Moonduster Chronicles, Volunteer/Activist of the Month January 2002

Answer: One night (I believe it was in April '97), I was searching the web for midi files and I stumbled into "Welcome to Dale and Mary's Very Personal Home Page and Dedication to the American Veteran" at http://www.calweb.com/%7Eddebord. It was at their site that I learned I could "Adopt A POW/MIA"...But being the new, untrusting Internet person I was, I needed to find out more about OJC before submitting any personal information and to make sure that OJC was legit.

That's when I met Gunny through his website. I read every page, I visited all his links, and basically, I was amazed. I was amazed to find people that thought the same as I did; we knew the government had (and still is) lying/covering something up from the American public. Some people believed the Government when they said, "all came home", and some didn't. I was one that "didn't". I wanted to know more and so I trusted and adopted my first POW/MIA.

Question: You have been involved with OJC from almost the beginning, what were your original hopes, dreams and desires for OJC?

Answer: My number one hope, dream, desire was that we find every POW/MIA, alive or dead, and bring them home to America soil! -- where they belong.

My second was to earn Gunny's trust. He was very busy at this time, and a lot of things were not going the way he planned within the OJC Organization. I respected him from the beginning and wanted to help anyway I could. It took awhile for him to call me "Sis", but once he did, I knew I had earned his trust!

Question: Since your involvement with OJC what jobs have you been involved with?

Answer: At first, I was assigned to the Research Team, I didn't receive any assignments, and so I volunteered to do more for OJC. I was put on the Adoption Team. Shortly after joining the Team, I volunteered and was voted in as the Adoptions Team Leader.

After a few months, I needed more, something bigger! With Gunny's permission, I branched out to start the Group Adoptions Team! I was also getting a lot of Individual requests too!

I did Web Site checking for the OJC Webring Team and also created a website to make POW/MIA bracelets (graphics) for any OJC Member requesting one for their POW/MIA web page. Due to illness, it became a little too much for me and I had to step back and turn these responsibilities over to others.

Question: What are the difference between the Group Adoptions and Individual Adoptions?

Group Adoptions handle adoption requests from any type of Group/Organization whose members would like to adopt one (or more) POW/MIA(s). I can't list them all but to name a few: American Legions, VFW's, Lady's Auxiliary's, Rolling Thunder, School Classrooms, Scouts.... etc.

Individual Adoptions are for a person/family who request to adopt a POW/MIA on their own.

Basically, both are handled the same way. Adoption requests are received, we try to find a POW/MIA in the database who matches what the Group/Person is requesting (state, Branch Of Service....), and email a Welcome Aboard form letter with their POW/MIA's Bio, to the person/Group requesting to Adopt a POW/MIA.

Answer: I am very passionate about the POW/MIA issue. I get involved as much as the Group/Organization/Individual needs my assistance. I handle each request to Adopt individually, giving each my personal attention if need be. If I can't help or answer their questions, I forward to someone who can, and I try to follow up!

When Adoptions are slow, I've sent out mass email invitations to Groups to visit OJC's Homepage. Once there is personal "contact" and they have a "real" name, I have found the Groups are more comfortable to reply, to Adopt A POW/MIA. It is then, that new friendships begin, and another branch is added to the OJC family tree. It is also then that OJC gets stronger in number of members, the stronger we get, the closer we come to getting the answers we are seeking.

Answer: Since the "Birth" of the OJC Organization, I've watched from the side line OJC go from a bunch of "individual" people trying to outdo each other, as if it were a competition to be number one... to becoming a "group/family" of volunteers working together, leaving egos behind, helping each other, never losing sight of our mission and why we are here doing what we do...finding these POW/MIA's and bringing them home to American soil, where they belong, no matter what it takes! It is because of each one of us that OJC is where we are today!

You all are the Best of the Best!!! I am very proud to serve beside each of you and call you my Brothers and Sisters.

On a personal note, I'd like to thank everyone for being here when I've needed you the most. I love you all!

Comments from the OJC Staff and Friends:

From Chuck “Doc” Stewart:

Comments on Jodi huh! Hmmm…where does one begin? Jodi's been with us for several years and a more wonderful and dedicated person one would be hard pressed to find. Gee.. all those years with the POW/MIA issue, all phases of OJC and all and any issues concerning our country's veterans... Jodi was right there in the middle of it all, ready and able to tackle any and all tasks asked of her.

