vet’s vet

WASILLA — Ask Maurice Bailey about himself and he’ll tell you he isn’t anything special.

A 68-year-old retiree, Bailey has led an exemplary life. He served 20 years honorably in the military as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army and helicopter crew chief. He completed two tours in Vietnam and retired in 1976 at Fort Wainwright. Although Bailey performed with distinction his military duties, it has been his selfless service since his active duty that is making a difference for Alaska’s veterans.

Bailey is president and one of the founders of Veterans Aviation Outreach, a nonprofit organization that provides help, support and fellowship for Alaska veterans, even in remote areas. Support can range from simple advice about how to apply for Veterans Administration benefits to organizing a construction crew to build a cabin. Wherever there are veterans in need, the VAO will respond, Bailey said.

While Bailey spends his retirement working behind the scenes to help other veterans, he was on center stage Sunday to receive recognition for his efforts to improve the lives of Alaska veterans. During a ceremony at Camp Denali at the Alaska National Guard headquarters, Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell and Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Commissioner Maj. Gen. Craig E. Campbell presented Bailey with the Governor’s Veterans Advocacy Award.

Although pleased and proud, Bailey admits to feeling humbled for being honored simply for doing the right thing.

“I didn’t believe it,” he said about learning he would receive recognition from the governor. “I thought I was going about doing what I was doing and never thought about getting an award. We didn’t set out and plan [Veterans Aviation Outreach], it just came about. We started doing it because it was the right thing to do.”

What VAO does is respond to communities throughout Alaska, large and small, and contact veterans about their specific needs, Bailey said. In some cases, it’s helping veterans properly fill out paperwork to access the benefits they’ve already earned with their military service. In other cases it’s providing solutions for everyday life challenges. If veterans in an outlying area have trouble making a Veterans Administration appointment, funeral or health care checkup, VAO will fly them from their rural areas to urban centers.

“We fly out and we do whatever’s needed,” Bailey said. “If people need access ramps, we build them. If they need cabins rebuilt, we get carpenters and help rebuild them.”

In September, Bailey’s organization gave out 4,165 pounds of moose meat. It was meat from guided hunts where the hunters may have been interested in the trophy from the animal and donated the rest to veterans.

“It’s a win-win situation,” Bailey said. “Hunters leave feeling good because that meat goes to veterans.”

Bailey tells of one instance in Naknek, where a small group of veterans would gather wood pallets from around town and cut them up for firewood. They had a single hand saw and the work was slow and hard. For Bailey, the solution was simple. He purchased a chainsaw at Wal-Mart and sent it to them. Now, the chain saw is kept at a local service station and when needed, is checked out for use.

“It’s a great feeling helping [veterans],” Bailey said. “That’s why I do it. I’m a feel-good junkie.”

Bailey’s efforts and service “epitomizes the spirit of Alaska,” Gov. Sarah Palin said. “His can-do attitude is helping those who have given the most to our country. I am very proud of what he does for our veterans community and I am proud to give him this award.”

Bailey has resisted suggestions to grow his organization to be very large. Then, it would be a bureaucracy and he wouldn’t have the direct contact helping other veterans he has now. He also preaches military service is what defines a veteran, not the nature of the service.

“Combat, no combat, Iraq, World War II, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “If they’ve never left the state, it doesn’t matter. You’re still a veteran.”

When receiving his gold-engraved award on Veterans Day, Bailey said his mind was racing.

“I thought, you know what, I must be the luckiest person in the whole world to receive such an honor,” he said. “The people here in Alaska are very supportive of their veterans and are becoming more and more aware of what veterans mean to us here and to America.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2268.