November 5, 2025
By: Mac Hightower

Troy Sonnier has spent the last year living on an air base in eastern Romania improving the lives of the U.S. service members deployed there. Now, he’s on the second leg of a long-term deployment with the American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) expeditionary workforce, doing the same thing in Estonia.

The Louisiana native is an expeditionary staffer, serving as a connecting link between deployed service members and their families in times of emergency, relaying verified messages for military commands so that emergency leave may be granted. He also uses his passion for the arts to create opportunities for troops to disconnect from their camouflage and participate in activities on military locations otherwise devoid of recreation options.

“I've always been a fan of anyone who serves or has served. So, I have an empathy for them and what they've been through, what they're going through because, again, it's not an easy mission that they've chosen.”

Troy understands first-hand the stress from working in the military. As a former officer in the Army National Guard, Troy’s unit was activated and deployed to Iraq during Operation Desert Storm.  The experience was both challenging but deeply meaningful.  Later, he spent more than 20 years in the corporate world before looking for his next opportunity to give back to something that had given him so much. After serving as a SAF volunteer in Louisiana, he found an opportunity to deploy with the Red Cross and support the military community overseas.

“Once I deployed, I realized that my passion for the arts, my passion for creativity could be a terrific voice that I have for young people who are deployed and the stresses that come with that,” said Troy.

Troy’s using his love of the arts to promote respite and resiliency with the Red Cross for the service members in Eastern Europe.

“On Wednesday evenings [in Romania] we had canvas and paints and you know, all the supplies that soldiers needed to just come in and create. It wasn't an art class,” explained Troy, “it was just an opportunity to be creative. And I think sort of disconnect from the camouflage culture for a little bit.”

To deepen the impact of the program, he partnered with the mental health counselor on base.

The idea is simple yet effective. Troops are invited to come into the Red Cross Respite Center to grab a canvas, a few brushes and paint for a couple of hours. Each session has a theme to help inspire participants, although they are by no means bound to the topic.

“A lot of folks said, hey, I don't know how to paint. Or I’m not creative, and that's OK,” explains Troy, “the goal is for them to just sort of connect with a creative outlet for some resilience.”

For Troy, a highlight of the program occurred at MKAB Romania when the Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program officers got involved. Together, they held a special “Cope and Paint” with program officers and mental health counselors present. The service members were encouraged to paint something that resembled ‘prevention’ and the artwork that was created was then displayed in high-traffic locations like the dining facility.

Troy continues to hold “Cope and Paint” on a bi-weekly basis at his new duty station in Estonia, stating the job is the perfect synergy between his esteem for military culture, love of the arts and desire to give back.

“I decided to deploy with SAF, and it's been a fantastic experience. It encompasses my passion for the military, for military history, for the soldiers and what they go through and also my ability to sort of connect with people, with young people,” Troy shared. “I love what I bring to the table, with an understanding that deploying is difficult.”

During Veterans and Military Families Month, and throughout the year, the American Red Cross is proud to support military communities through emergency communications, resiliency programs, deployment support and more. To learn more about these services and volunteer opportunities, visit redcross.org/Louisiana.