MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - Marine Corps Community Services and the Retired Activities Office recognized the contributions of retired service members with a luncheon at Miller’s Landing on Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Oct. 1.

The luncheon highlighted two aspects of retired life; appreciation for how they continue to support the community and where they can turn for help in retired life.

Retired veterans are here to support the active duty Marines, said retired Capt. Jim Dargan who served from 1950-1974 and represented the Military Officer’s Association of America. Retirees support the Marines when they’re deployed. They’re here to keep the church going and to keep the base going added Dargan.

Retired volunteers provide support functions to the Marine Corps just like groups in the Marine Corps support the ground forces.

The veterans provide support by volunteering for programs like teaching classes at the training and education building. Many of the civilian support jobs on station are occupied by retirees as well.

“Most of us may be too old to reach in the cartridge box and kick somebody’s butt for our country,” said retired Maj. Gen. Thomas Braaten, the director of the Craven County Regional Airport and a former commanding general of MCAS Cherry Point. “But we’re not too old to write letters, we’re not too old to speak out and we’re not too old to lead in the community. Did anyone get called in to an office when you retired and were told, ‘you don’t have to support and defend the Constitution anymore’? No, it didn’t happen. We just do it in a different way now and retirees can do that incredibly well.

“So write, speak up, volunteer, be involved in the community and enjoy a great base like Cherry Point and the facilities we have.”

Braaten encouraged the retirees to be leaders and volunteers in their communities. He said when retirees leave active service they take with them all the things they learned while in the service.

Braaten cited discipline, responsibility for action, initiative, a desire to make things better, an understanding of teamwork and more as traits that help retirees improve the communities around them.

While recognizing the services retirees have provided the community was the focus of the event, another subject was the support structures that exist to help the veterans.

Organizations for veterans like Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Marine for Life and others set up booths so the retirees could learn about what opportunities were available from community support structures.

These and other organizations keep veterans informed of the rights that military retiree status affords them.

Retired Lt. Col. Roy Lawrence and his wife, Sandy, said it’s very important for veterans to take advantage of services such organizations can offer them. Roy’s retirement officially began ten hours before the luncheon and the couple moving from 31 years of active duty to something entirely new is a change of course into uncharted waters. While there are preparation classes to help, it’s still something they have never experienced before.

“A question we asked today was a prime example,” Roy said. “I had a doctor’s appointment that was a referral from active duty, but now I’m retired, so am I still good with that appointment? Or are we going to have to pay a co-pay? We found out that I’m still good. Knowing eases the stress of the transition.”