Bob Schenk began volunteering with the St. Louis Area Chapter in 1991 during the Gulf War. Bob, a war veteran, remembered the Red Cross from his days in the Navy and was inspired to volunteer with the Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services team. In this role, both active duty and community-based military can count on Red Cross volunteers like Bob to provide emergency communications that link them with their families back home, as well as access to financial assistance and counseling. 

"Many families don't know where to turn when they need to send a message to their service person," says Bob. "The Red Cross is the place to call because we can provide an avenue of communication. I like to think we can locate someone just about anywhere in the world."

American Red Cross communication services keep military personnel in touch with their families following the death or serious illness of a family member, the birth of a child or in other family emergencies. "It's a wonderful service for our armed forces and it's something every military family should know about," he says.

Bob volunteers several hours once a week at the St. Louis Area Chapter Headquarters in Creve Coeur. "My motto is 'a busy ship is a happy ship'. I like coming to the Red Cross and giving back to an organization that helps our armed services. I feel like I'm doing something good."