Operation Warm Heart: Helping Airmen through difficult times

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Scott Warner
  • 621st Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  

In August 2024, one Airman’s life was forever changed when her sister passed away.

”Because of [Operational Warm Heart's] generosity, I was able to hold my family member’s hand when they woke up from emergency surgery […] that is something I’ll never forget.''
Staff Sgt. Kai Stewart, 821st Contingency Response Support Squadron Emergency Management Functional Readiness Manager

The tragedy was unexpected and sudden for Staff Sgt. Kai Stewart, 821st Contingency Response Support Squadron emergency management functional readiness manager, and throughout this hardship, Stewart was supporting her family.

 "My world was shaken by the unexpected passing of my sister,” Stewart said. “I had already accumulated significant debt supporting her through her transition and helping my family throughout that emotional journey.”

Unfortunately for Stewart, just a few months later, she received another devastating call. An immediate family member, whose identity wishes to be kept anonymous, had attempted suicide.

“I felt like there was no time to grieve or recover over my sister before receiving that phone call,” Stewart said. “I was still emotionally and financially strained, and I was left in a state of shock and uncertainty, not knowing if they would survive their injuries.”

Stewart immediately booked a flight home desperate to be with her family, even though she was still recovering financially from her sister’s passing.

This is where Operation Warm Heart changed Stewart’s life. It is run by the Travis First Sergeants Council on base, and with local donations through fundraiser events, Operation Warm Heart can give financial relief to Airmen who need it most.

“My leadership, including my first sergeant, Master Sgt. Adam Rademacher, showed immense compassion and support during this time, reminding me that I wasn’t alone,” Stewart said. “In that moment of crisis, Operation Warm Heart stepped in and eased a heavy burden.”

For Stewart, Operation Warm Heart covered a significant portion of her travel expenses, allowing her to be with my family during one of the most delicate and fragile moments of their lives.

“Because of their generosity, I was able to hold my family member’s hand when they woke up from emergency surgery […] that is something I’ll never forget,” Stewart said.

Operation Warm Heart is a nonprofit subdivision of the Travis First Sergeant’s Council with a mission aimed at “providing morale, welfare and help when other resources are not available.”

In 2024, the local community in and around Travis AFB donated more than $33K to help Airmen and their families in times of need.

Operation Warm Heart flier
“Operation Warm Heart didn’t just help with airfare, they gave me the gift of presence, peace and hope in the middle of heartbreak,” Stewart said. “I will be forever grateful to this organization and its mission. Their support made an impossible moment bearable, and for that, I will carry deep and lasting gratitude.”

In addition to helping Airmen and families, Operation Warm Heart and the Travis First Sergeant Council hosted the Gold Stat Ruck March back in May 2025, which is a base-wide event that honors Department of Defense families that have lost a family member due to their military service.

All the proceeds from the Gold Star Ruck March are donated to the Northern California Chapter of the Gold Star Families. Additionally, 100% of the canned goods and nonperishable food collected during the event are donated to the food bank of Contra Costa & Solano as a way of giving back to the local community that helps Airmen.

Operation Warm Heart continues to look for candidates to help, and hopefully, Stewart’s story can be a guiding light to let another Airman know they are not alone during their own trials of hardship and tribulation.