Langley AFB, Va. –
To some, the word “volunteer” brings to mind personal sacrifice. But, to the 1st Fighter Wing weapons safety manager, volunteering is ranked among his other hobbies like waterskiing, weightlifting, snow skiing and riding ATVs.
Tech. Sgt. Jeff Cooke, a Ticonderoga, N.Y. native, has been volunteering his time to such agencies as Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, Big Brothers and Big Sisters and the Hampton Roads Refugee and Immigration Services, since 1995.
“When I was a senior airman at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., my then supervisor, Staff Sgt. Barry Arnold, recommended volunteer work since my below-the-zone eligibility was closing in,” Sergeant Cooke said. “I’ve been volunteering since.”
In January 2005, the 1st Mission Support Squadron first sergeant sent out a request for Airmen qualified to teach English as a second language at the Hampton Roads Refugee and Immigration Services.
With a major in adult education, Sergeant Cooke thought it would only be natural to volunteer.
“(Volunteering) is a daily part of my life,” he said. “Anytime there is a need, I’m more than willing to volunteer my time for other people.”
With a wife and four children, a 45-hour workweek and finishing his bachelor’s degree, Sergeant Cooke said adding eight hours a week at the Hampton Roads Refugee and Immigration Services is a sacrifice, but one he looks forward to making.
“I do about four hours of planning and four hours of teaching Monday and Wednesday evenings,” he said. “It’s extremely rewarding to see the students adapt and become more productive in the community.”
One of the most memorable volunteer experiences for Sergeant Cooke was tutoring a gentleman immigrant.
“I taught him every Thursday for four months and was able to see him pass his U.S. citizenship test,” he said with a huge smile on his face as he remembered the experience.