Travis' retirees still serving

Published Feb. 16, 2007
By Staff Sgt. Candy Knight
60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- "Still Serving"

While these two words may not mean much to the young Airmen serving in today's Air Force, they hold a lot of weight for the many retired servicemembers who continue to serve their country.

Many retired servicemembers, such as Mr. Joe Rowan, a former Air Reserve technician and veteran of World War II, volunteer their time on base as a way of giving back to the service that gave them so much.

"It nice to give a little something back, and it keeps me busy," he said.

Mr. Rowan is currently the director of the Travis Retiree Activities Office. As director, his duties range from providing a continuous update of helpful information to the Air Force retirees who reside in Travis' assigned area of responsibility to providing volunteer assistance to active duty organizations in need of volunteers.

Mr. Rowan, who retired as a master sergeant after 29 years of active duty, Guard and Reserve service, has been volunteering at Travis, in various capacities, for more than 38 years.

"Wow, that's longer than many of today's Airmen have been alive," he said after taking a moment to reflect.

Mr. Rowan isn't the only Travis volunteer who takes a long pause when remembering how long they've been here.

Mrs. Bunny Dominguez, the director of the David Grant USAF Medical Center's Retiree Activities Office, also has a hard time remember how long she's been volunteering. But the one thing she never hesitates on is the reason why she began volunteering.

"I started volunteering as a way to help others,' she said. "I continued volunteering because I enjoy doing it."

Although Mrs. Dominguez was not a servicemember, she didn't let that stop her from do her part to support the troops.

Out of the kindest of her heart, she spends countless hours visiting wounded troops who pass through the hospital's Aeromedical Staging Facility, providing them with bathrobes, slippers and gift certificates. More importantly, she provides them with a smile that says "Thank You."

"I want them to know that I am very proud of the job they're doing and I admire their dedication," she said. "They're doing their duty, serving their country and I couldn't be more proud of them."

Both Mr. Rowan and Mrs. Dominguez said they have enjoy their time as volunteers and encourage not only other retirees, but everyone, to get out and volunteer.

"Find things to do that occupy your time," Mrs. Dominguez said. "Volunteering helps you stay fit both mentally and physically. It also fills you with enjoyments that last the rest of your life."

So when are these two volunteers going to finally "retire?"

"Maybe at 40 years, I'll think about it," Mr. Rowan said.

"You know, I said at 20 years, then it was 25, now I'm approaching 40 years, so you never know," Mrs. Dominguez said.

Editor's Note: This is the first in a three-part series focusing on retirees working on Travis and how they contribute to Team Travis' success.