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Cannon Airmen give a personal thanks to veterans

  • Published
  • By Greg Allen
  • 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
CANNON, N.M. --  Some rode the bus. Others drove their cars. One couple even rode their motorcycle. Though their modes of transportation differed, they all arrived 90 miles later at the Veterans Hospital in Amarillo, Texas with a singular purpose - to honor veterans.

The 32 Cannon Airmen made the trip on Nov. 9, said Staff Sgt. Naomi Brown, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron, to "pay respects to those who served, and because Veterans Day is only a few days away, the visit is even more relevant."

Sergeant Brown is the president of the Middle Tier, an organization that represents Cannon's junior NCOs. She said the group tries to make visits such as these on a quarterly basis as part of its community commitment.

Shortly after Staff Sgt. Eric Schmidt arrived at the hospital, he found himself sitting in the dining room with fellow Airmen and next to World War II veteran Audrey Downs, who, despite the tell-tale lines of life etched on his face, still had a mischievous glint in his eyes. The fact that Mr. Downs was completely deaf had little impact on his ability to communicate.

Sergeant Schmidt used a dry erase board to "talk" to Mr. Down, and by the end of the visit, emptied the marker of ink he used to ask and answer questions.

"We talked about everything from our military experiences, families and our visit, said the sergeant, who is assigned to the 27th Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron here. "We went to his room to get another (marker). While we were there he shared some pictures of fish he and his son caught some time ago. I did not want to leave."

Mr. Downs expressed his gratitude meeting the young sergeant and said, in a surprising low voice, "This is the first time in more than two years anybody in uniform has visited me. I can't wait for the next visit."

While Sergeant Schmidt spent time with one veteran, his wife, Staff Sergeant Angela Schmidt was sharing experiences with another veteran, John Burnette.

"I spoke with Mr. Burnette for over an hour. His story told me of the hardships he faced just to survive," said Sergeant Schmidt of the 27th Special Operations Services Squadron. "His deployments included walking (in) below-zero weather through knee-high rivers to reach his camp. Veterans of the Armed Services have history to offer and I love to watch the sparkle in their eyes when they reminisce about their military career."

What about the couple who rode their Suzuki 600 motorcycle to the hospital? Staff Sgt. Fred and Airman 1st Class Tiffany Sarten, both assigned to 27th Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron have three children, and according to Sergeant Sarten, the couple has little time in their full life to just get on the road and ride.

"It was a good day to ride, and it was good to hear their stories and learn what they did," said Sergeant Sarten.

Sergeant Brown said that before they left the hospital, Cannon Airmen received an invitation to visit again, in May, close to another holiday that honors veterans, Memorial Day.

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