Office guides retirees to correct resources

Published Nov. 13, 2007
By Corey Dahl
21st Space Wing Public Affairs

PETERSON AFB, Colo. -- Retirees may no longer be active duty, but that doesn't mean they're not active - and the Retiree Activities Office on Peterson is here to make sure of it.

Housed in Building 350, the office works to make sure retirees have a way to reach whatever base resource they need.

Lost an ID card? Want more information on health care options? Wondering why the commissary doesn't carry a particular brand of cookies? The office's staff can direct phone, e-mail or walk-in queries to whichever base office can best answer the question.
"Our retiree activities office is a purposeful organization that is helping the entire retiree community," said retired Chief Master Sgt. Denver Bolster, the office's director. "We are a central location of information for our retirees."

The office itself is also a hobby for many retirees. It's manned completely by retired servicemembers, who volunteer anywhere from six hours a month to eight hours a week helping their fellow retirees.

Many staff members also end up volunteering elsewhere on base or at the Academy, working everywhere from legal offices to medical clinics, or even in the community, with organizations like Silver Key and Meals on Wheels.

"Every year, we're saving the base about $1 million by donating our time," Mr. Bolster said. "It adds up."

For retired Senior Master Sgt. Ben Benzel, sacrificing his time is worth it. Volunteering with the office and attending its monthly RAO council meetings, which feature briefings from several Peterson and Academy organizations, help keep him in the loop, he said.

"I'm an involved person, so I like to know what's happening," he said. "This keeps me up to date about what's going on."

More than that, though, Mr. Benzel said, the whole experience gives his days a little more purpose.

"I love volunteering and helping other people," he said. "If we had more volunteers, we'd have a better world."

(The Retiree Activities Office is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Room 1054 of Building 350; phone 556-7153. The office is currently looking for volunteers and encourages retirees interested in donating their time to stop by or call.)