Brian Burridge has a wide smile, bright blue eyes and stands 6 feet, 2 inches tall. He grew up on a dairy farm in Averill Park, due east of Albany, N.Y., where manure “piled high,” but fresh air and beautiful Holsteins dominated, along with a family as tight as a ball of spaghetti.

In the Vietnam era, Burridge had a draft number of 25 when he was first required to register, at age 18. This led him to become a draft dodger. Later, Burridge joined the Navy and served from 1969-1973 as a helicopter mechanic.

As a Second Class Petty Officer, Burridge chased helicopters in the Philippines, Taiwan, Egypt, Persia and the Mediterranean. He later became a Staff Sergeant for the National Guard. Burridge jokes that the sign read, “Join the Navy and see the world.” To that he retorted, “It was an adventure.”

Now, Burridge is on another mission as East Lyme veterans representative. His goal in life is for everyone to thank veterans for their service and to inquire of them “Are you getting the benefits that you’ve been promised?”

Veterans must register at town hall with their military discharge and complete a DD-214 form. The State of Connecticut counts veterans, and those numbers impact future programming and benefits.

A veteran can also register with the Veterans Administration itself or call the Veterans of Foreign War; any veteran service, or Brian Burridge at (860) 287-2683. More information can be found at nextdoor.com/groups/21895510, which also lists events.

Critical information is available such as medical, housing, crisis assistance and schooling.

Hotline can help

Crisis assistance provides instant access to a trained ear to answer questions on a hotline. Gatherings and social opportunities might include car shows, picnics, barbecues, golf tours, fundraisers, boat shows and sailing activities.

All are posted on the website above as well as helpful information that will hyperlink you to important veteran benefits.

Burridge waited 14 years on a benefit that was due to him. To access what he was promised, he went through numerous appeal processes. Sergeant Burridge sees himself as a “hall monitor,” as he assists other veterans so they won’t suffer the way he did. If you need help with education or finances, contact the Norwich VA office. For medical services, Shaw’s Cove in New London assists veterans. For information on the veterans coffeehouses, call (860) 425-6617.

Burridge explained that veterans’ programs are organizationally complicated, and navigating through their systems is often difficult. Some of the entities do not communicate with others, resulting in breakdowns. Programs exist to assist with housing, tax deduction on property, a plaque at gravesites and a flag for the casket, or for the spouses of veterans (caregiver retreats/assistance).

Help is there, but it is important to get the word out. Registration at your town hall is critical; every veteran should complete a DD-214.

Registration for a DD-214 is also important for legislative purposes and for our government to support and continue the programs for veterans. Currently in East Lyme, Burridge indicated that there are 6,822 registered veterans at Town Hall. His estimate is that it should be closer to 10,000.

“Where are the missing veterans?” he asked.

Burridge wants to know.

Burridge is also a chaplain, visiting veterans near the end of their life and eulogizing their contributions prior to their passing.

Illuminating dark days

As our WWII veterans outlive their families and friends, they face isolation and solitude. Burridge illuminates their darkest days, and he is ready with a joke and a hardy laugh. He knows the travesty of being treated like cattle, receiving shots as well as the “hurry up and wait” message frequently grunted.

The work Burridge does helps him and the veterans he serves. When asked how his current mission made him feel, he said, “(I) feel happier than a pig in mud!”

Brian Burridge was a guest on Stories Worth Telling in January 2020. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cim3J5wV-W4&t+18s.

Cate Steel lives in East Lyme. Find out more about her at catesteel.com.

The “Stories Worth Telling” shows are on public access TV Sunday night at 7:30 p.m.; subscribers on the YouTube channel have eclipsed 1,800 with some of the shows reaching hundreds to thousands of views.