We at the LUV airline are a patriotic bunch. We LUV our country; we give America the Freedom to fly; and we support our troops who fight for our country's many freedoms.
One way we express our LUV is by encouraging our Employees to wear red shirts on Fridays to show our support for the troops. In addition, our Internal Customer Care Team (this year's Heroes of the Heart!) sends LUV packages to all of our Employees or immediate family members who are called for military service. Many times, individual departments also keep in touch with Employees who have been called for military duty.
The attached photos show several of our Southwest Airlines Family Members who are currently serving overseas. 
Mike Clanton is the husband of my friend, Tina, who works as a Recruiter in the People & Leadership Development Department. Mike is in the Marine Corps Reserves and has been serving in northwest Iraq, near the Syrian border, since early November. 
Several departments have 'adopted' Mike during his deployment, and have sent goodies for him, as well as backpacks, school supplies and shoes for 
Iraqi children.
Another friend of mine who is currently serving overseas is a SWA Finance Department Employee named Charles Kitowski. 
His girlfriend, Berri, also a Southwest Employee, works in our Flight Operations Department as a Crew Accommodations Specialist. Charles left in January for Afghanistan and will be there until November. Here are a few photos that he sent to us recently. If you look closely at the photo titled "My Room," 
the photo in the calendar on his wall is of Charles and Berri from our trip to Seattle in August to pick up a new 737 (see Sunny's blog, "Can We Bottle That Smell?")
Another great story came to us from Bernadette Maldonado, a Baltimore-based Flight Attendant, 
who was also deployed to Afghanistan in January of this year. Shortly after arriving, she met Bill Mountcastle, another SWA Employee, who works as a BWI-based Pilot! 
They had not met each other before, but both found comfort in the fact that they had a Fellow SWA Employee serving alongside them! Attached are some photos that Bernadette sent to her friends at home.
I'm so grateful to all of these folks for serving our country, and I'm proud to call them my friends. It makes my heart happy to know that even though they are far away from home, they can feel the LUV we're sending their way.
Comments
My hat goes off for all those who serve in the military at this time. Those who take the time to capture the hearts and mind of the Iraqi children are planting seeds of diplomacy that may be reaped later.
Southwest, you truly listen and go out of your way to adress concerns from passengers. I had an unusual experience from a flight due to bad weather. Unfortunately there were some issues but I wrote a letter of concern to Southwest and really just expressing my concerns because I feel that unless you let someone know about issues they can never improve. Well to everyone that has not flown Southwest, your missing a truly incredible organization that really wants to do the right thing. The airline of my choice will be Southwest. They do get it, they understand that people are important and when issues come up, go out of there way to correct things.In this day of modern business where one can feel like just a number, Southwest did respond and its just the "response" that lets you know that you have been heard and matter.
Southwest, thank you and each and everyone of the people in customer service and the management, you know what it takes to make a buisness work and you truly know how to take a service and put caring behind its name.
Thank you for thinking of the troops that are serving overseas. Those pictures are inspiring, these average Americans who are willing to die for our country are the true heros of our time. You kind find these heros on the streets of Baghdad or in the mountains of Afghanistan or within the confines of an aircraft carrier. Despite what the media might say, Hollywood is not a place to look for heros. I have two friends of mine from our ship who are serving on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. I often think of them and the sacrifice that they are making. Freedom isn't free and i salute Southwest airlines for supporting us in these historic times.
USS BLOG BOY
Good post Tim.
I always make sure to write a letter after my flights to thank the employees and always get a response. Even an unexpected one as a box full of stuffed animals arrived when I wrote that we were expecting our second child in 2004.
Brian, how about a cake on the front page for Ding! boys 33rd birthday on April 16? ;-)
Ding! boy
Joe Friedmann
Amen Francisco.
Our Heroes are the men and women on the ground, in the air, and on the sea who willingly put themselves in harm's way every day. One of my Coworkers' Reserve group was called to active duty, and he is in the middle of his tour in Iraq right now. We pray for him, and for all military personnel, to come home safe and come home soon.
I had the privilege of attending the Easter Sunrise Service at the Arlington National Cemetery this past Sunday. It was truly moving to be surrounded by 300,000 men and women who had given everything to preserve our liberty. I really appreciate Southwest doing so much to support them.
Before i respond i wanted to say that as someone who is serving overseas i am getting tired of hollywood and certain lawmakers in Washington who on a continual basis slam what we are doing overseas. I realize that we in this country are entitled to speak freely, but enough is enough. It hurts the morale of the military. Now on to my responses
MICAH
I AM SURE THAT WAS A SIGHT TO SEE. I WISH I COULD HAVE BEEN THERE TO SEE IT.
PHIL,
I WILL KEEP YOUR CO-WORKER IN MY PRAYERS. HE IS DOING SUCH AN HONORABLE THING AND HIS REWARD WILL BE GREATER THEN ANYTHING WE COULD GIVE.
Shelley,
What a wonderful posting to keep us mindful of the sacrifices being made every day by men and women from this country who are serving overseas! How often do we all get up each morning and go about our normal daily routine without giving thought to our troops? We complain about rush hour traffic or long lines at the grocery store, but these outstanding Americans in uniform are facing people who want to kill them every moment of every day. We get to go to the comfort of our homes and turn on our color TVs without thanking the folks who won that freedom for us and who keep winning it on a daily basis.
Your post is also a wonderful reminder of just why the ticker symbol for Southwest is LUV. Our favorite airline is more than just a group of people who move passengers from point A to point B; it is a collection of people who care deeply about others and whose hearts are as big as the one painted on the side of the Heroes of the Heart 737! At the end of the day, the low fares, the great Employees, the timely service and the wonderful peanuts all pale in comparison to the fact that you also spread the Southwest-style of LUV to those who need an extra share of it! The biggest profit that is earned at the end of the year is not a monetary one -- it is the reward of knowing that your servant hearts have reached out and given something of yourselves.
Bravo and Brava for ALL of the Employees at Southwest!
Kim
External Blog Boy :)
Here's a thought for Southwest: Why not show real courtesy and respect for military personnel travelling in uniform and allow them to board with the "A" group regardless of check-in time. On a recent flight I actually witnessed a flight attendant tell a soldier (in desert camo fatigues, no less) that if he wanted a better seat he "should have checked in sooner".
SJV,
I disagree with you, you should know that in the military we are taught to esteem others before ourselves. This means that the pre-boarders are usually the elderly, or the sick. I would rather allow them to board before me who is perfectlty healthy, or perhaps a mother who has young kids. If you want a good seat you have two options.. 1) you can go online 24 hours in advance and check in or 2) you can book a flight on another airline who despite you being military will still charge you an arm and a leg.. Southwest does a lot for the military.
USS BLOG BOY
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