  As the primary aeromedical hub for OEF and OIF, several thousand patients were aeromedically evacuated in and out of Ramstein and I try and visit as many of the wounded arriving or departing Ramstein as possible. 
 
While in the KMC area, these servicemembers receive world-class care at our medical facilities. Not surprisingly there are several volunteer organizations supporting wounded servicemen.  These KMC volunteers have created special groups to help ease patients’ time while they receive medical care.

One such group is called Mission Just Us.  It was created in 2004 to support patients within the KMC who may need transportation to the base or post exchanges to buy clothing, toiletry items and other supplies they require for their trip home or back to the AOR.

These incredible volunteers pick up the patients four days each week from LRMC, CASF, and Kleber Kaserne to take them to the exchange(s), a restaurant or to an event in the local area.

These volunteers say they not only volunteer with Mission Just Us to give back to the military community, but to talk to these heroes about what they are experiencing downrange. The volunteers are veterans of deployments downrange too and are sometimes surprised to hear that many of the injured or wounded servicemembers want to get better quickly so they can rejoin their units back in the combat zone. 

It does not matter if you are a civilian, military dependent, active duty or retiree, every volunteer’s experience in this great organization is rewarding. The KMC never ceases to amaze me with the selflessness and generosity they extend every day.

If you would like to volunteer with Mission Just Us, please contact Staff Sgt. LaKeesha Holmes at 496-7112 or 06302-67-7112.