Bunch spreads word of Operation Open Arms
While speaking recently at an Easton (Md.) Rotary Club meeting about Operation Open Arms, a program for active duty military, Capt. John “GiddyUp” Bunch noticed a woman stop in her tracks. “She seemed spellbound by the subject,” he said. “She waited for me at the door to say thank you. Her name is Kimberley Yates. She asked if she could hug me and whispered that she had lost her brother one year ago in Iraq. My heart is still melting over this encounter. I plan to present her an OOA Medallion tomorrow. My instincts tell me she will one day be a part of OOA in Maryland.”
Bunch started OOA in 2005 and it has since served 2,300 troops. The non-profit organization based in Fort Myers provides, through sponsors, free leisure time for active duty military. The Florida network also includes several mental health professionals who offer free services, especially for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. “The Army recognized that probably the most critical portion of deployment is leave,” he said. “Multiple deployments take troops and their families into new areas no GIs have visited before.”
About seven months ago, Bunch, who frequents Talbot County, decided the area is a great place for the program and secured its first local sponsor, Spirits Tavern. Since then, support has grown and Bunch has a network of sponsors that can offer lodging, golf, kayaking and biking for servicemen and women. “OOA is about inspiring you, your friends, neighbors, and enemies to come together for one reason to provide everything and anything to U.S. troops who are returning to dodge bullets,” Bunch said. “OOA might be their last combat leave and has been on many occasions.” The program eliminates the financial burden of combat leave, Bunch said, and could reduce the number of a soldier’s recorded visits to mental health clinics for PTSD. Treating that condition often comes with a stigma, and the program lets troops get free counseling that does not wind up on their military records. A psychiatrist in Annapolis has offered to treat troops for free, Bunch said. The program is non-partisan, and stemmed from a chat Bunch had with a soldier home on leave who wanted to fish. Since that chat, Bunch has received numerous letters thanking him for the program. “I just spoke with my wife and she told me about your very special project,” wrote a soldier stationed in Baghdad. “I have tears in my eyes to know that someone actual cares! I have faithfully served my country for 19 years this July and never before have I seen this type of support.”
Sponsors are under no contract and can withdraw services anytime. The program’s Web site, www.operationopenarms. org, provides a place to contribute and provides contact information for Bunch. The organization is a 501(c)(3) charity, so donations are tax-deductible. People who are interested in donating services can call Bunch at 239-822-8888 and tax-deductible gifts may go to: PO Box 320, Easton, MD 21601.
Kelley L. Allen is a reporter for The Star Democrat, Easton, Md. kallen@chespub.com This article is reprinted with permission.