In particular, the Jacobs family, the Caton family, Sue Insch, Howard Cooper our chef, Keith Bellingham, Jim Braddick, John White, Alice and her friends who rattled the collecting tins. | Today, volunteers like chef Howard Cooper rolled up their sleeves just as Americaâs finest prepared to roll out to active duty in a foreign land.âI was on active duty for 33 years so I had visited a lot of USOâs and Iâm giving back, I wanted to give back,â Cooper said as he helped cook up, slice up and serve up dish and dish to soldiers in uniform. Cooper said, âI think about the ones that didnât come back.