Rubiella honored at White House ceremony

  • Published
  • By Capt. Cathleen Snow
  • 920th Rescue Wing
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Rene Rubiella, a Brevard County resident and Air Force Reservist at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., was honored for his volunteer service to the community during a special ceremony at the White House last Friday when he was presented with the President's Volunteer Service Award.

A senior master sergeant with the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick AFB, Rubiella was one of seven military members from across America honored at the ceremony hosted by the USA Freedom Corps.

The 28-year military veteran has donated almost 20,000 hours of his time to a variety of community projects including Habitat for Humanity, the Melbourne Daily Bread Soup Kitchen, his local church, and the Airman Leadership School at Patrick AFB. He also created Operation Not on Our Watch, an annual program that has taught more than 20,000 high school students about the dangers of careless driving.

"I realized in the giving, the more you give the more you get back. It's so incredibly rewarding," said Sergeant Rubiella. He said he experiences a rush of positive emotions when he's helping someone out. Like the feeling he gets when handing someone the keys to a new house he helped build.

"Giving someone a hand up, not a hand out." That's how the senior noncommissioned officer describes his volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit organization that uses volunteer labor and donations to build houses for those who can't afford one. Since 1992, he has served in a variety of roles for the organization to include public affairs, church relations, volunteer committee and construction lead. He has personally participated in the building of more than 30 homes.

"He a superb SNCO with the strength and discipline to lead the way in community service," said Col. Steven Kirkpatrick, 920th Rescue Wing Commander.

On Wednesdays, Rubiella can be found at the Melbourne Daily Bread Soup Kitchen where he helps to serve approximately 260 meals a day. He also volunteers as an instructor for Jesus in the Gospel, Disciples and Stephen Ministry class, serves as director of his local Home Owners Association, and helps younger Airmen at the leadership school at Patrick AFB.

One of the programs which led to his volunteer service award was born of personal tragedy. In April 2005, Rubiella lost his only child in an automobile accident. Since then, he has devoted countless hours to orchestrate an annual Operation Not on Our Watch (Op NOW) event. Op NOW has reached over 20,000 high school students, teaching them about the dangers and consequences of distractions while driving a vehicle.

Op NOW has received endorsements from numerous law enforcement and first responder agencies in Florida. Each event uses guest speakers and dramatic re-enactments of accidents, 911 calls and rescue attempts to warn young drivers of the dangers of the road.

Presenting the award to Senior Master Sgt. Rubiella were General James Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Honorable Henry Lozano, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of USA Freedom Corps and Mary Jo Myers and actor Stephen Baldwin, both members of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.

After the awards presentation, Sergeant Rubiella, along with his wife Terry, were the special guests of actor and music Gary Sinise for a special concert in the Pentagon's Center Courtyard.