Operation ReConnect jeep raffle Nov. 11 at Tacky Jacks

Operation ReConnect jeep raffle Nov. 11 at Tacky Jacks

Local non-profit gives combat vet families “the gift of time”

By Fran Thompson

When you consider the number of returning post 9-11 combat vets and their families that his non-profit has presented with “the gift of time together’’ in the past 10 years, Ryan Charrier’s concept seems more like an epiphany than an idea spurred by a simple conversation with a fellow Air Force mechanic.
Called up with his fellow Air Force Reserve unit and sent to Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan in 2014, Charrier, during a casual conversation while waiting on a part to perform aircraft maintenance, learned that except for funerals, weddings and similar obligations, one of his fellow mechanics had never been on a family vacation.
Something immediately clicked in Charrier’s brain. He lived in a place that was a mecca for vacationers and that place had great weather months with lots of vacancies. He already had connections in the short term rental business and the community. This was a way he could ask people to show appreciation to combat vets without opening their wallet. They could donate without having to write a check.
“I guess it was kind of an epiphany because at that moment, I realized it was my responsibility to take on the much neglected opportunity to help combat veterans returning from deployments with a free vacation to the Gulf Coast,’’ Charrier said.
While at Bagram Field, Charrier asked just about all of the 334 soldiers there with him what they missed the most about home.
“Everybody said more than anything, they wanted quality time with their family,” said Charrier, who founded the South Baldwin County based non-profit a year after returning from active duty in Afghanistan.
“They didn’t want a welcome home party. They didn’t want to go to Applebee’s. They just wanted to spend time with their family,’’ he added.
Charrier and his wife Molly had four and eight-year olds when he was deployed. He was not surprised at the unanimous response. He was inspired. And when he came home, he went to work.
In its first year, Operation Re-Connect welcomed 33 military families to Pleasure Island. Since then, they have helped between 100 and 200 families every year.
To raise funds for its cause, Operation Re-Connect has raffled off seven fully-customized Jeeps and one spectacular Corvette.
The drawing for the latest custom Jeep, “We The People’’, will be on Veterans Day (Nov. 11) at Tacky Jacks in Orange Beach at around 3 p.m. Raffle tickets are still available. Cost is $20 for 1 ticket; $100 for 10 tickets or $500 for 50 tickets. Tickets are on sale at operationreconnect.org or facebook or by calling 251-752-7926.
“Balancing military responsibilities along with daily family situations can be tough for both the deployed member and the family who remain behind. This is why providing this program not only to veterans but the family members is our main focus,’’ said Charrier.
Charrier said he is honored to serve those who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice so we may all enjoy freedom by providing this uninterrupted gift of time for families to re-connect.
“What we do at Operation ReConnect is connect the communities and businesses together. This isn’t us doing everything on our own. We have many supporters that help us make this possible,’’ he said.
The following thank you post Carrier received on Facebook is typical: “There are no words to describe how appreciative we are to have had the opportunity to experience the generosity of Operation ReConnect. Not only was the team available any time we had questions, the people of Orange Beach were so hospitable. We are beyond grateful for the week of family time in a beachfront condo.’’
Another note from a thankful family stated that the couple was contemplating divorce before spending the week together and concluding that they should find their way forward together.
“What is the price you put on that? I can’t find one,’’ Charrier said.
If you take one returning veteran and multiply it by a typical family of four, that gives you well over 5,000 people. So the Operation ReConnect ripple effect is large.
A majority of those who donate short term rental lodging to the non-profit ask Charrier to find vets to take advantage of any weeks the condos are not booked.
”They want to see their places used by a combat vet’s family,’’ he said. “They come back and donate year after year. They get mad at us when their place is empty and we don’t put a vet in there.’’
Operation ReConnect has a local team of 10 and another 100 volunteer helpers from around the country, including a lawyer from St. Louis and a graphic artist from Missouri.
Operation ReConnect also provides welcome baskets to the visiting families that could include everything from passes to the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo and Alligator Alley to gift cards from Tacky Jacks and The Hangout.
“This is all through the generosity of our local businesses that we are able to enhance their trip. But we keep it a secret and surprise them with the gift baskets when they get here,’’ he said.
Charrier gets referrals through the military’s deployment management program and, of course, vets who have participated. He also invests his own sweat equity into spreading the word through his military connections.
Charrier said there is always a waiting list of eligible combat vets to assist, and it is always a challenge to find enough condos to keep up with that demand.
“We’ve done a good job of balancing out the supply of condos with the demand, but if we had 2,000 condos donated tomorrow, we could probably fill all of them,’’ he said.
There has been discussions about expanding the program to other vacation destinations, and Operation ReConnect did send one family to Belize, but there are lots of logistics involved.
“There are many background details and the logistics will be difficult, but there is a possibility of a nationwide program,’’ he said. “We welcome anybody with questions or ideas to reach out to us. We know we don’t have all the answers.
“It’s difficult to explain the overwhelming feelings I get on the day-to-day activities with this,’’ he added. “Never in a million years would I have imagined it would be such an emotional process.”