Volunteering to A_tHss_eis_Mt_ilitAry:
HoW to Help

by Bethany Broadwell

While the Department of Defense medical standards likely will disqualify people with muscular dystrophy from enlisting in the service for physical safety reasons, the image of Uncle Sam pointing and saying, “WE WANT YOU,” can still apply to people with neuromuscular diseases.

For those who wish to play a part in supporting the military, opportunities exist for civilian employees and volunteers to contribute and help the men and women who make up our armed forces.

Family support

Valerie Lewis, 45, of Norfolk, Va., has felt an attachment to the Navy since birth. Not only was her father a career Navy man, but Steve, her husband of 14 years, also is serving the Navy as an aviation electrician.

Lewis’ muscular dystrophy and cardio-myopathy haven’t stopped her from being involved in each command where her husband has been stationed.

“It’s my honor to do whatever I can to help,” she explains. “After all, they’re fighting to keep us safe!”

Lewis initially volunteered as a member of the family support group helping to organize homecomings for the command’s return from six-month deployments. Then, as a command ombudsman, she helped in emergency situations with tasks such as contacting the Red Cross to convey messages to ships or land-based groups.

Helping new families get settled, educating them on the area, connecting families to resources or simply addressing questions as they arise are all part of Lewis’ volunteer role. One of her recent efforts has been helping several retired and active-duty families file for reimbursement on conversion vans they need for medical

reasons. She’s managed to get refunded 75 percent of the $21,000 each person paid out of pocket.

While Lewis, as a spouse, contributes in Navy family support groups, she assures others that finding ways to participate can be as easy as making a telephone call. She suggests that people who are interested in lending support get in touch with the military base closest to them and ask what assistance the family service center could use.

“Each of us can find some way to contribute to our military groups,” she concludes.

Working for the military

Navy spokeswoman Lt. Ligia Cohen agrees. “People with limited strength or any other disability can, as civilians, contractors and volunteers, contribute to the Navy in a variety of capacities and with the only requisite of being qualified to do the job.”