Bangor International Airport is an ambitious name for a small rural airport created out of a former Air Force base. But the reason the Air Force put a base there in northern Maine is due to its unique location: it's the last U.S. airport before heading over the Atlantic to Europe and beyond.
That strategic location makes Bangor a refueling stop for military aircraft heading to or coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan, and it's the first or last piece of American soil touched by the troops in transit. Close to a million troops have now touched down there.
For the past six years, a small group of mostly elderly volunteers has made it their mission to meet and greet every military plane stopping in Bangor, no matter what time of day or night. A documentary film airing tomorrow night on PBS, The Way We Get By, tells the story of three of those troop greeters.
The troop greeters have become something of a legend in Maine and among the service members who have passed through Bangor. But the film is a much more personal portrait, directed by Aron Gaudet, the son of one of the featured senior citizens.
The Way We Get By takes a look behind the hearty smiles, handshakes, heartfelt thanks and free cookies and cell phones the greeters bring to the airport, and discovers a world in which the seniors are engaged in their own struggles with aging, disease, loneliness, memories of war and personal loss. The film discovers a remarkable symbiosis between the soldiers' fighting mission and the greeters' fight to overcome pain, fatigue and depression in making sure no soldier departs or returns without thanks.
The stars of the film have differing opinions about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the documentary doesn't take a political stance. It honors the service of those passing through Bangor, as well as the commitment of these dedicated volunteers. Their generosity and genuine caring have made a lasting impression, as this comment on the film's website makes clear:
I've seen these guys having gone through Bangor twice from a deployment, (coming in at 2am once) and they are always there, happy to meet you, shake your hand, and ask you how your trip was, lined up and smiling at you as soon as you come through the terminal doors. It's really just the absolute nicest and most comforting thing in the world to walk into a room like that of faces and hugs after time overseas -- We can't say thank you enough for all that love, service, and support
The Way We Get By is airing on most PBS stations at 9:00 PM on Veteran's Day, November 11th. Check the POV website for local listings and to watch the trailer.