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Bolling officials welcome Hero Hugs founder with open arms

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Tim Chacon
  • 11th Wing Public Affairs
BOLLING AIR FORCE BASE, D.C. (AFNS) --  Among the roaring cheers and applause that filled the Air Force Honor Guard's Ceremonial Hall during drill team evaluations July 7, sat 13-year-old Bailey Reese, a quiet, unassuming girl with an amazing list of accomplishments.

Bailey is the founder and president of Hero Hugs, a nonprofit organization that provides care packages for deployed servicemembers around the world.

With the help of her mother, Diana, the young girl began her life-changing work during the aftermath of a life-altering experience of Hurricane Ivan in 2004.

The hurricane wreaked havoc on her hometown of Niceville, Fla., and forced her and her mother to wait at a military check point to receive food and water. At a point when most 7 year olds would have been scared and confused, Bailey looked at the situation from a different viewpoint.

According to Bailey, people in the crowd were upset with the situation after the hurricane. Some of the crowd's frustration was focused at the military members, who the crowd felt should have been expediting the process. Bailey felt the opposite toward the servicemembers and that the crowd should have praised the people who were there only to help them.

From the ruins of the devastating hurricane, Bailey built an organization that has touched the lives of 40,000 deployed servicemembers while raising more than $350,000. The organization began with Bailey and a few neighborhood children sending 50 care packages in their first six months of operation.

Air Force Honor Guard drill team members invited Bailey and her mother to visit the team at Bolling Air Force Base after the first meeting the team at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga., in 2008. Bailey and her mother were in the nation's capitol celebrating the Fourth of July festivities and made their way to Bolling AFB to visit the drill team. The pair spent the day touring the base and watching a 12- and four-man performance by the team.

The drill team and their performance impressed Bailey. 

"It's cool, but scary," said Bailey, when commenting on the drill team's dangerous and complicated routine.

It's indicative of her age that she thinks what the drill team does is scary, but it's ironic considering that what she has accomplished is scary to most adults. She received recognition by President George W. Bush.

The blonde-haired, all smiles little girl struggled to lift the 11-pound rifles used by the Honor Guard, but is strong enough to carry the workload of a major organization whose efforts reach the far ends of the globe. She excels in school and was a cheerleader until her demanding schedule forced her to choose between Hero Hugs and cheerleading. She chose to give up cheerleading in order to continue her charity work through Hero Hugs.

Speaking softly and modestly, Bailey spoke of what she's done and why she enjoyed her work.

"It takes a lot of hard work and time to do all the fund raisers and work I have to do for Hero Hugs," said Bailey. "But, it's very rewarding and fun."

Timid and shy as most girls her age, Bailey humbly accepted praise from Lt. Col. Raymond Powell, the Honor Guard commander, as he handed her one of the Honor Guard's challenge coins.

"This is a coin that both the chief and I have to agree on to give someone and we are both in agreement that you deserve it," Colonel Powell said.

There was a third member in Bailey's entourage, "Hero," a stuffed bear who serves as the mascot of the Her Hugs organization and travels with Bailey everywhere she goes. She did temporarily give up the bear while he completed a "tour of duty" in Iraq and was photographed in countless locales with numerous servicemembers.

"Hero" was also presented something by the Honor Guard: a drill team ascot, emblazoned with cross rifles and stars. This special ascot signifies the highest level of proficiency on the drill team.

"It shows a great deal of maturity on her part to be involved and run Hero Hugs," said Staff Sgt. Michael Doss, an Air Force Honor Guard member, "It means a lot to all Airmen."

For more information on Bailey's organization visit www.herohugs.org.