USAF A1C Brendan Cruz

Over the last 10 years, Let’s Bring ‘Em Home has helped almost 1,800 U.S. servicemen and women get home for the holidays. They focus only on the four lowest ranks, because they make the least in pay and are less able to afford “Space-Available” travel – which allows troops to jump on board available military transport – the hitch is that the service is based on status and situation (emergency travel vs. ordinary leave), meaning that it’s not as easy as just hopping on a flight home.

The charity is run by three volunteers, working from home, and in their free time. It was founded by a U.S. Air Force vet named Ernie Stewart 10 years ago. Stewart used to send jokes via email to a group of friends, and one year he decided to solicit donations to send some U.S. troops home – and the idea took off. He was later joined by Elizabeth “Bibi” Montgomery and Kat Jensen. Jensen, from Salt Lake City, Ut., who works an overnight shift, took the time to speak with us this week about the program.

“These are the people that are defending our country. These are the people that do the work that most of us don’t want to do. They are not getting paid enough, and all they want to do is see their families,” she said.

To Jensen, it’s more than helping out a man or woman in uniform, it’s about reuniting families at an important time.

“A lot of them surprise their families because they are able to apply to our charity, get a free ticket, and sneak in the back door. What better Christmas present than to have your child or parent show up unexpected?”

Just outside Philadelphia, Oscar Cruz and his family are a close knit klan. Cruz is a proud father of USAF A1C Brendan Cruz, currently stationed in Misawa, Japan. Earlier this year, Oscar had to come to terms with the fact that he and his other children would have an empty seat at the dinner table this Christmas.

“I didn’t expect him this holiday – and I was sad… It would have been close to $5,000 for getting a ticket this time of year – round trip from Japan… there’s no way he could do that on his serviceman’s salary.”

In early December, Brendan got in touch with “Let’s Bring ‘Em Home”, and they raised the funds to send him home to be with his father and brothers this Christmas.

“I’m grateful for the ticket, and the chance to see my family again”, said Brendan, and to his father Oscar, seeing his boys and girls under one roof is the best gift of all.

TO DONATE: WWW.LBEH.ORG

USAF A1C Brendan Cruz and his brothers