Operation Warmheart helps Airmen during holiday season, throughout year

  • Published
  • By Karen Abeyasekere
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  Operation Warmheart is a program run by first sergeants which provides relief for service members in times of emergency, distress or financial hardship.

"We get funding through donations from our own fundraisers, or from the chapel and spouses groups," said Master Sgt. Joel Villarin, 100th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron first sergeant.

Unaccompanied Airmen's Day, held earlier this year, had a "jail and bail" which raised approximately $6,000 for Operation Warmheart.

The first sergeants perform bell ringing each year during the holiday season to help raise money for the program. Bell ringing for 2013 begins Nov. 29 and runs to Dec. 21.

"Funds raised go towards helping Airmen in emergency situations, as well as providing a $25 commissary gift card for Thanksgiving and Christmas," Villarin, from Jacksonville, Fla., said.

First sergeants search their squadrons for people with either a lot of children, lower-ranking Airmen, or those who have suffered financial difficulties throughout the year for particular reasons.

"Sometimes we give gift cards to the same person for Christmas and Thanksgiving," Villarin continued. "We find that people can stretch $25 in miraculous ways, so it does go a long way."

Commissary gift cards are given rather than doing a food drive for families. By doing so, this allows the recipients the option to purchase certain items they will use, rather than having items sitting in their pantry that will never be used, said Master Sgt. Shaun Cregger, 321st Special Tactics Squadron first sergeant from Sandy, Utah.

Operation Warmheart gives approximately $5,000-worth of food vouchers each year to families for Thanksgiving and Christmas. In the event of an emergency, there are additional provisions so financial assistance can be given to families in need, courtesy of Operation Warmheart.

"If there's a situation that comes up in the squadron, where maybe (for example) a member has to go back home for a funeral, the first sergeant requests money to give to the member," Cregger said.

Though not all inclusive, other possible situations include a house fire or flood, where money could be given to help Airmen and their families get back on their feet.

"Recently, a family member was in a hospital in London," Cregger said. "In order for the spouse to stay down there and be closer to them, we helped pay for the hotel."

All funds raised from Operation Warmheart are specifically used to help Team Mildenhall Airmen and their families. Bell ringing will be every Saturday and Sunday throughout December at the RAF Mildenhall BXtra and RAF Lakenheath Exchange.

"We encourage people to give generously," said Senior Master Sgt. Beau Jones, 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron first sergeant from Fort Wayne, Ind. "Support the program, because it's giving back to everybody."