|
|
 |
|
June 2008
New look for AFSC "Troop Greeters"
Click on picture for a full view.
January 2008
AFSC Volunteers "welcome"
soldiers to the MSP Airport.
Click on picture for a full view.
November 2007
McDonald's at MSP Airport joins AFSC
in welcoming troops.
Click on picture for a full view.
October 2007
AFSC Volunteers "welcome"
soldiers to the MSP Airport.
Click on picture for a full view.
AFSC Volunteers join NWA and
TSA staff, to "welcome" Marines to the MSP
Airport.
A
special THANK YOU goes to NWA and the TSA for all their
assistance!
Click on picture for a full view.
 |
 |
October 2006
AFSC Volunteers Meet-n-Greet "America's Battalion," USMC
The AFSC received a call from Iraq to assist Marines en
route to their next assigned destination.
The Marines "greatly" appreciated all the efforts put forth
by the AFSC, MAC, USCBP, TSA, Guest Supply and Pearson's
Candy. There were sighs of relief for the treats in the MN
Twins bags, as well as, the Girl Scout Cookies, hot dogs,
cup cakes and toiletries. Not to mention, the opportunity to
shave and smoke! The best compliment we received was from a
young Marine who said ... "this is a very humbling
experience to see that so many Americans care."
A special thanks goes to the following people that joined us
to meet-n-greet the flight; MAC personnel, TSA personnel,
Airport Police, Jeanne Morford, Patti Carr, Dean & Marilyn
Greethurst, Georgeann Ozbolt, Ted Hoeben, Jeanette Roedler,
George Lewis, Bob Nelson, John Schleck, Karen Johnson, Len
Zabilla, Tom Dooley, Steve Moore, Susan Rasmussesn, and Char
Rholik. As well as, the volunteers that kindly offered to
stuff bags; Barb Dell, George Patton, Virgil Eckstrom, Fred
Crawford, Karen Hodge, Dorothea Johns, Jerry Connolly,
Merlin Shank, Annie Olson, and Janis Eastman.
Click on a picture for a full view
|
August 2006
New Website!
Welcome to the new Minnesota Armed Forces
Service Center website! Feel free to look around and see
what we have! |
| July 2006
Service Center
Volunteers Make the Best of a Disappointing Fourth of July
 After
48 hours of travel, seventeen Minnesota National Guardsmen
on leave from Iraq arrived at MSP at 11:20 p.m. on July
fourth. In the spirit of Independence Day, four "dedicated"
AFSC volunteers joined the director to make sure the
guardsmen were greeted with applause and patriotic gift bags
filled with Minnesota treats. Unfortunately, seven guardsmen
(from Duluth, St. Cloud, Bemidji, Watertown, Bismarck, Fargo
and Helena) missed their connecting flight. But even in
their disappointing situation, they were grateful to the
AFSC for a place to shower and sleep.
Several local television news outlets eagerly awaited the
guard's arrival. However, bad weather in Dallas delayed
their and many other flights, which was well past the 10
p.m. news deadline. A special thanks goes out to Teri &
Elizabeth Wold, Dean & Marilyn Greethurst, American
Airlines, the TSA and the Airport Police for the assistance
in making sure 17 National Guardsmen received a warm
Minnesota welcome home. |
| A
Father's Day Act of Kindness
Father's Day was made extra special
for some soldiers arriving home via MSP. Thanks to the
tireless efforts of a helpful friend with American Airlines,
Debra Cain of the Armed Forces Service Center was informed
that there were 18 soldiers coming home on leave from Iraq
on Father's Day. After making a few calls for volunteers,
the volunteer group (Janis Eastman, Teri Wold and Debra)
managed to arrive at the gate in advance of their arrival.
As the soldiers exited the plane, the
passengers at the surrounding gates began to applaud.
Service Center volunteers pulled four soldiers aside,
knowing they had connecting NWA flights at 9:30pm. "When we
approached the NWA ticket area, the agent directed us to go
to the first class counter," Debra explained. "As we waited
we noticed there was a gentleman standing at the first class
counter. When the agent called for the next passenger, off
we went."
"Just as I was began to tell the ticket
agent that we were trying to get these soldiers on an
earlier flight, the gentleman interrupted and asked, 'First
class?' I said no, they're flying coach. He replied, 'I will
pay to fly them first class!'"
Out of the four soldiers, the generous
gentleman paid for three to fly home (to North Dakota and
South Dakota) first class. He would have paid for all four,
but the fourth soldier was connecting to an Airlink flight
and first class was not available.
Not only were all four soldiers able to
depart MSP by 6:00p.m., (well ahead of their original 9:30
p.m. departure) they all arrived home with a big smiles on
their faces, and a memorable experience at MSP Airport
(thanks to the AFSC)! |
| May 2006
Brigadier General Charles
Barr wrote a letter to the Armed Forces Service Center on
May 5th, in gratitude for the warm hospitality he received
while on a layover.
Dear All,
I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere
appreciation for the recent outstanding hospitality and
kindness shown to me. During a layover en route home
from Kuwait and Iraq on R&R leave, I stopped in at the
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Armed Forces
Service Center. What a nice facility and gracious hosts
there to greet me when I entered the door. In particular
I extend my personal thanks to Otto Murray and Karen
Hodge working in the lounge area. Also thanks to Debra
Cain who was greeting and directing service personnel in
the main lobby of the airport. Again thanks for
everything. We love you all and thank you for your
service, too.
Sincerely, BG Charles J. Barr
|
| April 2006
Girl Scouts Join Service Center in
Welcoming Troops to MSP
 On
Monday, twenty-nine volunteers with the Armed Forces Service
Center (AFSC) welcomed 293 army reservists from North
Carolina to the AFSC. The Girl Scout Council of Greater
Minneapolis (Troops 1408, 2612 and 2614) also assisted by
handing out boxes of cookies to arriving soldiers. After
staging AFSC throughout the day, the soldiers boarded buses
to Ft. McCoy The 108th Division will deploy to Iraq, after a
brief stay in Wisconsin.
In addition to assisting the above group, the AFSC
volunteers welcomed two combat wounded soldiers, escorted by
TSA. We also greeted four soldiers coming home from Iraq for
two weeks R&R, ten soldiers en route to Ft. Snelling for
soldier readiness processing (SRP) and four young recruits
bound for basic training.
A special thanks to Sprint, for sending
enough cellular phones to accommodate the group. The
soldiers greatly appreciated the opportunity to call home. A
heartfelt "thank you" goes out to everyone that assisted in
extending a 'Minnesota Nice' welcome and send off; the AFSC
volunteers, Airport Director's Office, MAC Landside office,
Airport Police, Keys Cafe and the Girl Scouts Council of
America. |
|
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.JPG)
.JPG)
