COURTESY OF BANGOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
In the early months of 1991, a group of local veterans took the lead as thousands of community members descended on Bangor International Airport to show gratitude to our nation’s troops. Within those crowds were high school bands and sports teams, scout groups, and families — all here to provide an emotional welcome home to those returning from Operation Desert Storm and to support those deploying to areas of conflict.
At times, there were so many greeters in attendance when flights transited through that cars lined the airport’s access road and the terminal exceeded its capacity. An informal “troop greeter” network had been formed. Military personnel who traveled through BGR told friends and relatives about the warm reception they received here, putting Bangor on the map as national and international news crews converged on the Queen City.
The Gulf War-related flights became memories, but the core group of well-wishers grew into what is now an official non-profit organization known as The Maine Troop Greeters. These dedicated patriots, many of whom are retired military personnel themselves, took the ad hoc nature of these gatherings and turned it into an organized presence in the airport. The 21st century wars in the Middle East would keep troop flights coming and tens of thousands of troops were greeted from 1991 to 2003 before records were maintained. Since 2003, over 1.6 million troops have been met by this community of grateful Americans.
Today, the Maine Troop Greeters is composed of an all-volunteer group who receive notice of flights via a secure notification process. A typical flight consists of 200-250 service members. For those returning from deployment, their first step on U.S. soil is a significant and emotional moment, and for those leaving on a mission, the positive perspective of being greeted resonates so well that many ask if the Troop Greeters will also be at BGR when their deployments come to an end.
Returning troops are often physically and mentally in a different time zone (by many hours) and exhausted after traveling for days to get home. Their exhaustion turns to smiles and excitement when they hear applause as they walk into the terminal. To be met by 20-30 Troop Greeters ready with handshakes, smiles and a thank you, significantly increases the joy of returning home. The Maine Troop Greeters have collected thousands of letters from troops and their parents expressing how much it meant to be greeted during their stop at BGR.
Thousands of personal items from transiting troops who wanted to return the thanks for warm reception they received have become a massive collection of memorabilia that quickly overwhelmed a storage location. A highly successful fundraising drive created a “world class” museum at Bangor International Airport where those items are safely displayed. The museum has over 6,200 troop-donated Challenge Coins, making it the largest collection in the world. The museum is located adjacent to the airport coffee shop and is open for a few hours each weekday.
The Maine Troop Greeters welcomes new members and greatly appreciates donations, which are used to purchase snacks and toiletry items for soldiers, as well as help with museum operations. If you are at the airport when a troop flight arrives, please join us in welcoming and thanking the transiting troops. Greeting these young men and women who serve our country is a memorable experience and unique to Bangor, Maine.
