What to Do

We offer the following suggestions to make your participation most enjoyable:

  • All of our events occur in the International terminal (Pier E) of the BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport.
  • We post all of the dates and times for our scheduled events on the EVENT SCHEDULE page of our website. We also use our hotline (410-630-1555) to inform you of our next scheduled (or unscheduled) event–please be sure to check it for the latest event information.
  • The times we show is the TIME FOR YOU TO ARRIVE at the airport–and NOT the time troops arrive.
  • Please note that the times we provide are when the volunteers should arrive at the airport and NOT actual flight arrival times.
  • We build in extra time to decorate the lobby and make goodie bags. Volunteers are encouraged to help with these preparations before the soldiers arrive through Customs. Please do not assemble goodie bags prior to coming to the airport. We assemble them as a team before the soldiers arrive.
  • VERY IMPORTANT: On the day you plan to attend, PLEASE call the hotline before you leave home or work to verify that the event is still on, and on-time.
  • Wear something patriotic and feel free to bring signs welcoming your loved one home and thanking them for their service.
  • If you wish to bring something for the goodie bags, please consider bringing handmade “thank you” cards from children or pre-packaged/single-serving snacks (cookies, crackers, granola bars, and candy) and ½ liter bottled water for the goodie bags. Please do not bring homemade cookies, fresh fruit, or other perishable food items. Most of the arriving troops are not local and will be waiting for a connecting flight and are hungry, thirsty, and tired.
  • The easiest way to get to the event is to ride the Light Rail.  Make sure you get on the one that goes to BWI—it drops you off right at the International Terminal at the airport
  • The best parking is on Level 3 of the airport garage. (parking section 3H). Use the crosswalk from Level 3 to cross over to the airport (be careful about traffic). You will enter the airport near the USO Lounge. Once inside the airport, go left towards the International Terminal, and we will meet in the lobby of that terminal.  
  • OWHMD Event Information: To find out the time of the next event, call our special OWHMD Hotline at (410) 630-1555.
  • Other things you can do:

1.   Donate time to help the USO at BWI – USO Metro DC Website

2.   Donate airline miles to www.heromiles.org

3.   Donate time to help Maryland Chapter of Operation Homefront

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