Last month Jodi was thinking of resigning from OJC for health reasons. But as usual good ol' Steve came to the rescue and set her butt straight in his sweet and cordial way. There will be no resigning from this cause for her. A leave of absence would be perfectly acceptable but resigning was out of the question. I can sympathize with her, as I've had to do the same. I don't think that she realized though that once you have OJC and the POW/MIA issue in your blood, it's there to stay. It's not something one can just walk away from. I'm very happy that she reconsidered and has opted for a leave of absence for OJC just wouldn't be the same without her.

Our brother's who still are waiting to come home stand a much better chance of doing so with volunteers such as Jodi. She's contributed so much and never once asked for anything in return. Jodi was a committed and dedicated lady and I am proud to have had the pleasure of working with her, especially in the early stages of OJC. She helped mold OJC into what it is today. She would be an asset to any company or cause and we were very fortunate the day she joined the staff of OJC. I'll close this and say, Jodi, I wish you well and I know you will be back into this cause before you know it. We all love you and we are pulling for a speedy recovery for you.

From Dennis Johnson:

Jodi has been with OJC since the early days. She has worked in many areas and always given 110%. I remember asking questions about how to set up pages when I was first getting started and it was almost always Jodi who came back with the best way and she was FAST! Her input and day-to-day assistance have been consistently awesome.

For a very long time now she has run the Group Adoptions area for Operation Just Cause. Again, her efforts have demonstrated her true dedication to what we are all about. I can not think of OJC without thinking of her as part of it.

Jodi has been challenged with some major medical problems and she remains in my prayers and the thoughts and prayers of many, many others. As evidenced by her efforts on behalf of our still-missing heroes, she was a fighter. If anyone can meet these challenges, she can. We will continue to count her as one of us, whether she was currently fighting for us or off fighting for herself and her family.

I personally hold her in high regard and am blessed to be able to count her as family. Hang in there, Sis, we are with you in love and in spirit. Keep fighting the good fight.

From Gene Milner:

If there was anything to be said bad about Jodi, it would have to be; She laughs too much.

You've picked me up when I was down, even when you were down yourself.
You've fought battles that no one wants to fight, and won.
You've been there as a friend and fellow patriot.
You've helped me through rough times that I couldn't have done alone.

Thank you for being there, and being a friend in my darkest hours.

From Barb Fitzgerald-Malone:

I have known Jodi for quite some time now. We have several common interests, besides our involvement with OJC. We both have small children at home and we are both concerned with the way things are going in this country with the younger generation.

She was strong-willed, good-natured, and she has the biggest heart of anyone I have ever known. Even with things going on for her at home, she continues to give 100% to causes she believes in.

From time to time she has sent me off-the-wall anecdotes, trivia, jokes, and the like. She makes me stop for a minute, take time out to laugh a little, and it was always a pleasant surprise.

I am not very close to my family, and I have called Jodi my sister on more than one occasion. She IS like family to me. There was an expression about not being able to tell if someone you meet is an angel, something about being caught "unaware". Jodi was the closest I have come to meeting one, that I know for sure.

From Marilyn:

Jodi, how do I put into words how much I appreciate, admire and care for her? Jodi is a friend, we work on the Adoption Teams together, we help each other out and I know I can turn to her and she will always be there. I have watched Jodi go through some rough times and she does it a fearlessly as any one can and even in the bad times she always thinks of others and does her best to help in any way that she can. I truly love, admire and respect Jodi – I have from the day I met her and it continues on and gets stronger the longer I know her.

To Jodi -- keep on fighting because you are not fighting alone. We love you and we are there with you sending our love, prayers and good wishes. Keep in touch Sister and you will get through this because we refuse to allow you not to. You have made our lives a lot brighter and our days filled with sunshine just because you are you. We will get the mission of OJC fulfilled and we all will be together to celebrate that day.

I can't wait for the day that you come back and get back on ICQ and we can send messages again. This time we will only send serious messages –you know the solving all the problems of the world kind ----NOT!!!! Love the laughing kind a whole lot more.

God bless you.

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