Photo By Staff Sgt. AJ Duprey | A close up of the text in the shadow box presented to Jimmy “POPS” Dawson,...... read more read more
Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea—The American Red Cross has been around for 138 years and part of their mission is to “promote mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace amongst all peoples.”
When there’s a member of that organization living and spreading that message to everyone they meet, how can someone not smile?
“My mom always told me to be kind and don’t expect something from someone in return.”
Jimmy Dawson, an American Red Cross field office assistant on Kunsan Air Base, charmingly called “POPS” by everyone that knows him is that positivity-spreading member.
After retiring from the Air Force in 1995 as a passenger service manager, he joined the American Red Cross at Kunsan and has been working with them ever since. He says the organization has taught him a lot over the years.
“The Red Cross taught me how to talk to people and how to show people I care.”
POPS’ first and only interaction with the Red Cross, before working with them, came at an unfortunate time in his life, “My grandmother had just passed away in 1976 and I had to send and receive messages through the Red Cross.”
That was earlier in his career, toward the end of his military service, he found another reason to engage with them. POPS met his future wife, “Ruby,” a Korean national, while at Kunsan and just knew he had to find a way to stay in Korea.
“I initially signed up [to work with the Red Cross] to stay with my wife. It was the only job available, but after doing the job, it felt like my calling. It’s not about the money,” said POPS. He has spent 23 years in Korea with his wife. He says he has “grown accustomed to the simple Korean life” and likes it, “but not Korean food.”
POPS’ kind nature and friendly personality doesn’t go unnoticed by the members of the Wolfpack.
“POPS is always really upbeat and he’s never not said hi to me when I’ve seen him walking around, that’s always nice. He seems happy to be here. I really enjoy having him and other Red Cross members on the radio show with me,” says Senior Airman Oriana Beard, a radio personality at American Forces Network-Kunsan.
“It’s not just a job to me, if I had to do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat. It’s just part of my nature,” said POPS. He would like everyone to keep in mind that, “A hello will go a long way.”
| Date Taken: | 02.27.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 04.07.2020 22:40 |
| Story ID: | 363978 |
| Location: | KR |
| Web Views: | 18 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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