Treasure Valley Silver Award – Sponsored by B.O.S.S. Retirement Solutions & Advisors

---

by Sophia Doumani
To read on CBS2 News, Click Here

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2 News) — Just because Bruce Schofield’s 26 years in the Air Force are over, doesn’t mean he’s through serving. The Idahoan dedicates his spare time to volunteering throughout the Treasure Valley. So much time, in fact, that he’s become the recipient of multiple accolades thanking him for his community involvement.

When asked why he’s completed more than 8,000 hours of volunteer work, Schofield said, “I just felt it’s a thing a person needs to do. There was a need for it. One of the biggest things you’ll find is in the majority of cases, when you’re dealing with a veteran, you’re going to find a person who is willing to do anything for you. They’re not a quitter.

Schofield enlisted in the military in November of 1953 at 18-years-old. At about 44 years old, he began his civilian career at the National Interagency Fire Center. Most recently, he was awarded the 2023 Spirit of Freedom Award from Senator Mike Crapo. Now fully ‘retired,’ Schofield spends his time shuttling patients to and from St. Luke’s, visiting with other veterans over coffee, and keeping patients company at Keystone Hospice. He is also a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4000 in Meridian.

“A lot of us has been retired for over 10 or 15 years, but we are still serving,” said Commander of VFW Post 4000, Tammy Clement. “We are still serving our veterans and their families. We’re serving in the community.”

Veteran Bruce Schofield continues to serve community after 26 years in Air Force

Serving others oftentimes goes unacknowledged. If you would like to say thank you to a veteran, it can make all the difference.

“We’re leaving everything that we love behind to serve our country, sorry I’m emotional, but when someone says, ‘Thank you’ it means a lot because I don’t think they really understand what is involved in leaving your family, going overseas, being in a country that you don’t even know,” said Clement. “I mean, I was in Saudi Arabia, and women back in the in the 80s were treated horrible. In the era of the Vietnam veterans, having them say, ‘Welcome home,’ because they weren’t welcome home when they got back from Vietnam. So anyone that sees a veteran with a hat on or anything, just please thank that veteran, because they have given so much.”

Veteran Bruce Schofield reflects on 26 years of service

Schofield says one of the most important issues to bring awareness to is veteran suicide. Veterans are at 72% higher risk of suicide than those who haven’t served, according to stopsoldiersuicide.org.

“I think the biggest thing is they have a great sense of loss. They were given this tremendous responsibility of putting their own life in danger for the job they were to perform, and then they’re out afterwards without any guidance whatsoever. You know, that’s a tremendous change,” said Schofield.

Veteran Bruce Schofield continues to serve community after 26 years in Air Force

Schofield says VFW Post 4000 is a great way to find resources if you’re struggling and that it can also provide veterans with a sense of community and comradery.

“We love to advocate for veterans. We love to do community outreach, and that can be as simple as having a food drive,” said Clement. “We advocate for veterans through the VA, help them get their benefits. We help them get the benefits that they need and that they deserve. We always want to recruit other veterans, because when we go up on the hill on Congress, we have passed so many bills, like the PACT Act and Blue Water Act, it’s important because our numbers matter.”

If you’re interested in supporting your local veterans, VFW Post 4000 is celebrating 75 years of serving veterans and the community on March 11 at 6:30 pm at the Meridian Senior Center. They hope to see you there! Click here to learn more.

Advisory services are offered through B.O.S.S. Retirement Advisors, an SEC Registered Investment Advisory firm. Insurance products and services are offered through B.O.S.S. Retirement Solutions. The information contained in this material is given for informational purposes only, and no statement contained herein shall constitute tax, legal, or investment advice. The information is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the particular needs of an individual’s situation. You should seek advice on legal and tax questions from an independent attorney or tax advisor. Our firm is not affiliated with the U.S. government or any governmental agency.