Thanking Our Troops, One Flight at a Time

During the pandemic, military men and women passing through Portsmouth International Airport found their welcome team was missing.

The Pease Greeters have since returned.

Pease Greeters chair and retired U.S. Navy veteran Frank LaSorsa warmly welcome troops.

“We did shut down over COVID and the aftermath. But we’re back. We’re here,” says Frank LaSorsa, a retired U.S. Navy veteran from the Vietnam War era and the chairman of the Pease Greeters. “We’re busy. That surprises a lot of people. They think the war is over, conflicts are over and we’re over. But that’s not the case at all. We’re still here.”

The Pease Greeters number 2,400-plus dedicated volunteers from across New Hampshire and New England who acknowledge, welcome and support military men and women as they transition through Portsmouth International Airport on their way to overseas assignments or returning home to U.S. soil. The Greeters are military veterans and civilians who band together to show their patriotism and gratitude to each soldier on every flight.

The genesis was a lightbulb idea.

One day in May 2005, an unannounced airplane landed in Portsmouth for refueling. There were 135 U.S. Army troops deploying to Iraq on board. That’s when Bill Hopper, the airport manager, and Alan Weston, the facility’s maintenance manager, gathered the available employees and brought them to the terminal to welcome these American heroes.

“This was started by the Seacoast (U.S.) Marine Corps League in Portsmouth. They got together with Bill and I on a whim, and ran out and got some coffee and doughnuts for the soldiers. Bill talked to the U.S. Department of Defense and asked if any more flights were coming this way, and they responded positively,” says LaSorsa, adding that in 2007 the Portsmouth Greeters was created as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and gained tax-exempt status.

“From that day on in 2005, we have now welcomed over 2,000 flights into our program. I can’t even estimate how many soldiers we’ve said hello to, but it is in the hundreds of thousands,” he said.

Prior to the pandemic, and before the airport was transitioned from a less militarized to a more commercial facility, the Greeters had more leeway. They used to host ceremonies with the troops that included picture-taking and hugs all around, and there were always plenty of pots brewing fresh coffee, a smorgasbord of complimentary snacks, pastries and goodies available.

Now the Greeters must work around restrictions imposed by the Defense Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration. But their mission remains the same, and they still get the job done.

“Everything changed,” says Richard Dellapaolera, more commonly known as “Mr. D.,” who is the group’s special resource officer and a disabled U.S. Army Vietnam War veteran. “We’ll spend anywhere from three hours to an hour and a half with the troops, and we can still provide (individual serving) coffee and bottles of water, but only wrapped snacks. We’ve been asked to keep our distance so there aren’t the hugs and handshakes anymore, but there are still lots of high-fives, fist bumps and big smiles.”

Even better, there is no restriction on giving out an unlimited supply of sincere welcomes, especially those that come with a sympathetic ear, big shoulders to cry on and a caring heart.

The Greeters acknowledge, welcome and support military men and women as they transition through Pease International Airport on their way to overseas assignments or returning home to United States soil.

“The soldiers deploying are headed to anywhere in the world where they’re needed. They relieve the previous detachment of troops, so they could be going to Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Iran, Syria, Africa or wherever. We always ask, ‘Where are you from, soldier?’ and the answers come from all over the country,” says Dellapaolera, who has served in this capacity for 17 years. “We’ve had soldiers leaving who were crying, and we’ve had soldiers crying when they come back. In our time with them, so many have opened up to us. They’ve shared their emotions and their stories with us. It is an honor.”

Another post-COVID and Defense Department change is that the Greeters now must work around a much shorter lead time as to when these large flights will arrive, so it’s a scramble to marshal the volunteers, set up the area inside the terminal, and have those who are vetted in position when the troops come down the ramp. Sometimes that’s only 90 minutes.

“For planning purposes, they never tell me when the flights are coming in, but they’ll tell me how many flights to expect,” says Dellapaolera, who oversees supplying all the highly desired care packages filled with a variety of snacks and hygiene products for the outbound soldiers.

Sadly, the Pease Greeters, who are entirely funded by individual and corporate donations, are one of the few organizations of this type left.

“There used to be groups like ours around the country, but most have gone by the wayside. They’re fading out. That’s what’s happening to us, too. We’re aging out,” Dellapaolera says. “It becomes medically difficult to get around, especially with short notice now. With the younger people who aren’t retired, it’s tough to get there without advance notice. We’ve lost a lot of the schools with the kids, because we can’t tell them when the flights are coming in.”

The group is always looking for help and volunteers.

“There was a stretch in July where we had 10 or 12 flights in a week carrying 3,600 soldiers. We’re always actively seeking new people and donations,” says LaSorsa, who is assisted by vice chair Peter Tiews.

“The gratitude we receive is amazing. Honestly, at times it is overwhelming,” Dellapaolera says. “The troops can’t thank us enough for what we do for them. They are so appreciative. Over the years, we have touched a lot of hands and a lot of lives.”

To get involved or donate, visit peasegreeters.org, contact Peasegreeterscarepackages@gmail.com or PGChair@yahoo.com.