Photo By Michael Maddox | Maj. Douglas Ritchie, one of the battle captains in the Recovery Field Office for...... read more read more
Working on a team for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week is an environment that can encourage bonding – almost like becoming a family. After such an experience, it can be nice to have something to remember the mission, your new “family members, and the experiences you’ve shared together.
This was part of the inspiration for Maj. Douglas Ritchie, who is the executive officer the Recovery Field Office for USACE’s Hurricane Helene relief team. He has been using time during the evenings and sometimes on a break during the day to work on special, hand-painted rocks from debris sites to gift to fellow RFO members as going away tokens.
Normally Ritchie is a USACE civilian who works in the Los Angeles District Real Estate Division as a land surveyor, but he is serving in the RFO as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee Army Reserve Officer under the South Pacific Division. He has also supported the Pacific Palisades recovery mission as a quality assurance specialist earlier this year.
He said he got the idea from to make special mementos during that mission in California.
“The first token I made was for a fellow soldier who served as a battle captain in the RFO (Recovery Field Office). I got the idea from when I was working in the Eaton Emergency Field Office (EFO) in Pasadena,” he said. “The EFO deputy commander there found wood from the burned trees and then did something similar, and it looked awesome! I thought it would be neat to do something similar for the outstanding people we have working here in North Carolina. I just wish I was able to make one for everyone.”
The items he is decorating are things he has collected in recovery areas, with the hope that those gifted can take a little part of North Carolina home along with the memories of the time they have served on the mission.
“The tokens themselves are rocks from the flood areas, such as the Bee Tree Reservoir land slide area or the stream in Chimney Rock that flooded near Lake Lure,” Ritchie explained. “I paint them with the engineer colors of scarlet and white, and then adorn them with the Hurricane Helen Poker Chip volunteers receive when they out-process here. I also write the person’s name, position title, “Hurricane Helene,” and the months they served. I also include the location from where the rock came from as well on the bottom or back of the rock. It’s just something simple but honoring our traditions and the recipient.”
While making these particular tokens of appreciation is a new hobby, it’s just one of several artistic hobbies Ritchie enjoys.
“Generally, I get my artistic itch satisfied with the mapping support I do for the Los Angeles District Real Estate Division, but I also like playing music. I have a banjo back at home that I learned to play while a student at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee,” he shared. “After walking around downtown Asheville I kept noticing a mandolin at Asheville’s oldest pawn shop; it started calling my name. So, I bought it and plan to keep learning to play it when I get back home—it packs a lot easier than the banjo so I hope to bring it out for any future support that I may be honored to provide.”
Ritchie said he views making and sharing the tokens as a way to show his appreciation and to share some military tradition.
“The mementos I make are tokens of appreciation for both military and civilian personnel that I would normally “coin” if I had coins to help show some appreciation for support they provided here in North Carolina or to me as well. I am hoping to help build some “Esprit De Corps” as well with these tokens,” he said. “I also hope these tokens serve as a source of pride for the USACE personnel who volunteered to provide support to the Hurricane Helene Recovery—this was a tragic event that impacted a vast geographic area and countless citizens of North Carolina. The people I am giving these tokens to generally served a long time supporting the mission in critical positions.”
| Date Taken: | 07.15.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.15.2025 16:35 |
| Story ID: | 542848 |
| Location: | NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 24 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Soldier creates hand-painted mementos for fellow Hurricane Helene relief team members, by Michael Maddox, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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