Standown is a term used during war to describe the practice of removing combat troops from the field and taking care of their basic needs in a safe area.

 

We don't leave our wounded behind...

EAST BAY STAND DOWN 
Volunteer Categories 

 

Tent Leaders
45+ Tent leaders needed, under the guidance of the Tent Leader coordinators, are trained to ensure that the goals and needs of the Veterans are taken care of with respect and dignity. The Tent Leader camps out with our Veterans and oversees the delivery of services to our Veterans throughout the entire event. They communicate daily agendas, intentions and any event changes to the Veteran participants. The Tent Leader service commitment is for the complete event from Wednesday, the day before EBSD, until Sunday at 1300 hours. Contact Charles Boykins charlesboykins@hotmail.com with questions/needing additional information and to volunteer.

Activities Tent
Volunteers are needed in the afternoon to set up game boards, cards, etc. for the participants, and also to play games with them when needed. We offer playing cards, chess, checkers & dominoes. At least two people would be needed for the later evenings from approximately 5-9pm. The volunteer(s) would also be responsible for locking up the activities tent and putting things away. The afternoon volunteer(s) would help the coordinator keep things running smoothly.

Animal Care - Offsite
Stand Down for Pets is conducted offsite, Lisa Healy at lisahirschhealy@yahoo.com will answer your questions. Pets are collected the first day of EBSD and transported away for care, pets are returned to EBSD site on Sunday.

Chaplain/Spiritual Leaders
Spiritual Leaders (ie: Chaplains, Priests, Rabbis, Pastors, etc) are welcome to volunteer and provide one-on-one counseling as needed. Spiritual Leaders must be trained in the ministry of presence and will be screened by the Spiritual Leader coordinators before the event. Approximately 40 volunteer Spiritual Leaders are needed for each 24 hour period.

Clothing
Clothing volunteers, under the direction of the Clothing coordinator, ensures that all clothing is purchased, sized and issued. Tracks costs and issuance - all clothing is issued in a proper and orderly manner. Provides special shoppers for large sizes and for women and children. Help is needed on Wednesday to help sort clothing by size and type (14 people). The most help is needed on Thursday when the participants arrive, the participants need to receive their clothing on that day. Shoes needed to be fitted, clothing requests need to be organized and collected and then distributed to the participants. On Saturday less help is needed.

Communications
Volunteers with computer and telephone networking experience are needed to assist with planning, set-up, and maintaining of connections for the many agencies that will be on-site to assist the veteran participants. Volunteers are also needed to assist with hanging signs and banners throughout the encampment and along the route leading into the event.

Community Service Providers
Representatives from U.S., State and Local governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, and veterans groups, who provide counseling/services, benefits, employment opportunities, transitional housing, and rehabilitation programs, must Volunteer/Register through their Agencies with Patti Kintz at pjkintz@aol.com. To offer your services to the Veteran participants at EBSD in the "Community Services" area, you must make arrangements for your attendance with the coordinator for this area prior to EBSD. If you, or someone from your group, has not done so already, please contact Community Service Coordinator Patti Kintz.

Community Services
“General Volunteers”, not associated with the Community Service Providers, are also needed in the Community Services area. They will assist the coordinator(s) to sign-in approximately 340 Staff members from the various community service provider organizations, distribute/collect forms, provide information, maps/directions to settle community service providers into their work area, and assist community service providers with any logistical matters as needed. Volunteers may also talk with Participants, regarding the services they are seeking, and direct them to appreciate providers, and assist them with any special needs.

Dental
We would like to encourage local dental practitioners to set aside a block of appointment time to provide treatment (restorations, extractions, root canals, cleanings, etc.) in their own office Thursday afternoon, Friday and/or Saturday. Given logistical/transportation considerations these offices should be restricted to Pleasanton, Dublin, Livermore, Hayward, San Leandro, Castro Valley, San Ramon, Danville and Walnut Creek. Onsite volunteers (dentists, auxiliaries, and general public) will be needed for registration, scheduling, and general administrative functions.

Encampment
Volunteers, especially those with pickup trucks, will be needed to help set-up the encampment, starting approx. 8 AM, Monday before EBSD. Volunteers should be able-bodied, capable of lifting and carrying various items, large and small, and willing to get dirty. There is the same need for take-down, starting Sunday at noon until possibly Wednesday. Volunteers will assist the USAR in setting up and taking down tents. Encampment volunteers will assist in the set-up of equipment that is not set-up by the military and volunteers may assist the military in setting up equipment. Volunteers ensure that all tents, cots and structures are set up before EBSD begins. Volunteers ensure that all support tents are set up and all equipment has been placed. They also maintain the proper physical condition of the encampment during EBSD (10 people per day are needed).

Entertainment
Plans and organizes all entertainment for the event and for post event recognition ceremonies under the direction of the Entertainment coordinator.

Food/KP
Food/KP volunteers - the plan would be to use the kitchen volunteers to supplement the crews of the service organizations that are providing the meals only when needed; otherwise they will help clean, cut up watermelon and bread, peel potatoes and other odd jobs. Provides food for night time needs and for those with special dietary needs. Extra help needed Tuesday and Wednesday for kitchen set-up, and then on Monday (and possibly Tuesday) afterwards for final clean up.

