This Veteran’s Day, Operation Blessing honors those who have faithfully protected our country. We are privileged to work with a number of retired service members who have dedicated their lives to serving God and country. Please enjoy as these brave patriots share their stories.
Meet Yudith Buck
Veteran of the United States Navy
Accounting Specialist at Operation Blessing
“Recruiters came to tell us about all the possibilities you will have if you go into the military. I’m like, ‘Oh, I would love to do that. I would like to see different cultures, different languages, and help.’
When I was in the Navy, I was an electronics technician. I got to experience a lot of wonderful memories in the Navy, and during that time I saw the reward. The reward when you help someone else is not what you do for that person, it’s the blessing you receive by helping out.
I am so blessed and so grateful to have served this country, it has opened so many opportunities for me and for my family. I always wanted to be part of God’s plan, to help out people in any way that I can. I wanted to be able to one day look back and tell my grandkids I did what I could with what I was given.
Coming from the Navy and then coming to Operation Blessing as an accountant specialist, I can see a lot of similarities in the mission that we have in the military to go and help serve, support, and honor our country with the mission that we have at Operation Blessing.”
Meet Anthony Lloyd
Veteran of the United States Coast Guard
Senior Director of US Disaster Relief at Operation Blessing
“Back in high school, I felt like I wanted to serve my country because I wanted to keep the spirit of 1776 alive.
When you join the military, it’s life-changing. You have to change who you are into somebody that’s driven to serve. I believe this 100%. Everybody that served in our military—they have strong service DNA. Right off the bat, I was doing disaster-related operations.
I’m really proud about what happened in the United States Coast Guard and how it prepared me as a humanitarian to serve our country. After I retired, the position for the Sr. Director of Disaster Relief came up, and it was almost as if God had been preparing me to come to Operation Blessing to use the leadership, the proficiency, the competencies, and the staff skills that I had picked up in the military.”
Meet Jeff Westling
Veteran of the United States Coast Guard
Chief of Staff at Operation Blessing
“I started thinking about the military in about 6th grade. I was part of a boy scout unit at the time, and most of my leaders were veterans from WW2, Korea, and Vietnam.
My relationship with God did have a major impact on how I made my decision to join the military. I wanted to have a career where I could really make a difference during people’s greatest times of need. I think over the 31 total years I wore the uniform, from cadet at the Coast Guard Academy through a career retiring as a Coast Guard Captain in 2018, I had the opportunity to be a pioneer in so many different aspects. Those of us who are Christians are called to be ambassadors for Christ wearing the uniform of the United States.
As the Chief of Staff for Operation Blessing, I’m very privileged to be able to use the totality of my career experiences in the military. I know that God is using me. He’s using all of us. He’s using Operation Blessing to meet the needs of all of those who are suffering, who are lost, who are hungry, and who are sick—in the U.S. and around the world. We have this opportunity that we have been entrusted with to do all of this for God’s glory, to make the name of Jesus known throughout the nations.”
A Special Thank You To All of Our Veterans
This Veteran’s Day, Operation Blessing honors all veterans who have served, supported, and protected our country. We thank you.
