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If retired Lt. Colonel Andrew Stone had a place like CampV when he was transitioning into civilian life, it could’ve been much different.

Stone, who is attending Friday’s Rose City AirFest which will benefit the local veterans’ assistance group, said transitioning from military to civilian life can be difficult and is essentially making a new start.

“The challenge is that when you finally take that uniform off … you no longer have the support systems you’re used to,” Stone said.

Stone said when you come in as a civilian and go from the people protecting to the people protected, a lot of that support appears to be gone.

Veterans truly need the resources and connections made available by places like CampV, which gives East Texans veterans assistance with their benefits, mental health, employment information, support groups, programs and connections. All the proceeds from the AirFest will go toward the organization.

Stone said CampV is simple because you can walk in, somebody greets you at the desk and can direct you to the resources and support you may need. He said this is different from before when you’d have to go across town, the next town over or even Dallas to get support.

“I wish I had had that… It would’ve made a heck of a difference,” Stone said.

Stone said for the first couple of years after retiring from the military, he couldn’t utilize all the resources mainly because they were spread out. He said one of the things he likes most about CampV is how they “pull together many different veteran service organizations under one roof.”

Stone said all the resource organizations available are doing great work and all of them are trying to serve veterans. He said as a veteran he deeply appreciates that, but trying to find the support he was looking for wasn’t easy.

“It’s a daunting task to try to figure out how to do all this, having CampV when I initially transitioned would have really changed my transition myself,” Stone said. “I wouldn’t have been alone.”

Stone flew an A-10 aircraft in the war and graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in June 1995. Stone went on to pilot training then joined the Air Force.

“I’m proud to have served at all, it’s a privilege to serve the country,” Stone said

Stone said he flew in combat and served mainly in Afghanistan and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Stone’s family has a history of serving and as long as he remembers, he wanted to be a pilot. In his family, Stone said flying is just what you did and what you talked about.

He said he got into planes and flying early on.

“I remember when I was about 2 or 3 years old and flying in a small two-seat airplane with my uncle flying it and sitting in my mother’s lap,” Stone said. “…Ever since that flight I was hooked on flying.”

Stone is looking forward to the AirFest and supporting other veterans.

“The opportunity to come and see some of these planes come in and do their demonstration is a rare opportunity, especially with the A-10,” Stone said.

Stone said it is also a great opportunity to take his family to the air show.

“Instead of being the guy in the helmet and the visor flying the airplane, now I get to sit there with them and watch and enjoy that,” Stone said.

The second annual AirFest will bring an exciting show of vintage planes and one of just two B-29s still flying in the country, Friday at the Historic Aviation Memorial Museum at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport.

For details and tickets, visit campvtyler.org/rose-city-airfest/ .

What: Rose City AirFest

Where: Historical Aviation Memorial Museum at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport, 150 Airport Dr.

When: Gates open at 2 p.m.; show begins at 6 p.m.

Tickets: $30 includes adult and 1 free child ticket (12 and under), $200 for VIP seating

More information: campvtyler.org/rose-city-airfest/