Veteran who serves other vets wins Presidential Award

By Rhett Wilkinson
Sun Advocate Reporter

When he was in the Navy, he fought in Vietnam.
After helping other veterans, he fought cancer.
Today, Mike Lauffer stands not just with an accolade from a national non-profit organization, but a presidential lifetime achievement award.
The East Carbon resident garnered the Disabled American Veterans honor last month after learning earlier this year about getting the highest award possible from The President’s Volunteer Service.
Lauffer heard that while the White House recognition was possible, it would take 15 to 20 years to earn.
It took him five to get the 4,000 hours to be eligible.
“You know, I’m justa volunteer and I never expected to get anything,” Lauffer said. “I thought just the muckety-mucks got (honored).”
Former President Barack Obama signed the presidential certificate, which Lauffer received late last month after getting a pin in January from the White House, along with the award news.
Lauffer racks up at least 300 miles per week, sometimes more, transporting disabled veterans to doctor’s appointments several times per month. He wakes up at 3 a.m. to make it possible, walking his 17-year-old dog and getting himself ready before leaving his home at 5 a.m., with drives starting the following hour.
‘I just do it’
“I don’t even think about it,” he said. “I just do it.”
He arrives back home as late as 8 p.m., driving even two hours north from his home to Draper; Michelle Goldsmith, one of four other Carbon County drivers, said that Lauffer has gone three hours south from his residence to Blanding.
“It’s one of those quiet-miracle type of things,” Goldsmith said.
Goldsmith and the other drivers, which include other veterans, will pick their days among odd week dates one month and even week dates the next. It’s part of the Department of Veterans Affairs Salt Lake City office’s Veteran Transportation Service, where the agency coordinates scheduling, said Matt Byers, mobility manager at the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Salt Lake City office. Lauffer will drive on all the dates that the other drivers won’t, Goldsmith said.
“It’s awesome that we have somebody living in East Carbon (who) does these wonderful, outstanding things,” said Goldsmith, a 25-year Helper resident. “He’s incredible.”
In the winter, Lauffer will 600 or 900 miles each week – two or three round trips – on-service.
“Some people are older and don’t like snow or something,” he said. “When that happens, I’m more than willing to do their jobs.”
Lauffer served in the Navy from 1965-69. During all years but the first, he was in Vietnam.
Does that mean Lauffer has conversations with his comrades about military life?
“Oh, boy, do we ever,” he said. “I’ve heard everybody’s horror stories I don’t know how many times and they’ve probably heard mine I don’t know how many times. It’s the same thing over and over again, pretty much.”
Lauffer declined to share his publicly.
In his first year of volunteer driving in 2013, Lauffer learned he had prostate cancer. (Since Lauffer was so sick then, he can’t remember the exact timeline.)
“When (prostate cancer) happens,” he said, “it gets pretty serious pretty quick.”
But Lauffer fought.
“It was my choice,” he said. “I decided I wasn’t done giving back yet.”
Returning favors
Lauffer is returning favors, too, within the VTS, which is encompassed by the VA’s national Veteran Transportation Program. He was able to get to Castleview Hospital for treatment because of the VTS. When that volunteer in the program stopped helping, Lauffer stepped up.
He did say that it is helpful if family can transport the veterans.
“It helps me a lot,” he said.
Besides The President’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the The President’s Volunteer Service awards are at bronze, silver and gold levels. Hours are measured over a 12-month period and awards are designated based on cumulative hours “and are designed to recognize each milestone of your service achievement,” according to the Corporation for National & Community Service. Former President George W. Bush created the service award program after 9/11.
It takes two weeks to a month to qualify to help in the VTS, Byers said. A driver background and physical are required, Byers said;a mental health check is also required, Lauffer said. The DAV provides a maintained vehicle – the DAV and VA coordinate vehicles suitable for an area’s needs – and the VA covers gas and maintenance expenses, Byers added.
“We’re a one-stop, one-office stop for veterans to get their rides and all the coordination in this office,” he said. “We find willing participants in the community who have to meet the moral and physical qualifications.”
Veteranswith severe health issues getting ridesget attendants, Goldsmith said. Drivers typically return between 2 and 5 p.m. after the rides start at as early as the 6 a.m. time, Goldsmith said.
Lauffer was given the DAV award on June 2 and honored at the Radisson in Salt Lake City by Nancy Espinosa, a member of the Disabled American Veterans Charitable Services Trust board of directors. Lauffer’s executive branch recognition came at Salt Lake Community College. The other drivers are honoring Lauffer from 5-7 p.m. Monday at JB’s Restaurant in Price.
Tom Niederhauser owns the JB’s location and is another driver. Lauffer trained him on the service, Niederhauser said.
“If the rest of us weren’t (driving), he’d be doing it all the time,” Niederhauser said. “He is a hard-working, classy guy.”