On Tuesdays and Fridays you will likely meet 3+ year volunteer Sam Drake, a United States Air Force Veteran who served as an Intelligence Analyst for the Air Force Security Service in Darmstadt, Germany, from 1969 to 1973. He remembers vividly how terribly the Viet Nam War Veterans were treated upon returning home, so he was delighted to discover a way to honor current deployed military personnel through the Military Missions organization. In fact, he found us by accident when he bought dogfood at a shop next door for his doggie Zeke, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He decided immediately this was a wonderful cause and an opportunity to support the current military in a way he did not experience when he returned.
Born and raised in Lexington, Sam attended Lafayette High School. After his service, Sam earned a degree in Graphic Arts at the Central Kentucky Vocational School and an Associate Degree in Business Management at the Kentucky Junior College of Business. In addition to working in graphic arts, printing press operations, and sales, he held management positions in warehousing, distribution, inventory control, materials management, and operations management for various organizations until 2016 when he retired. He previously volunteered for 4 years (until Covid) at the VA Hospital in Patient Transport.
And, if that isn’t enough – Sam played soccer into his 40’s, then earned a US Soccer coaching license, with which he refereed all levels of soccer for 25 years (youth, college, pro and women’s leagues.) He served as Deputy Director of Officiating on LYSA (the Lexington Youth Soccer Association) Board of Directors, and as Director of the Adult League. He is a member of the Lexington Chapter of the Air Force Association, and Vice President of the Pasadena Neighborhood Association.
Serving in the military runs in the family: Sam’s father, 106 years young, is a World War II Veteran of the United States Army, and one of the few remaining Pearl Harbor survivors. He also served in the Battle of Saipan. Sam has two sons and three grandchildren, and, of course, his doggie Zeke.
Sam
February 19, 2025
On Tuesdays and Fridays you will likely meet 3+ year volunteer Sam Drake, a United States Air Force Veteran who served as an Intelligence Analyst for the Air Force Security Service in Darmstadt, Germany, from 1969 to 1973. He remembers vividly how terribly the Viet Nam War Veterans were treated upon returning home, so he was delighted to discover a way to honor current deployed military personnel through the Military Missions organization. In fact, he found us by accident when he bought dogfood at a shop next door for his doggie Zeke, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He decided immediately this was a wonderful cause and an opportunity to support the current military in a way he did not experience when he returned.
Born and raised in Lexington, Sam attended Lafayette High School. After his service, Sam earned a degree in Graphic Arts at the Central Kentucky Vocational School and an Associate Degree in Business Management at the Kentucky Junior College of Business. In addition to working in graphic arts, printing press operations, and sales, he held management positions in warehousing, distribution, inventory control, materials management, and operations management for various organizations until 2016 when he retired. He previously volunteered for 4 years (until Covid) at the VA Hospital in Patient Transport.
And, if that isn’t enough – Sam played soccer into his 40’s, then earned a US Soccer coaching license, with which he refereed all levels of soccer for 25 years (youth, college, pro and women’s leagues.) He served as Deputy Director of Officiating on LYSA (the Lexington Youth Soccer Association) Board of Directors, and as Director of the Adult League. He is a member of the Lexington Chapter of the Air Force Association, and Vice President of the Pasadena Neighborhood Association.
Serving in the military runs in the family: Sam’s father, 106 years young, is a World War II Veteran of the United States Army, and one of the few remaining Pearl Harbor survivors. He also served in the Battle of Saipan. Sam has two sons and three grandchildren, and, of course, his doggie Zeke.