His brother’s keeper
For Walter Barrett, the idea of veterans helping veterans just makes sense. “If it weren’t for the veterans, where would we be?” said the 75-year-old UAW Local 898 retiree who worked 31 years at Ford Motor Co.’s Rawsonville, Mich., plant.
A Kentucky native, Barrett now lives in Somerset, about 75 miles south of Lexington. He and Grathel, his wife of 47 years, raised two children and are grandparents to four.
Barrett wanted to give something back in his golden years, so the Korean War vet became a volunteer with Disabled American Veterans (DAV), transporting fellow comrades to and from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities.
These are men and women who have lost limbs, sight or hearing. Some live far from the VA hospital, and many exist on small fixed incomes, unable to afford transportation. To make matters worse, the Bush administration terminated a federal program that had helped many veterans pay for such transportation.
Founded in 1920, the nonprofit DAV has assisted millions with its nationwide network of services – free to all veterans and members of their families.
And Ford has offered its support as well. In 2003 the automaker donated five vans to transport VA patients, and Barrett returned to Michigan to pick up one and drive it back to Kentucky.
A lifetime DAV member, Barrett works six days a week, 10 hours a day starting at 6 a.m. hauling patients to Lexington’s VA hospital and other appointments. “I’m off Wednesdays,” he added.
His dedication has not gone unnoticed. Ford honored him in 2003 and 2004 for his 4,300 hours of volunteer service for both years.
“Brother Barrett exemplifies the values and ideals that built our great union,” said UAW Vice President Cal Rapson, who directs the union’s Veterans Department. “He truly is his brother’s keeper.”
With his busy schedule, Barrett admits he doesn’t have much spare time. He’s also involved with his retiree chapter and likes to meet friends at McDonald’s to discuss history at their self-described “knowledge table.”
But this summer Barrett did something just a little, well, “self-serving” for a change: He received his high school diploma.
“I just wanted it to give to my daughter,” he said of his GED accomplishment.
For more information about DAV, check out its Web site, www.dav.org.
