The BDN Editorial Board operates independently from the newsroom, and does not set policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com.
On Nov. 10, the Bangor Daily News will be holding an online event with people who have been involved with the three decades of troop greeting at the airport here in Bangor. We hope readers will join us for this conversation about 30 years of inspiration and impact.
In the meantime, we can take a look back at that impact over the years by searching through the BDN archives. Here’s what the editorial board wrote in 2010 as the Troop Greeters marked their millionth handshake:
“Even the most cynical among us would be moved to observe the troop greeters at their volunteer duty at Bangor International Airport. Without great fanfare, without calling attention to themselves and without political overtones, these men and women, mostly retired and mostly veterans, extend a warm handshake, and maybe a hug, to the young men and women bound for Iraq and Afghanistan or homeward bound after serving in those countries.”
The most significant measure of the troop greeters’ impact can be seen in the way troops themselves responded to the efforts. Take this 2005 letter to the editor from Stephen Cook, who was a commanding officer in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps at the time:
“I’m the commanding officer of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Twenty-Seven, a reserve Navy Seabee battalion comprised of members from all over New England and upstate New York and located at the naval air station in Brunswick.
“Last Friday, the remainder of our troops deployed to Southwest Asia returned to U.S. soil with a quick stop in Bangor. NMCB27’s Seabees were joined by several members of an active duty battalion whom they’ve been serving with overseas. The welcome these troops received from the Maine Troop Greeters at Bangor International Airport was incredible. The greeters began to arrive before the flight landed and were there in mass to provide a much deserved hero’s welcome to all these men and women. I was truly amazed that these greeters had also been there much earlier (4:30 a.m.) that morning to welcome another flight home.
“In addition to the recognition they showed returning troops, the greeters also provided them with cell phones, snacks, and most importantly, a warm hand-shake and a ‘welcome home.’
“These greeters also deserve recognition and support for their continuing efforts. Among them were Don Mattson, Maine State Rep. Charles ‘Dusty’ Fisher, Bill Knight, Bill Dean, Jim Meyers, Fred Hardin, Gerry Mundy, Richard Banker, Ira Banker, Roger Begin and a host of others whose names I regrettably was unable to capture.
“These greeters are making a wonderful and lasting impression in the minds and hearts of our service men and women and are also putting Bangor on the map in a positive light every day.
“Although it’s not very obvious in the daily activities of most, we are a nation at war and it’s comforting that there are people like the Maine Troop Greeters, motivated by kindness, respect and a true sense of decency, and willing to take time and make the effort to display it every day to those who really deserve it.”
These are the kinds of experiences the BDN aims to highlight at the upcoming event, which is free and open to the public, and will be conducted on Zoom from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 10. It is sponsored by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, and will feature several individuals who have been involved with the troop greeting efforts over the years. Anyone interested in attending can find the registration link by going to https://bangordailynews.com/bdn-events.
“In this post-military draft era, too many of us are removed from the Americans who choose to serve the nation by enlisting,” The BDN editorial board wrote back in 2010. “The troop greeters bridge this gap, and remind us that we all have a duty to thank these men and women for taking on the dangerous, difficult and demanding work of implementing the policies of our elected officials. The greeters are Maine at its best.”
Maine at its best, indeed. We hope you’ll join us on Nov. 10 for more of this reflection and appreciation, and to learn more about how the efforts to show appreciation to troops passing through Bangor continue today.
