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KMC on the Radar: Volunteering is what we are all about

By Col. Bill Bender, 86th Airlift Wing and KMC commander / Published May 21, 2008

(Lft to Rt) 86th Airlift Wing Command Chief Master Sgt. Steve McDonald, 86th AW Commander Col. Bill Bender, Bundeswehr representative of the Kaiserslautern County for military-civilian cooperation Oberstleutnant (Lt. Col.) Stefan Roth, 21st Theater Sustainment Commanding General Maj. Gen. Yves Fontaine and his wife Kathy, cheer on the participants of the Special Olympics Spring Games, during the opening parade at Enkenbach-Alsenborn May 6. This is the 25th year of the U. S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern Special Olympics, which is an international program of athletic competition for children and adults with special needs. (U.S. Air Force photo by TSgt Kenneth Bellard) (Released*)
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(Lft to Rt) 86th Airlift Wing Command Chief Master Sgt. Steve McDonald, 86th AW Commander Col. Bill Bender, Bundeswehr representative of the Kaiserslautern County for military-civilian cooperation Oberstleutnant (Lt. Col.) Stefan Roth, 21st Theater Sustainment Commanding General Maj. Gen. Yves Fontaine and his wife Kathy, cheer on the participants of the Special Olympics Spring Games, during the opening parade at Enkenbach-Alsenborn May 6. This is the 25th year of the U. S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern Special Olympics, which is an international program of athletic competition for children and adults with special needs. (U.S. Air Force photo by TSgt Kenneth Bellard) (Released*)

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RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- I am so proud to be part of a community that gives back the way that the Kaiserslautern Military Community does with volunteer hours. Each year, the KMC volunteers more than 300,000 hours whether it is visiting with injured troops at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, mentoring school-aged children, helping the USO or one of the several other outstanding volunteer programs we have.

I attended the U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern's Special Olympics Spring Games May 6 at the Germany Police Academy in Enkenbach-Alsenborn. Throughout the day I saw many familiar faces from our military community, 1,458 of them to be exact, that volunteered their time to make this fantastic event possible for both German and American participants. What a wonderful and spirit lifting day it was for volunteers and participants alike. We all owe a debt of gratitude to USAGK and the German Policy Academy for their leadership and unfaltering support of this project over the past 34 years the event has taken place.

Another very impressive example of the volunteer spirit within the KMC is the annual Ramstein Officer's Spouses Club sponsored Bazaar. I want to thank Chairperson Karen Nichols and Co-chairperson Lynn Silvey, as well as the entire organization and volunteers, for taking on this large-scale event which raises money for the base and local community. This year the event will be held on Ramstein Sept. 18 to 21 and 100 percent of the proceeds come back to the military community. In 2007, the ROSC Bazaar raised $115,400 for scholarships, $86,565 for schools, $79,570 for the community, $33,956 for the base as well as money raised to support youth, scout and national programs.

Our military community understands the importance of volunteering and I thank each and every military member, dependent, retiree, civilian and hosts national that gives back to this community and makes the KMC such a great place to live, work and play.

If you are interested in volunteer opportunities, contact your unit's first sergeant.