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United States Air Force veteran and Texas native Christie Conlee has called the Coffee County community home for the past 15 years, but it was a chance encounter with V.F.W. Post 10904 Commander Kim King that brought her into the V.F.W. fold as a member and volunteer.

“One day I was at the Old Timers Day Festival on the square with my youngest son and the V.F.W. had their booth set up and this woman just got my attention from the booth and just happened to be Commander Kimberly King,” Conlee said.

Conlee then spoke with King about Manchester’s V.F.W. and signed up to join as a member.

“It was because of her,” Conlee said. “It was her character, it was her enthusiasm for the post in explaining what we do here.”

Conlee enlisted in the United States Air Force at 19 years-old in 1999, making the decision to transition out of college to serve her country.

“I was Command Post, Air Force, I did Command and Control,” she said. “I did that for six years active duty. I went over to Kuwait, I was stationed in Germany, I did many things like that. I did that and Space Command.”

After her time in the military concluded in 2005, Conlee went back overseas, serving as a contractor in Iraq.

“That is when Arnold Air Force Base called and that is how I ended up here in Manchester,” Conlee said.

From an early age, serving her country in the military was something Conlee knew she wanted to do.

“I have always loved my country, that is the core of it,” she said. “Growing up I loved two things. I loved Elvis Presley and I loved my country.”

While her grandfather had served in the Navy, she did not have extensive military background in her family.

“I think I have always just tried to see a bigger picture and just not be so narrow minded, and I think seeing the country as a whole and seeing that passion and seeing it in comparison to the world, I think that is what fueled my fire to want to serve,” Conlee said.

Conlee is proud of the work that is accomplished at the V.F.W. Post 10904, and the way everyone there works together to accomplish their goals.

“From the Legion to the Auxiliary to the actual V.F.W., everybody loves each other,” she said. “We have such a good time together. When we do our Veteran’s Day parades, when we do our Vietnam Dinners, when we do our Christmas parades, when you do anything together we have a blast.”

It is that type of commitment and dedication that has led the post to achieve five consecutive All American Awards and six consecutive All State Awards, she said.

“Because of that hard work and all that volunteer time, just the things we love to do, make us unique and make us special and make us really enjoy our time,” Conlee said.

Conlee said she is fortunate to work for a company that is very supportive of her volunteer work and involvement with the V.F.W.

When it comes to community involvement and volunteering, Conlee said she believes it allows people to get a better idea of the great things going on in their own town.

“I think the more you volunteer the more you are going to find other people in your community that are going to blow your mind,” she said. “You are not going to know the hidden gems we have in this county unless you get out there yourself.”