Video Conference with a Soldier Start Date: May 12, 2008 End Date: May 16, 2008 Description: Video conference with your soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan for 30 minutes. Families contact their soldier; then contact BHC to arrange date/time at least 24 hours in advance. Camps with video conferencing include Taji, Victory, Alasad, Fallujah, and TQ. Call for more information. Address: 6600 34th Avenue Moline, IL 61265 Location: QC 2-115 Hours: 7 am - 4 pm Contact: (309) 796-5555 itshelpdesk@bhc.edu Cost: Free Bert is our new hero. This guy has gone to the Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport 300 times to welcome troops home from Iraq and Afganistan…300 times in the LAST YEAR. It’s a program the airport started called Welcome Home A Hero. And he believes it’s worth it. We had many calls today after our interview with Bert from soldiers who were part of a welcome. Some talked about how great it made them feel, some got emotional, and some commented on how contagious it was, with busy travelers stopping to applaud the returning soldiers. Bert’s story was captured on ABC News. Person of the Week: Bert Brady HOW CAN WE ALL SHOW OUR SUPPORT? Good question. Bert’s group consists of fellow vets, family and friends of soldiers, and compassionate individuals who have learned of the welcome home and wanted to help. It’s not the same people every time (except Bert of course), but enough care every time. He told us, “Sometimes it 8 of us, sometimes a thousand.” In Eastern Iowa, we’re lucky to have QC F.I.S.T. to collect data and let people know what the troops need, but they’re one group in one area. We’d like to help, and possibly expand the network of people like us and Bert (and you, too?) who know families of soldiers, when and where they’ll be arriving home. The information will come from you, so talk to your neighbors, and friends who know someone serving. They deserve a welcome home, a thank-you, and a salute. We’ve had success with the Patriot Guard events, and even welcome home motorcade salutes in limited form. We’d like to see it get bigger. We think this is worth it.