ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — Carl Bailey of Robertsdale will never forget one trip to Mississippi about four years ago.

“We were about one mile out (from the Veterans Administration Hospital in Biloxi) when one of the passengers had a seizure of some kind.”

Bailey described a frightening scene where the passenger, clearly disoriented, tried to exit the moving van. Other passengers restrained him.

“Just as we were coming on to the campus (of the hospital) he died,” recalled Bailey. “I started sounding my horn, flashing my lights, and went up the wrong way to the emergency room ramp. Thank God we didn’t run into anybody.”

The other passengers on the van alerted emergency room personnel to the situation and helped Bailey get their fellow passenger onto a gurney as nurses and doctors rushed to his aid.

“I know they had to shock his heart back,” said Bailey, clearly disturbed by the memory, “and he did not make the trip back home with us. But, he did survive to ride the van with us another day.”

Bailey and a host of other volunteers drive a DAV van from the Foley police station, where the van is stored, to stops in Foley, Robertsdale, Spanish Fort and Mobile before heading to the VA hospital in Biloxi. While most trips are not so dramatic, the van is a lifeline for veterans who can’t otherwise do the 200-mile plus round trip to get to the Biloxi hospital.

That’s the case for Bob Ragan of Orange Beach. The Vietnam era Marine lives in Orange Beach, and goes to the VA hospital at least once a year for a stress test. He says he does not have a regular physician in the area.

“I don’t have medical insurance,” Ragan said, “I do have Medicare, but the VA is free. I don’t have money to throw around. When I was younger, I drove it (to Biloxi) twice. I didn’t know about the van then.”

Ragan, because of his health, is not working, so saving expense of driving to the hospital is a big deal for him. He does not believe he’d be getting any medical care if it weren't for the DAV van.

“This is just a wonderful service,” Bailey said.

The service began about 12 years ago, in 1996, says Walter Bates of Elberta, who coordinates the van program locally.

“I started working with the Disabled American Veterans in the late 1980s,” said Bates, a retired Navy aviator. “A group of us found out about the DAV's National Transportation Network program, and we began van operations in 1996.”

The service has been popular, averaging seven to nine passengers a day, but Bates says there is room for some more.

“Our first two 15 passenger vans were retired after logging more than 525,000 miles.” Bates said

Disabled American Veterans Chapter 6 of Foley currently operates a 2006 Ford 12-passenger van.

To keep costs under control, Bates said, “We try to do the routine maintenance on the week ends which means an oil change about every month.”

“We have been blessed with many drivers,” says Bates, who added that drivers do not have to be veterans themselves. Drivers must have a clean record, pass a VA physical and take a defensive driving course before going on the road. The days can be long — Bates says they run from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We have 20 drivers on the books, but some are snowbirds, and some are on sick leave,” said Bates. “We can always use more drivers, even if it’s one day a month. If somebody wants to drive, they can call me at 986-5959 and I can put them in touch with the right people.”

The importance of the van program can’t be over stressed, says James Jordan, DAV van coordinator at Biloxi.

“Right now, with the economy, there are veterans who don’t have the money to pay for gas to get to their appointments,” said Jordan. “They can pay the gas, and then not eat for the month. We’re here to service the veteran, and this is part of that program.”

Veterans with medical appointments in Biloxi should call Jordan at 1-800-296-8872, extension 4329 to schedule a ride. Adult support people (if a procedure requires the veteran have someone accompany him) are welcome on a space-available basis.

While the local van program, which runs weekdays, has logged more than enough miles to go to the moon and back, Bates says (with fingers crossed) that there have been few mishaps.

“We have had some blowouts, and once we hit something that had fallen off another vehicle, but nothing major,” said Bates.

Driving a van means you get to meet some living history.

“I’ve carried three Tuskeegee Airman,” said Bates, and many, many World War II veterans.”

“Our van drivers are all volunteers and don’t get paid,” added Bates. “They are given a meal ticket which usually covers the "Caretaker’s Lunch" at the hospital's cafeteria and they also get the gratitude of their patients passengers. The last time I drove, every one of them said, ‘thank you.’”