944th Airmen visit Phoenix VA medical center

  • Published
  • By Staff
  • 944th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  A team of 944th Airmen visited veterans at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center in Phoenix Dec. 4 as part of the wing's Community Outreach Ambassador program.

Eight 944th volunteers teamed with chaplain's assistant Tech. Sgt. Donovan Kohls to facilitate a bingo game for more than 40 veterans, escort patients for a walk in the park and visit three different patient wards.

"Being the Holiday Season, it was important to visit the patients in December even though schedule changes, meetings and events can pull volunteers in different directions at the last minute," said Master Sgt. Sandra Plentzas, a 944th volunteer.

A crowd of nearly 100 bystanders in the medical center park spontaneously broke into applause as the volunteer Airmen escorted patients on their walk.

"Those of us that were able to go, experienced not only the chance to brighten a Veteran's day, but received so much more in return from the gratitude of those we visited," Sergeant Plentzas said. "It's such a great and humbling feeling to be able to have that kind of impact on people. I'm already looking forward to the next time we can visit."