Health Care/Medical
Due to the need for health care professionals to be granted clinical privileges through the Veterans Administration Health Care Agency in order to participate as health care providers at EBSD, we ask that all MDs, DOs, DDSs, ODs, NPs, PAs, Psychologists, Podiatrists, Dental Hygienists and Clinical Pharmacists please contact Dr. Chun at ronchun@aol.com.

Hygiene
Under the direction of the Hygiene Coordinators, volunteers help to procure, store, distribute and collect all items necessary for maintaining cleanliness at the event. This includes personal hygiene items, showers, trash and recycling. Volunteers for hygiene also include licensed hair cutters. Volunteers ensure that personal hygiene is encouraged.  They arrange for portable toilets, wash basins and showers and develops a schedule for all the hygienic services offered.

Information
An Information Booth in the center of the encampment needs to be occupied to hand out maps, schedules and newsletters, preferably with volunteers with prior EBSD experience.

Legal
Volunteers needed are: judges, attorneys, court personnel and support staff. Volunteer schedule includes Thursday and Friday intake and screening as well as attorney days; Friday afternoon tax advice and accountants needed; Saturday is court day; Saturday afternoon child support issue specialists will be needed.

Participant Registration
Participant Registration volunteers, under the close supervision of the Participant Registration coordinator, helps designate pre-registration sites and protocol. Collects pre-registration information from off-site locations. Assists in registering participants as they arrive and oversees all incoming protocols (i.e. assignment to tents, collection of personal items, assurance of triage for those in critical situations). Approximately 55 volunteers needed Thursday from 8am-4pm, and approximately 10 volunteers needed from 8am - noon.

Power
At least 8 healthy people with very strong backs (can carry over 60 pounds easily), available Tuesday and Wednesday before EBSD for set-up and Sunday afternoon for tear-down.

Recovery
Individuals interested in participating in the Recovery area at EBSD must contact the Recovery Coordinators at mjoseph8404@gmail.com and joestein21@hotmail.com.
Recovery volunteers are members of either Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous.  To lead or chair a meeting or to be available for Twelve Step one-on-one, volunteers will have at least six months continuous recovery in either AA or NA.  Recovery meetings are scheduled around the clock on alternate hours (AA even hours, NA odd hours) starting at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday through 6:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. 

Recycling
The Boy Scouts need extra help on Thursday and Friday gathering trash and recycling.

Safety
Day and night shift safety volunteers assist the Safety coordinators in providing security for the event from the initial set up through the final tear down of the event. 24 hour security at the site is scheduled and managed continuously from Monday prior to EBSD to Wednesday after EBSD.

Transportation
Transportation volunteers, under the direction of the Transportation coordinator, ensures that all external and internal transportation needs are met. This includes transporting participants to off-site locations for medical or dental appointments. This transportation may be completed in your own vehicles, or one provided by EBSD. Drivers must be able to read maps or may use their own GPS device. Additional onsite transportation of participants, volunteers and others is accomplished with the use of golf carts. Drivers must be able to sit for long periods of time (up to 4 hours), handle bumpy and/or dusty terrain, and follow directions. Drivers provide support for the transportation needs of all other areas of the operation of the event. Drivers may need to be certified.

Volunteer Registration Staff
Regular volunteers will work with the Volunteer coordinators. Responsible for signing in and out all volunteers who enter and exit the EBSD encampment. Ensures that all incoming volunteers have the proper T-Shirts, badges and closed-toe shoes.

Wellness
Logistics volunteers are needed to help man a greet & sign-in table every day. Wellness theme and focus practice will be on "healing" (mind & body). Volunteers (Practitioners) needing to register ONLY would be Healing Touch Practitioners; Massage (Acupressure, Shiatsu ECT.); NADA Acupuncturist and Chiropractors. Practitioners: coordinator estimates about 20 -25 Healing Touch folks, 20 for massage, about 2-3 Practitioners for the NADA Acupuncture and about 15 Chiropractors (Chiropractors please contact Dr. Brent Waterman at the Chiropractic Center watermanchiro@yahoo.com or 925.352.6111 for screening). Shift scheduling of Volunteers for these modalities will be coordinated through each group "coordinator". Only certified Therapy dogs will be allowed to participate in EBSD. Partiicpants will be asked to provide information as to their affiliation with an organized group, proof of current vaccinations, and insurance (no personal "pets" can be allowed at EBSD. Teams will visit with participants of EBSD in 2-hour time slots on Friday or Saturday while working with the Wellness Group to provide the unconditional love and support that only a dog can give. Canine teams will walk around the property and visit with veterans and volunteers to give comfort, confidence, and companionship while they are at East Bay Stand Down. Any other volunteer (practitioner) for any other of these modalities would need to contact Paul Wankle (pwankle@valleyhumane.org) and he will then have them contact a modality contact person (group coordinator) to be place on shift scheduling.

Women and Children
Volunteers have the responsibility of registering the women and children on Thursday and Friday; clothing assessment, shopping for the clothing needs, and assisting the Tent Leaders in the Women and Children's tent.

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*A VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR ALL ON-SITE VOLUNTEERS*

The MINIMUM Volunteer Age is 13 years of age;
ALL Volunteers under 16 (sixteen) years of age must be under
the constant supervision of an onsite responsible adult when at EBSD.

Closed-toe Shoes are required when at EBSD.