'Operation Hero Miles' Expands to Families of Wounded Troops

American Forces Press Service ^ | Dec. 30, 2003 | By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USA

[Calpernia]

WASHINGTION -- Alice Rodgers, a single mother, paid more than $1,000 for round-trip tickets from Tipton, Iowa, so she and her daughter, Lindsey, could visit her son, who is recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here from wounds he suffered in an ambush in Iraq.

However, when Rodgers returns for her next visit, the trip will be far less expensive -- it will cost her nothing.

During a press briefing today at the front gate of the hospital, Maryland Rep. C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger handed 680 free airline tickets to David Coker, executive director and vice president of operations at the Fisher House Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides temporary living quarters to military families visiting loved ones at military hospitals.

The congressman said the free airline tickets are part of a new expansion of "Operation Hero Miles,", a program he created to provide airline tickets to troops on emergency or rest and recuperation leave.

He said the program now includes free airline tickets to family members traveling to visit loved ones injured during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and recovering at military hospitals throughout the country.

"We decided to expand this program even farther, because our program is about helping the troops -- the men and women who are putting their lives on the line for our freedom and liberty in Iraq and Afghanistan," Ruppersberger said, adding that having family close by helps the healing process.

The tickets were compliments of Anheuser-Busch, whose employees donated their frequent-flier miles to the cause. Ruppersberger said that so far, more than 365 million frequent-flyer miles have been donated to Operation Hero Miles, enough for some 14,800 free round-trip tickets for troops.

Coker said the Fisher House Foundation, which operates 32 Fisher Houses throughout the United States and overseas, will use the free tickets to help reunite wounded and injured service members with their loved ones.

He said 16 Fisher Houses at 12 locations have supported families of troops injured during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. "It's not uncommon for a family to stay in more than one Fisher House as they follow their loved ones through the medical evacuation chain," he said.

He said room charges for family members have been waived or paid by the foundation, and that in the past the foundation also has helped to provide travel for some families.

Rodgers left her job to come to Walter Reed shortly after her son, Spc. Joe Gottschalk, arrived here Dec. 4.

Gottschalk, of the 2133rd Transportation Unit, Iowa National Guard, was wounded in an ambush on his convoy near the Syrian border Nov. 29, the day after his birthday. Gottschalk was shot in the head; the bullet entered the back of his neck and shattered his jaw. His close hometown friend, Sgt. Aaron Sissel, riding alongside him, was killed. The sergeant's mother, Jo Sissel, wearing a button with her son's photo, said that although since her son's death she is no longer considered part of the military, she hopes to benefit from the program. She and daughter Shanna also paid large sums for their tickets to Washington, coming here to lend support to the Rodgers family.

The two mothers, who have been staying at Walter Reed's Fisher House, agree the free airline tickets surely mean a lot. "There need to be more programs like this to help people," Rodgers said. "I'm not working. I had to leave my job to come see my son and be with him, so it's hard. But this is a good program."

According to a Fisher House news release, Fisher House Foundation has donated 32 comfort homes on the grounds of military and VA medical centers for families to stay at while a loved one is hospitalized, and the Foundation assists these families during their stay. Fisher House Foundation asked Congressman Ruppersberger if the Hero Miles program could be expanded to include travel for hospitalized service members and their families, and the Congressman enthusiastically agreed. When Anheuser-Busch offered to donate hundreds of airline tickets, all agreed that these tickets were the ideal solution to help families reunite with their loved ones while they were being treated for an injury or illness from their service in the combat zone.

The donated airline tickets will be available to relatives or friends of inpatients as identified by the wounded or injured service members and validated by the medical center staff. Family members should not contact the Fisher House Foundation, but should make their desires known to the hospitalized service member. The program includes complimentary airline tickets only. There are no provisions for assistance with local travel, overnight accommodations, meals, or other expenses, officials said.

[Calpernia]

Maryland Rep. C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger presents 680 free airline tickets to David Coker, executive director of the Fisher House, during a Dec. 30 press briefing at the gate of Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The tickets are part of "Operation Hero Miles," which the congressman announced will expand to provide free airline tickets to family members visiting loved ones at military hospitals. The Fisher House will distribute the tickets to the families.

