His Army career took him around the world and placed him in the middle of defining moments in modern history. In 1983, he participated in the U.S. military operation in Grenada, where American medical students were rescued amid political unrest on the island. Earley remembers the gratitude of the students and takes particular pride in the mission’s successful outcome. Years later, he served along the East-West German border as the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, witnessing firsthand a moment that helped signal the end of the Cold War. He also served during Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, including efforts to protect U.S. and other Western embassies and support the liberation of Kuwait. A master parachutist with experience in air assault operations and the 101st Airborne Division, Earley eventually rose to the rank of colonel and took on command responsibilities later in his career.

Yet when he reflects on what the Army taught him, it is not the missions, titles or accomplishments that come to mind first. It is the people. “The values of integrity and personal accountability” have remained with him throughout his life, he said, along with a belief in taking care of others. As a commander, Earley viewed soldiers as his most precious resource. Taking care of them also meant taking care of their families, whether soldiers were at home or deployed. That people-first mentality would eventually become central to his volunteer work as well.

Earley began exploring volunteer opportunities with the American Red Cross in January 2020 and soon found a place where his military experience and desire to serve could make an impact. One of his roles has been working in government operations, serving as a Red Cross liaison within Ohio’s state emergency management structure during disaster responses. His service has included responses to tornadoes, local fires and, more recently, flooding in eastern Ohio communities. Earley has also remained closely connected to the military community through the Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces mission. Through the Hero Care Network, the Red Cross provides an important communication link between military members and their families during emergencies. When a serious family emergency occurs, even if a service member is stationed across the country or halfway around the world, the Red Cross can help verify the emergency, relay the message and assist military leadership as decisions are made about emergency leave. Earley knows how valuable that connection can be. Whether a service member is in the middle of an ocean, deployed in a desert or stationed elsewhere around the globe, the goal is to make sure critical family news reaches them. He also helps introduce new recruits and their families to Red Cross resources, making sure they know support is available before they ever need it. “Hopefully you’ll never need it,” Earley said of the Hero Care Network. “But if you do, this is how you activate it.”

What Earley enjoys most about volunteering is the opportunity to help people when their lives have suddenly been turned upside down. Through Red Cross disaster response, he has seen families facing some of their most difficult moments after home fires, tornadoes, floods and other emergencies. In those moments, Red Cross volunteers can help provide comfort and connect families with immediate resources such as lodging, meals, financial assistance and support from other community organizations. That ability to show up when someone is in greatest need is what makes the work meaningful to Earley.

For anyone thinking about volunteering with the Red Cross, his advice is simple: take the next step. “If you take the steps, you’ll find it very rewarding,” he said. Volunteers may meet an individual or family at one of the lowest points of their lives, Earley explained. Being among the first people there to offer comfort, assistance and a path forward can make an enormous difference.

Earley’s military retirement identification card does not have an expiration date. In some ways, he sees his commitment to service the same way. As long as he is able, he intends to continue helping others. Looking back, Earley is grateful not only for the missions he was able to accomplish, but for the family who experienced military life alongside him. He and his wife raised three children during his Army career, moving among different posts and duty stations. He remains especially proud of his family’s resilience throughout those years. Today, service continues to be a family affair. His wife, Maggie, is also a Red Cross volunteer.

From military operations overseas to disaster responses closer to home, Earley has spent much of his life stepping forward when others needed help. That is also why his induction into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame carries special meaning. Earley said he is proud, honored and humbled by the recognition, and especially proud that his work with the American Red Cross has become an important part of the legacy being recognized. For him, the honor represents something larger than any single accomplishment. It reflects a lifetime of service that did not end when he took off his Army uniform but instead found a new mission in his own community.