Here in Northwest Florida, we live among heroes.
From Destin and Fort Walton Beach to Santa Rosa Beach and communities throughout Walton and Okaloosa counties, military service is woven into the fabric of our lives. Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field, Duke Field, and the Army’s 7th Special Forces Group remind us that defending our nation is not something that happens somewhere else. It happens right here. Our neighbors have worn the uniform. Our families have endured deployments. And among us are veterans whose lives quietly tell the story of America.
One of those veterans is my friend, Chuck Looney, of Niceville.
Chuck is 92 years old, and he possesses a remarkable distinction. During his military career, he served our nation during the Korean War, Vietnam War, and Gulf War. He retired from the United States Air Force following his time in the Gulf War.
I began my military career in the US Air Force but retired from the US Army. That gives Chuck and I plenty to talk about—and perhaps an occasional opportunity for some good-natured interservice rivalry.
Chuck was trained as an aircraft mechanic on the legendary B-52 Stratofortress. Anyone familiar with military aviation understands the significance of that aircraft. For more than seven decades, the B-52 has remained a symbol of American airpower, endurance, and strength. In some ways, I think the aircraft Chuck worked on provides a fitting picture of the man himself: built to endure, dependable through changing times, and still going strong.
But what impresses me most about Chuck is not simply where he served or what aircraft he maintained. It is the man he became along the way.
At 92, Chuck remains humble, strong, vibrant, and joyful. He loves to read. He loves to write. He loves his family, and he faithfully serves in his local church. After witnessing decades of change in our nation and world, he has not become cynical or bitter. There is a resilience about him—a quiet perseverance that I believe younger generations desperately need to see.
Those of us who served in the military understand that resilience does not mean life has been easy. It means we learned to keep moving when it wasn’t. Military service teaches us to adapt, endure, depend upon others, and accomplish the mission even when circumstances are difficult. But those lessons should not end when we take off the uniform.
That may be one of the great challenges facing veterans today. Eventually, every military career ends. The uniform goes into the closet. Someone else assumes the mission. The question then becomes: What do I do with the rest of my life?
Chuck Looney reminds us that service does not have a retirement date.
We can continue serving our families, churches, neighbors, and communities. We can keep learning. We can encourage younger generations. We can share the wisdom earned through years of hardship and experience.
At 92, my friend Chuck is still demonstrating something America needs to remember: You may retire from the military, but you never have to retire from a life of purpose.
Bruce Duty is a retired U.S. Army chaplain and President of CrossCountry3 – a non-profit organization helping veterans and combat human trafficking.