Joe Sissel shows off a button with a photo of her son, Army Sgt. Aaron Sissel. Aaron, of the 2133rd Transportation Unit, Iowa National Guard, was killed in an ambush near the Syrian border in Iraq. Sissel spoke at a press briefing Dec. 30 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center announcing the expansion of a program to provide free airline tickets for family members to visit loved ones at military hospitals.

Alice Rodgers speaks of her son, Army Spc. Joe Gottschalk, who is recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington. Gottschalk, of the 2133rd Transportation Unit, Iowa National Guard, was seriously wounded in an ambush near the Syrian border during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Rodgers spent more than $1,000 to travel to Washington, expenses that may soon be eliminated thanks to "Operation Hero Miles," a program expanding to provide free airline tickets to family members visiting loved ones at military hospitals.

[Calpernia]

Pro Military, Pro Coalition News

Maryland Rep. C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger handed 680 free airline tickets to David Coker, executive director and vice president of operations at the Fisher House Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides temporary living quarters to military families visiting loved ones at military hospitals.

[SandRat]

Sniff, .... Vets Heroes PING!

[MEG33]

This is good.They need to see loved ones.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Great idea. Y

To help our wounded troops, see also:
8 Holiday Appeal for Walter Reed Hospital Soldiers ~ JOE GALLOWAY 

[VOA]

Ragtime Cowgirl, I'll hijack a bit of your post 275 from the Holiday Appeal thread,
just so folks can help out the Freepers on the front line (and bypass the road-block
at the WRAMC Red Cross office)

If anyone wants to send phone cards and small items to the DC Chapter's post office
box, we will see that they are delivered to the soldiers at Walter Reed.

The DC Chapter of Free Republic
Post Office Box 65165
Washington, DC 20035-5165

God Bless Our Troops and America!

[TruthNtegrity]

Fantastic idea.

Now we need someone/some company to step in help these families with ancillary expenses: meals while in transit, meals while staying in Fisher House, and other transportation needs, like a rental car if the soldier is transferred to a VA Hospital "nearer home" but still far enough away that travel is required.

I'd also like to see some form of salary replacement. Ms. Rodgers made it clear that she had to leave her job. While the airline travel is taken care of, she still has rent/mortgage to pay, and if she's not working, she could use some financial assistance on the homefront.

There's still more work to do!

[VOA]

Bump for publicity...

and a request for info.
At the linked article, you can look get a high-res version of the last photo in
the article.

Maybe I'm just clueless, but the lady speaking appears to be wearing some sort of
pendant that I'd guess is a "dog-tag" shaped ornament with a "Stars And Stripes"
enameled covering.

Questions:
1. Am I seeing this correctly?
2. Whether or not I'm right about the object, does anyone know where
someone could get such a thing?

Thanks in advance!

[Calpernia]

I just found quite a few listings for dog tags with the flag and dog tags that say "I served" then further customized to reflect German (WWII) and Iraq and more on ebay. I will freep mail you the search url.

[VOA]

"I just found quite a few listings for dog tags with the flag"

Cool! Thanks so much!

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Proud to have donated over 15,000 miles :o)

[windchime]

Bump!

[radu]

This is a wonderful thing they're doing to help reunite the wounded soldiers with their families!

[Coop]

Great work by all of you to support our injured troops!

[blackie]

'Operation Hero Miles' Expands to Families of Wounded Troops ~ Bump!

[JLO]

Also, don't miss this thread from Freeper f7Oshawn about http://www.giveapass.us - a site he started.

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1040855/posts

[JLO]

(f70, oops, forgot to address you also in the "to" on the previous message.)

[f7Oshawn]

Thanks for the ping!

[P.O.E.]

I went to donate, but the Continental One Pass website says :

"Continental Airlines has stopped accepting mileage donations for Operation Hero Miles at this time. Effective January 1, 2004, the military is paying for all soldier R & R travel to their final home destination. Miles donated to Operation Hero Miles will be used by soldiers on Emergency Leave and for families visiting soldiers who have been hospitalized. Continental Airlines thanks you for your generosity. "