NORFOLK, Va. — Sailors displaced by the war with Iran are back on American soil, and a local veterans organization is making sure they feel at home.
American Legion Post 327 in Norfolk has spent the past week feeding, supplying, and supporting sailors evacuated from Bahrain, offering what Post Commander Derrick Johnson calls "a little taste of home."
"There's some sailors that have been displaced due to catastrophic events overseas," Johnson said. "We're here, kind of giving them a little bit of normalcy, a little bit of taste of home, and we're feeding them breakfast today."
The effort has been going on all week. On Thursday, the post's auxiliary served a spaghetti dinner to roughly 15 sailors. Post members also assembled toiletry kits stocked with toothbrushes, toothpaste, and socks, items many sailors were unable to grab when they evacuated. Gift cards were distributed as well, so sailors could pick up personal items at local stores or the Navy Exchange.
"Our doors are open for them," Johnson said. "This is home to them, and we're gonna treat them like family."
For sailors Dominic Combs and Alana Miller, both Masters-at-Arms in the Navy, the journey back to the United States was long and chaotic. The two described the flight home as roughly 17 hours.
Combs, who had only been in Bahrain for about a week before the evacuation, said the situation happened fast.
"It was kind of just thrown at me," he said. "Obviously, it was a little chaotic. Obviously, thoughts were going crazy, but I was happy that we got off."
Miller was more direct about her reaction in the moment: "Glad that we got off base."
Despite the difficult circumstances, both sailors said landing back on American soil brought a sense of relief.
"I felt safer being back on American grounds," Combs said. "Felt safer being back closer to home."
The two found their way to Post 327 through a personal connection, a friend's father had served alongside a Legion member, and say the welcome they received has made all the difference.
"I honestly don't think I felt more loved in such a bigger community than being back home," Combs said.
Johnson, a retired Navy Master Chief with 28 years of service who retired in 2016, said his own experience made the decision to help an easy one.
"I know what it means to have your workplace destroyed and not have a sense of normalcy," he said. "I know what it means to be displaced and having to pack up and leave a place that you called home, or that you were stationed at."
When word came that displaced sailors were heading to Norfolk, Johnson said the post did not hesitate.
"We got word that displaced sailors was coming to Norfolk, and we sprung to action to see what we can do and offer our help."
Johnson said the Legion's response reflects the organization's core mission of service, not just to veterans, but to active-duty members and their families as well.
"What the American Legion stands for is service to our community," he said. "When our service members are in need, we step up, and we show out."
Johnson closed with a direct appeal to any veteran or active-duty service member who may not be familiar with what the American Legion offers.
"If you don't know what the American Legion stands for, and if you're a veteran or active duty out there, pop into the American Legion and see all the different things that we do for people," he said. "We help active duty veterans, spouses, and children. Pop in and really see the impact that we have on the community."
Combs echoed a similar message for fellow service members navigating difficult moments.
"There's always somebody to talk to," he said. "Always reach out, find somebody, just talk. That'll help."
American Legion Post 327 says it continues to accept donations to support displaced sailors, including toiletry items and gift cards.
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