It’s the little things about Morristown that Firefighter Matt Loughlin remembered when he was stationed overseas with the Air National Guard.
“You miss the small stuff–getting a good slice of pizza or a bagel,” said Matt, who has served in Kuwait, Iraq and at an “undisclosed location” related to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan during his 15-year military career.
Returning to enjoy the simple pleasures of everyday life is a monumental challenge for thousands of Matt’s service brethren. So the town fire- and police departments are joining forces to host a fundraising dinner for the Wounded Warrior Project on Oct. 11 at the Birchwood Manor in Whippany.
The nonprofit Wounded Warrior Project strives to help servicemen and women injured since 9/11 to re-enter society. It provides counseling, rehab activities and job training, aimed at assisting wounded veterans to adapt and succeed.
There is much to do. Many severely injured soldiers who would have died in prior wars are surviving, thanks to medical advances. For every soldier killed in the the first two world wars, there were 1.7 wounded soldiers. Now, the ratio is seven survivors for every soldier who doesn’t make it, according to the project’s website.
More than 49,000 American servicemen and women have been wounded during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Another 400,000 are believed to be struggling with depression, combat-related stress and post-traumatic stress disorder. And 320,000 additional soldiers may have sustained traumatic brain injuries during their deployment, the website estimates.
Morristown’s fire and police departments have been lucky so far. Their military members have come home unharmed.
Police Officer Paul Johnson just returned from a year-long Army stint in Afghanistan; Officer Adam Khoudja came back from there last year. In 2010, Lt. James Cullen returned from a Coast Guard tour that took him to Iraq and Afghanistan.
When its officers are serving abroad, the police department looks after their families. Once again, it’s often the little things that mean the most–mowing the lawn or helping with a finicky car.
“It is a brotherhood. That’s the way it feels,” said Officer Mike Molnar, president of the Morristown Police Officers Benevolent Association Local 43.
Dinner for Heroes
A benefit for the Wounded Warrior Project
Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012
Birchwood Manor, 111 N. Jefferson Road, Whippany
6:30 pm-11 pm
Business attire
Deejay, gift raffles, guest speakers
Tickets: $85
Contacts: M-Molnar@MorristownPolice.org
DinnerForHeroes@gmail.com
201-787-9726
Tickets to the dinner are $85 and can be purchased by contacting Mike at M-Molnar@MorristownPolice.org, or by reaching out to Matt via DinnerForHeroes@gmail.com. The event starts at 6:30 pm with a cocktail hour (open bar), followed by dinner, music by a deejay, and 50-50 and gift basket raffles.
The scheduled keynote speaker is Brig. Gen. Sean Mulholland, a former Army Ranger and brother of retired Police Officer Kevin Mulholland; Gen. Mulholland serves as deputy director for operations of the U.S. Special Operations Command. Other guest speakers include former New Jersey Devils star Ken Daneyko and Madison native Eddie Trunk, of That Metal Show on VH1 Classic and Eddie Trunk Rocks on Q104.3 FM.
Police Lt. Robert Holtz–who also serves in the Navy–and the Morristown Ambulance Squad are helping put together the evening.
Raffle items include Devils and Jets memorabilia, memberships to Steve Tylee Fitness in Cedar Knolls and the RTSP shooting range in Randolph, a poster signed by the cast of ABC’s Pretty Little Liars, and “dinner date” gift packages from local shops and restaurants.
When he’s not fighting fires in Morristown, Matt uses his firefighting skills on an Air Force RAMS team. RAMS is short for Rescue Air Mobility Squad.
“We cut guys out of Humvees” damaged by roadside bombs, he said.
Matt diplomatically declined to share his opinion about No Easy Day, the best-seller by a former Navy Seal about the mission that killed Osama bin Laden. But he is glad the mission succeeded, and expects he will serve one more tour abroad with the 177th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard.
“It’s a 100-percent volunteer force,” Matt said of the U.S. servicemen and women who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. “Everyone there is there willingly. It’s like being a cop or a fireman. You don’t do the job to be wealthy. You feel like you’re doing something for the greater good.”
MORE COVERAGE OF VETERANS:
Joyful homecoming from Afghanistan for former Morristown grid star
Video: Marine’s mom tells Morristown crowd: Don’t pity my double amp
Video: Morristown WWII vet Bob Tracey gets a park to call his own
