This Veterans Day, you might see Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue firefighters and personnel around town wearing customized camouflage shirts.

Our hope is that they will help raise awareness and support for the work of the United Services Organization, a nonprofit that assists troops through every step of their military service — from deployment to rehabilitation to reintegration.
 
Tualatin Valley Firefighters Union Local 1660 partnered with TVF&R on this project as a way to honor those who have chosen to serve our nation — both at home and abroad — as members of the U.S. military.

TVF&R personnel wore these special USO shirts on duty for the first time on September 11, and will wear them again on Veterans Day on November 11, Pearl Harbor Day on December 7, Memorial Day on May 28, D-Day on June 6 and Independence Day on July 4 of each year.

Proceeds from the sale of these shirts that our crews purchased will benefit services provided to military personnel and their families by the USO’s Northwest Office at Portland International Airport. For the September 11 launch of these shirts, more than $4,200 was raised for the USO.

The fire service has long welcomed members of the military and veterans to our ranks. TVF&R is proud to have 81 members of our family who are military veterans and answered the call to serve the United States.

These veterans share a heart to serve and desire to help where they are needed. Like our law enforcement partners and other first responders, they are willing to put themselves in harm’s way to save lives.

Local 1660’s membership is comprised of representatives from all branches of the military. TVF&R has personnel actively serving on deployments, serving in reserve duty, and retired veterans.


About the photo: TVF&R Firefighter Mark Ross, who retired from the U.S. Air Force after 34 years of service, spoke during a Sept. 11, 2001, Remembrance Ceremony about his experience with the USO while being deployed in the Middle East as a pararescuer. He is wearing one of the camouflage shirts TVF&R personnel have the option to wear on duty on six patriotic holidays.