72nd OSS lends a hand for homeless

Members of the 72nd Operations Support Squadron prepare plates Nov. 12 at the City Rescue Mission in downtown Oklahoma City. Senior Airman Andrew Otts is in the foreground. From left are Airman 1st Class Enzo Ocsas, Senior Airman Robert Shifflett and Airman 1st Class Parker Reid. (Courtesy photo/Released)

72nd OSS lends a hand for homeless

Published Nov. 25, 2015
By John Parker
Staff Writer

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Volunteers from the 72nd Operations Support Squadron recently helped feed homeless people, including veterans, at the City Rescue Mission.

Eleven "Thunderhawks" dished out corn, potatoes, gravy and other fare Nov. 12 in a visit organized by Airman 1st Class Parker Reid, an air traffic controller.

"I just talked to the mission, and they were glad to have us," Airman Reid said. "They just seemed like they had a really good program, and it was something we could all help with."

They struck up conversations with a few homeless veterans while there, too.

"Once we got to serve some food and got to talk to a few of them, they would bring it up and just ask about how our time was on active duty, and they would tell us about theirs," the Airman said. "It was just cool hearing their stories."

The 72nd OSS, the organization that supports flying operations at Tinker, also recently volunteered at a Habitat for Humanity project, and members plan to do more charitable outings in the future, Airman Reid said.

The City Rescue Mission nonprofit was founded in 1960 to help homeless people in downtown Oklahoma City. The organization provides food, shelter, recovery services, job placement, medical care, veteran services and more to needy citizens.