Commentary: For veterans, the Mission Continues in parks, at schools
Published 1:30 am Friday, November 11, 2016
By Doug Pfeffer
Every year, I run a race at Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve on Whidbey Island. As I wind through the prairies and woodlands, and along seaside bluffs with panoramic views spanning Puget Sound to the majestic Olympic mountains, I think: This place is spectacular. But it’s more than beauty that draws me.
I spent 20 years in the U.S. military as an artilleryman, and when I reach the part of the run that passes through the reserve’s Fort Casey — the artillery emplacement built in the 1890s to protect the entrance to Puget Sound — I feel like I’m running through history. I’m connected to this place, as a veteran who served this country proudly and now as a runner who enjoys this stunning national park. I see clearly: this land is what my fellow veterans and I fought to protect.
My passion for this park is particularly poignant this year, which marks the centennial of the National Park Service. It’s a bittersweet milestone, as the parks system faces a growing list of deferred maintenance needs: crumbling bridges, broken bathrooms, rotting buildings, eroding trails and damaged roads.
After decades of inconsistent congressional funding, the cost of the maintenance backlog across the more than 400 national park sites that the agency manages is an estimated at $12 billion — including $510 million in Washington state. The parks service oversees 14 national parks and 42 natural and historic landmarks in our state.
While it will take funding from a variety of sources to fill the massive backlog, my fellow veterans can make a dent in the daunting list of repairs. We can bring the skills, work ethic and fortitude we brought to our military careers to address problems here at home. The call of duty that drew us to the military can continue to thrive as we make a difference in our own communities.
This is important. Devoting ourselves to service — whether fixing parks or working to improve schools — is something 92 percent of veterans say we want after our time in the military. At the same time, almost half — 44 percent —of post-9/11 veterans struggle with the transition to civilian life. Over the past decade, The Mission Continues has stepped up to address both matters.
A non-profit, non-partisan organization, TMC is deploying veterans to work alongside nonprofit partners and local leaders to make a measurable impact, over time, on challenges facing underserved areas. It’s an innovative, unique model enabling veterans to build new skills and networks helping us successfully reintegrate to life after the military, while satisfying our steadfast commitment to service. A win-win.
TMC operates two main programs. In the Fellowship Program, post 9/11 veterans serve 20 hours a week for six months at a non-profit organization of their choice. Fellows receive monthly stipends while gaining real-world experience that helps them achieve full-time employment, enroll in higher education, or continue their service. TMC has awarded 1,600-plus fellowships across the country with fellows serving at national monuments, historic sites and schools.
TMC’s second program, the Service Platoon Program, organizes teams of volunteer veterans, service members and civilians to partner with area nonprofits to solve a specific challenge in their community. About 100 Service Platoons now are spread across the country, including the new Seattle 2nd Platoon in the Everett area led by Navy veteran Matt Moroge.
In honor of Veterans Day, the Seattle 2nd Platoon’s first-ever service project will be Saturday at the Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary School in Tulalip, where many students are members of the Tulalip Tribe. The platoon and community volunteers will build six benches — one for each grade — and paint a tribal nations map.
The Platoon’s second day-long service project will be in January at Ebey’s Landing. We’ll cut back an overgrown path to a scenic overlook, build a new bench, and replace a sign that’s no longer legible. It’s a small but significant step toward solving the problems facing national parks in Washington.
“It’s so absolutely rewarding,” veteran Lee Baleme says of his TMC service as a Fellow and Platoon member. “I haven’t met one veteran or civilian who wasn’t appreciative of the opportunity to go out and give and help.”
Anyone can join a Service Platoon or donate to one. In the spirit of service to our country and community this Veterans Day, we hope you’ll consider participating in whatever way works for you. Visit missioncontinues.org to learn about the possibilities.
Doug Pfeffer is a former 1st sergeant in the U.S. Army and a city impact manager for The Mission Continues.
