Photo by Sharon Taylor Conway American Red Cross volunteerLina Czubas at work in Walter Reed’s outpatient pharmacy. The 84-year-old has volunteered for over 50 years. “Her spirit is so encouraging,” says Lt. Col. Greg Gadson.

From the moment she steps off the Fort Myer, Va., shuttle bus to Walter Reed each weekday morning, Czubas is on the move.

First, she signs-in as a volunteer in the third floor American Red Cross. In a flash sheís off to work in the first floor outpatient pharmacy.

Next, sheís on to the wards, keeping Soldiers company while their loved ones go to lunch. After a short lunch break for herself, Czubas is off and running again, this time to follow-up with patients in the physical therapy department.

There is no stopping Lina Czubas.

A quick visit to the hospital chapel and Czubas is off again, this time to the Military Advanced Training Center (MATC). She greets patients, sees their progress and offers encouraging words.

Itís 3 p.m. With one last visit to the Red Cross office, Czubas boards the shuttle that will take her back to Fort Myer and her waiting car for the five-mile trip back to her Falls Church, Va., home.

Itís no surprise that Czubas racked up more than 1,269 volunteer hours at Walter Reed, last year. For 50 years, Czubas has served servicemembers as a Red Cross volunteer.

And sheís just 84-years-old.

ìI love the Soldiers,î says Czubas, in a slow, halting accent.

A native of Trieste, Italy, Czubas met and married her late husband, retired Army Master Sgt. John Czubas during his military tour in Itay. The grandmother of three and mother of two began volunteering with the Red Cross in 1958 at Fort Dix, N.J., preparing Soldiers for Vietnam.

Landstuhl, Germany, Battle Creek, Mich., Vicenza, Italy, Colorado Springs, Colo. ó each place she went, Czubas volunteered with the Red Cross, working in a military recreation center, a walk-in clinic, the first aid clinic of a boarding school for military dependents, an Air Force academy hospital and now, Walter Reed.

ìAmong the hundreds of Red Cross volunteers who faithfully serve and support our patients and staff every day, Ms. Czubas stands out as a sterling example of commitment and selfless service. Her energy, enthusiasm and sense of caring always brightens our hallways and patient rooms,î says Col. Dennis D. Doyle, deputy commander for administration for the Walter Reed Health Care System.

ìEvery time I see her she makes me want to smile,î says Wounded Warrior Lt. Col. Greg Gadson. ìHer spirit is so encouraging.î

Gadson lost both legs in an IED (improvised explosive device) detonation while he was serving in Iraq in May 2007.

ìShe encouraged me from the time I first put on my prosthesis. She followed me and told me how proud she was of my progress from the very beginning,î says Gadson, now a full-time graduate student at Georgetown University.

He says of Czubas and the other Red Cross volunteers, ìThey are there the whole time for the process and monitor your progress, encouraging you the whole way. From the ward to physical therapy to the MATC, she [Czubas] makes her rounds.î

It seems that support is a two-way street for Czubas.

Czubas says Soldiers like Gadson, ìEncourage me. When you see them take their first step, you want to help them so much.î

ìThey are so wonderful. They are so encouraging. When I hurt I donít have the heart to say ëouchí. So brave,î Czubas says. ìThey say, ëI did what I had to do ó no regrets.í They smile. They are so giving what they do. You donít hear, ëI regretí. Never, never.î

Czubas says the sacrifice servicemembers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan make, ìis very important. I hope I can make up for what our Soldiers in Vietnam didnít get. The sacrifice that Soldiers madeÖ,î her voice trails off. ìIt was very hard when they came back from Vietnam. My husband came back in uniform and it was frightening. They [Vietnam protestors] looked down on him and yelled at him.î

Czubas says she wants to make sure this doesnít happen to our current soldiers.

ìNo!î she says firmly, shaking her head.

ìI lo-o-ove them. To meet them is to love them: for what they stand for, for what they did. You take them home with you in your heart once you meet them,î says Czubas.

And Walter Reed loves Czubas.

ìI cannot say enough about Lina. She is awesome,î says Col. Fifi Stritmatter, deputy assistant chief of staff for clinical operations, North Atlantic Region Medical Command. ìShe truly dedicates a lot of her time catering to the Soldiers and their families. She doesnít miss a thing ó sheís amazing. Simply amazing.î

Stritmatter says Czubas gives Soldiers rides, makes deliveries for them and enables them to meet a lot of their needs. She directs them to the right resources and makes them feel special and loved.

ìShe follows up on her patients,î says Stritmatter. ìShe is one of the most dedicated, selfless people Iíve been lucky enough to know.î

Czubasí boundless energy and determination stand out, says Strittmatter. ìShe goes to whomever she needs to make sure the patients and their families are taking care of.î

The devoted volunteer came to Stritmatter last October after a Wounded Warrior expressed his disappointment. Due to his severe condition at the time he was awarded his Purple Heart medal, he did not receive a ceremony.

ìLina asked me, ëHow do we do this? Can this be done?íî says Stritmatter. The two worked together and the Soldier received his Purple Heart at the next ceremony.

ìIt was very touching,î Stritmatter recalls. ìI canít find words to thank her for her selfless service. Iím very grateful for her.î

ìWithout them [volunteers], I donít know how we could accomplish our mission. So much dedicated work is done behind the scenes by Lina and other volunteers.î