ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — Carl Bailey of Robertsdale is a big supporter of veteran’s affairs here in Central Baldwin County. You didn’t see him in his accustomed spot at any of the veteran’s Day events here in Baldwin County.

Before you wonder what happened to him, Bailey is all right. He was out of town accepting an award as the Disabled American Veterans Alabama Veteran of the Year.

He received a plaque form Gov. Bob Riley, and was honored during a Veteran's Day parade up in Birmingham.

“They nominated me (at the the state DAV convention) in June,” said a delighted Bailey sitting in his living room. “They chose me.”

Bailey has been involved with the Disabled American Veterans since leaving the Navy in the early 1960s.

“I was an aircraft electrician,” explained Bailey, adding that he followed an older brother into the service.

“I prepared the avionics, I’d be in the shop working on instruments, gyros.”

But, an incident with a jeep in Atsugi, Japan changed his life.

“I was run over by a truck in 1956,” Bailey said. “I had B.F. Goodrich tire tracks on me.”

Joking aside, Bailey had a fractured pelvis, broken ribs and internal injuries. To this day, he finds one leg is weaker than the other.

Bailey spent months in the hospital, and after his enlistment was up, he left the Navy. He had met and married his wife, Janice and sea duty was looming, something he did not want with a new wife.

He worked several jobs, eventually coming to Brookley Field to work on avionics systems.

Unfortunately, Bailey’s injuries were a problem. He says no one told him about Disabled American Veterans or the services available to him.

“When I got out of the Navy, hundreds, thousands were being discharged every day,” Bailey said. “They didn’t have time to tell us about our benefits.”

“I told a friend about my problems and he asked me if I was a member of DAV. He told me that if we joined forces more could be accomplished.”

Bailey did not wait. He joined the DAV, and says he had held most of the offices locally and statewide. He serves with the DAV chapter in Fairhope, and drives the DAV van to Biloxi to take other veterans to the VA hospital there for medical care.

“There are benefits out there and if weren’t for the DAV, I wouldn’t know about them,” said Bailey. ”The mission of the DAV is to make disabled veterans’ lives better.”

He urged other veterans who may have a service-connected disability to contact the DAV.

“They are on the Internet at DAV.org or you can call the Fairhope chapter at 989-6653,” said Bailey.

If veterans need van service to the hospital in Biloxi, they should call 1-800-296-8872 for more information.