Airmen make good use of old uniforms

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Jason McCree
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England (AFPN) --  An Airman here came up with a way to use unserviceable battle dress uniforms: Sewing them into blankets for local homeless people.

“I got the idea from a blanket that my sister had sewn for me out of scrap pieces of cloth,” said Senior Airman Dennis Fry, a 48th Component Maintenance Squadron jet engine maintenance crewmember. “When I was recently at the Airman’s Attic, I ... thought it was a good chance to help people. As I saw it, it was a way we could use unusable battle dress uniforms for a good cause instead of wasting them.”

The volunteers, made up of members from the Air Force Sergeant’s Association chapter here, saw the opportunity as a chance to act as good ambassadors and work with local homeless shelters.

“I came to participate because there is a larger purpose behind this event,” said Airman Angelica Swann, a 48th Medical Support Squadron medical material journeyman and volunteer. “This (event) is great because we’re helping people who don’t have the benefits that many of us take for granted.”

Besides making BDU blankets, Airman Fry and other volunteers are working with an Operation Iraqi Freedom charity program to donate teddy bears made out of the BDU material to children who live in Iraq.

“I recently got back from a deployment in Iraq and think that it’s great that some of these BDUs will be turned into teddy bears for Iraqi children because it really gives them something to hold on to through their experiences,” said Staff Sgt. Deen Herron of the 48th MDSS and a volunteer. “It’s one more thing that shows (them) that Americans really are there to help.”