RandomGuy
11-17-2017, 06:30 PM
Went down to spend veterans day weekend with Team Rubicon, a veterans disaster relief organization.
https://teamrubiconusa.org/about/
Our group teamed up with some fresh faced AmeriCorps volunteers. I felt old. Worked hard, clearing out an old farmhouse in Wharton Texas. They had a veterans day thing that we attended.
https://www.splunk.com/content/dam/splunk-blogs/images/2017/10/2017.09.28_HH_AreaCommand_DAVIS_001_web-XL.jpg
Daily Debriefing on top of tire warehouse next door to camp, taken before I got there.
One of the other teams went out to a house for clean up, and got into the walls only to find the timber was so moldy/rotten the house couldn't be saved. Our team was more sad than the owner. It sucks to come out to help, but not be able to make it better.
Camp was in a vacant lot downtown Houston, next to railroad tracks. Shipping containers with cots. Portapotties, and handwash stations. I got a lucky slot in the bunkhouse. 18 people crammed in close quarters. Eat whatever is donated, work hard, come back, sit by fire, drink a beer, sleep, get up and do it again. Very professional shit going on. I was impressed as all hell.
This far in, if the house hasn't been touched, it is in serious trouble.
Most of the things we can do in the surrounding communities of Rockport, etc. are done, so they have rolled up operations.
I have done some of the training, but will get some classes on mold remediation, chainsaws, and whatever else will make my old ass more useful. I think I have found "my thing".
Interesting thing is that a lot of vets, including ones with some pretty dark stories, are working through shit here. Volunteering and camaraderie outside a war time setting is an awesome form of therapy.
See blog FINDING MY NEW UNIT
https://teamrubiconusa.org/blog/finding-my-new-unit/
Here is their channel. Fascinating organization.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxa-qk7FDhHnjdVpDkxtytQ
FWIW.
https://teamrubiconusa.org/about/
Our group teamed up with some fresh faced AmeriCorps volunteers. I felt old. Worked hard, clearing out an old farmhouse in Wharton Texas. They had a veterans day thing that we attended.
https://www.splunk.com/content/dam/splunk-blogs/images/2017/10/2017.09.28_HH_AreaCommand_DAVIS_001_web-XL.jpg
Daily Debriefing on top of tire warehouse next door to camp, taken before I got there.
One of the other teams went out to a house for clean up, and got into the walls only to find the timber was so moldy/rotten the house couldn't be saved. Our team was more sad than the owner. It sucks to come out to help, but not be able to make it better.
Camp was in a vacant lot downtown Houston, next to railroad tracks. Shipping containers with cots. Portapotties, and handwash stations. I got a lucky slot in the bunkhouse. 18 people crammed in close quarters. Eat whatever is donated, work hard, come back, sit by fire, drink a beer, sleep, get up and do it again. Very professional shit going on. I was impressed as all hell.
This far in, if the house hasn't been touched, it is in serious trouble.
Most of the things we can do in the surrounding communities of Rockport, etc. are done, so they have rolled up operations.
I have done some of the training, but will get some classes on mold remediation, chainsaws, and whatever else will make my old ass more useful. I think I have found "my thing".
Interesting thing is that a lot of vets, including ones with some pretty dark stories, are working through shit here. Volunteering and camaraderie outside a war time setting is an awesome form of therapy.
See blog FINDING MY NEW UNIT
https://teamrubiconusa.org/blog/finding-my-new-unit/
Here is their channel. Fascinating organization.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxa-qk7FDhHnjdVpDkxtytQ
FWIW.